Ezekiel 34

1 The Lord’s word came to me. 2 “Son of man, prophesy against Israel’s shepherds. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Shepherds of Israel! Do shepherds feed themselves? Do shepherds not feed the sheep?’” 3 “‘Look, you feed on the milk, clothe yourselves with wool, and kill the fat sheep, but you do not feed my sheep.’” 4 “‘You have not strengthened the weak, cared for the sick, bound the injured, brought back the stray, or sought the lost. Instead, you exhausted the strong with labor.’” 5 “‘My sheep were scattered because they had no shepherd, and they became food for every field animal.’” 6 “‘My sheep were scattered over every mountain and high hill and across the whole earth. No one searched for them or brought them back.’” 7 “‘Therefore, shepherds, hear the Lord’s word.’” 8 “‘As I live, says the Lord God, my sheep became prey and food for every field animal because there were no shepherds. The shepherds did not search for my sheep. They fed themselves instead of my flock.’” 9 “‘Therefore, shepherds,’” 10 “‘this is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against the shepherds. I will demand my sheep back from their hands and stop them from tending my flock, and the shepherds will no longer feed them. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths so they are no longer their food.’” 11 “‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and care for them.’” 12 “‘As a shepherd searches for a scattered flock on a dark, cloudy day, so I will search for my sheep and bring them back from every place where they were scattered on the day of cloud and darkness.’” 13 “‘I will bring them from the nations, gather them from the countries, lead them into their land, and feed them on Israel’s mountains, in its valleys, and throughout its inhabited places.’” 14 “‘I will feed them in good pasture, and their folds will be on Israel’s high mountain. There they will lie down and rest in good delight, and they will feed in rich pasture on Israel’s mountains.’” 15 “‘I will feed my sheep and make them rest. They will know that I am the Lord. This is what the Lord God says:’” † 16 “‘I will seek the lost, recover the stray, bind the broken, strengthen the faint, guard the strong, and feed them with judgment.’” 17 “‘As for you, sheep, this is what the Lord God says: Look, I will distinguish between one sheep and another, between rams and male goats.’” 18 “‘Was it not enough to feed on the good pasture? Did you also have to trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? You drank the settled water and disturbed what was left with your feet.’” 19 “‘My sheep had to feed on what you trampled and drink the water your feet disturbed.’” 20 “‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Look, I will distinguish between the strong and weak sheep.’” 21 “‘You shoved with sides and shoulders, butted with your horns, and squeezed out all the faint.’” 22 “‘So I will save my sheep. They will no longer be prey, and I will judge between one ram and another.’” 23 “‘I will raise one shepherd over them to tend them—my servant David. He will be their shepherd.’” 24 “‘I, the Lord, will be their God, and David will be a ruler among them. I, the Lord, have spoken.’” 25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with David and destroy dangerous animals from the land. My sheep will live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests.’” [a] 26 “‘I will settle them around my mountain and give you showers of blessing.’” 27 “‘The field’s trees will yield fruit, and the earth will yield its strength. The people will live in their land in the hope of peace. When I break their yoke and rescue them from those who enslaved them, they will know that I am the Lord.’” 28 “‘They will no longer be plunder for the nations or food for the land’s wild animals. They will live in hope, with no one to frighten them.’” 29 “‘I will raise up a plant of peace for them. They will no longer perish from hunger in the land or bear the nations’ disgrace.’” [b] 30 “‘They will know that I am the Lord their God and that they are my people, house of Israel, says the Lord.’” 31 “‘You are my sheep, the sheep of my flock, and I am the Lord your God, says the Lord God.’”