Ezekiel 34:8

Serving others

⁶ My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

⁷ Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

⁹ Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

¹⁰ Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

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: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because My flock lacks a shepherd and has become prey and food for every wild beast, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but fed themselves instead,
KJV: As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
WEB: “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds didn’t search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep,
ASV: As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely forasmuch as my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my sheep;
DARBY: [As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, verily because my sheep have been a prey, and my sheep have been meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds searched not for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock,
BLB: ‘[As] I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—surely because My flock became as prey, and My flock became as food for every beast of the field, for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search [for] My flock, and the shepherds shepherded themselves, and My flock they did not feed.

ÅB: Så sant jeg lever, sier Herren, Israels Gud, sannelig, siden min flokk er blitt til rov, og den er blitt til føde for alle markens ville dyr, fordi den var uten hyrde, og mine hyrder ikke spurte etter min flokk, men hyrdene røktet seg selv og ikke røktet min flokk -
OTB: Så sant jeg lever, sier den suverene Herren, fordi min flokk har blitt plyndret og mat for alle de ville dyrene, og fordi mine hyrder ikke lette etter min flokk, men tok seg av seg selv i stedet for min flokk,
B1930: Så sant jeg lever, sier Herren, Israels Gud, sannelig, siden min hjord er blitt til rov, og den er blitt til føde for alle markens ville dyr, fordi den var uten hyrde, og mine hyrder ikke spurte efter min hjord, men hyrdene røktet sig selv og ikke røktet min hjord -

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Peter 2:13
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:18
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
Read in context
1 Corinthians 9:15
But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
Read in context
Jude 1:12
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:2–3
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?
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:10
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:31
And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:5–6
And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Read in context