Ezekiel 34:3
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock.
- KJV
- Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
- WEB
- You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep.
- ASV
- Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill the fatlings; but ye feed not the sheep.
- DARBY
- Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; ye kill them that are fattened: [but] ye feed not the flock.
- BLB
- You⁺ eat the fat and in wool you⁺ clothe yourselves; you⁺ slaughter the fatlings; you⁺ do not feed the flock.
- ÅB
- Fettet spiser dere, og med ullen klær dere dere, det fete slakter dere; flokken røkter dere ikke.
- OTB
- Dere spiser fettet, kler dere med ullen, og slakter de beste dyrene, men dere tar ikke vare på flokken.
- B1930
- Fettet eter I, og med ullen klær I eder, det fete slakter I; hjorden røkter I ikke.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Zechariah 11:16
For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
Read in context2 Kings 21:16
Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
Read in contextIsaiah 1:15
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
Read in context1 Kings 21:13–16
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
Read in contextIsaiah 56:11–12
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Read in contextMicah 3:1–3
And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Read in contextJeremiah 2:30
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
Read in contextJeremiah 22:17
But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
Read in context