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given me back my voice. So I was able to speak
when this man arrived the next morning.
23 Then this message came to me from the
Lord: 24 “Son of man, the scattered remnants of
Israel living among the ruined cities keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he gained
possession of the entire land. We are many;
surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’ 25 So tell these people, ‘This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: You eat meat with blood
in it, you worship idols,* and you murder the
innocent. Do you really think the land should
be yours? 26 Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers!
Should the land belong to you?’
27 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign
Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the
ruins will die by the sword. And I will send wild
animals to eat those living in the open fields.
Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of
disease. 28 I will completely destroy the land and
demolish her pride. Her arrogant power will
come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be
so desolate that no one will even travel through
them. 29 When I have completely destroyed the
land because of their detestable sins, then they
will know that I am the Lord.’
30 “Son of man, your people talk about you
in their houses and whisper about you at the
doors. They say to each other, ‘Come on, let’s
go hear the prophet tell us what the Lord is
saying!’ 31 So my people come pretending to be
sincere and sit before you. They listen to your
words, but they have no intention of doing what
you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words,
and their hearts seek only after money. 32 You
are very entertaining to them, like someone who
sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays
fine music on an instrument. They hear what
you say, but they don’t act on it! 33 But when all
these terrible things happen to them—as they
certainly will—then they will know a prophet
has been among them.”
The Shepherds of Israel
Then this message came to me from the
Lord: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against
the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them
this message from the Sovereign Lord: What
sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? 3 You drink the milk,
wear the wool, and butcher the best animals,
but you let your flocks starve. 4 You have not
taken care of the weak. You have not tended
the sick or bound up the injured. You have not
gone looking for those who have wandered
away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them
with harshness and cruelty. 5 So my sheep have
been scattered without a shepherd, and they
34
33:25 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably
alludes to dung.
EZEKIEL 34
are easy prey for any wild animal. 6 They have
wandered through all the mountains and all the
hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has
gone to search for them.
7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of
the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign
Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to
be attacked by every wild animal. And though
you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for
my sheep when they were lost. You took care of
yourselves and left the sheep to starve. 9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord.
10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now
consider these shepherds my enemies, and I
will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to
feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their
mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.
The Good Shepherd
11 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will
be like a shepherd looking for his scattered
flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from
all the places where they were scattered on that
dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back
home to their own land of Israel from among
the peoples and nations. I will feed them on
the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and
in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will
give them good pastureland on the high hills
of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant
places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.
15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them
a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for my lost ones who
strayed away, and I will bring them safely home
again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen
the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat
and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them
justice!
17 “And as for you, my flock, this is what the
Sovereign Lord says to his people: I will judge
between one animal of the flock and another,
separating the sheep from the goats. 18 Isn’t it
enough for you to keep the best of the pastures
for yourselves? Must you also trample down the
rest? Isn’t it enough for you to drink clear water
for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest
with your feet? 19 Why must my flock eat what
you have trampled down and drink water you
have fouled?
20 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord
says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep
and the scrawny sheep. 21 For you fat sheep
pushed and butted and crowded my sick and
hungry flock until you scattered them to distant
lands. 22 So I will rescue my flock, and they will
no longer be abused. I will judge between one
animal of the flock and another. 23 And I will set