Ezekiel 34 Destruction of Edom and Restoration of Israel

1 Shepherds and Sheep
The word of the Lord came to me:

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?

3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.

4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.

6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,

9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.

12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.

14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord.

16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.

18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?

19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away,

22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.

23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.

24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.

25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.

26 I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

27 The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.

28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.

29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.

30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.

31 You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

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Analysis of Ezekiel Chapter 34

The 34th chapter of the Book of Ezekiel presents a profound and potent prophetic message that addresses the irresponsibility of Israel’s leaders, depicted as shepherds failing their flock. This chapter is a poignant metaphor concerning the political and spiritual guides of Israel, and it shifts into a hopeful promise of divine intervention and restoration. The chapter can be broken down into several sections that provide a systematic understanding of the message.

Verses 1-10: The Corrupt Shepherds

In the opening verses, Ezekiel delivers God’s judgment against Israel’s leaders, metaphorically referred to as shepherds. The shepherds are condemned for their self-serving leadership:

“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?” (Ezekiel 34:2).

The imagery of shepherds is drawn from a common understanding of the time, where shepherds were responsible for the welfare of their sheep. In this context, the shepherds (leaders) have failed in their duty by focusing on their needs rather than the needs of the flock (the people). The chapter criticizes them for their negligence and failure to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strays, or seek the lost (verses 3-4). Instead, leaders have exploited their position for personal gain and allowed the flock to scatter and become prey:

“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” (Ezekiel 34:4).

This indictment of the leaders highlights social injustice and neglect. The shepherds’ neglect results in an absence of guidance and care, leading to the scattering of the people. The use of “prey” metaphor emphasizes the vulnerability and exposure of the people to external threats because of their leaders’ dereliction of duty (verse 5).

The consequence of such dereliction is God’s declaration that He will remove these false shepherds from their positions. Verses 7-10 underscore that God holds these leaders personally responsible for the loss and suffering of His people:

“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” (Ezekiel 34:10).

Verses 11-16: God as the True Shepherd

In direct contrast to the corrupt shepherds, God declares His intention to act as the true shepherd. God’s commitment to His people is highlighted where He promises to rescue, gather, and care for the scattered flock:

“For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out” (Ezekiel 34:11).

The verses (11-16) illustrate God’s intervention and personal investment in the wellbeing of His people, using a series of “I will” statements to articulate His actions:

I will search my sheep, and seek them out (verse 11).
I will seek out my sheep, and will deliver them (verse 12).
I will bring them out, and gather them (verse 13).
I will bring them to their own land (verse 13).
I will feed them in a good pasture (verse 14).
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down (verse 15).
I will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick (verse 16).

This section emphasizes that God will personally ensure the protection, provision, and restoration of His people. This imagery portrays God as a nurturing and attentive shepherd, sharply contrasting with the corrupt leaders. The metaphor of a good pasture and causing the sheep to lie down is reminiscent of Psalm 23, representing peace, provision, and security under God’s care.

Verses 17-22: Judgment Within the Flock

God’s righteousness and justice extend not only towards the shepherds but also within the flock itself. As verses 17-22 indicate, God promises to judge between the sheep, particularly addressing those who exploit and harm their fellow sheep:

“And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats” (Ezekiel 34:17).

This segment suggests internal conflicts and injustices within the community, where certain individuals or groups (symbolized by rams and goats) may be taking advantage of others (symbolized by weaker sheep). God’s coming judgment will establish fairness and protection for the weak and oppressed:

“Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle” (Ezekiel 34:21-22).

This highlights God’s comprehensive approach to justice, dealing with both leaders and individuals to create a just and equitable community where the vulnerable are safeguarded.

Verses 23-31: The Promise of the Davidic Shepherd and Restoration

The concluding verses of the chapter (23-31) present a messianic hope and divine covenant of peace. God commits to establishing “one shepherd” over the people in the lineage of David:

“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd” (Ezekiel 34:23).

This is an explicit messianic prophecy, pointing towards a future leader from the line of David who will embody the characteristics of the ideal shepherd. This shepherd will fulfill the role that the current leaders failed to accomplish. The establishment of a Davidic shepherd symbolizes a new era of divine leadership and covenantal relationship:

“And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it” (Ezekiel 34:24).

The covenant of peace in verses 25-31 further elaborates on the blessings and security that will follow:

Peaceful habitation and removal of wild beasts (verse 25).
Abundance and fertility of the land (verse 26-27).
Security from oppression and threats (verse 28).
Personal acknowledgment and relationship with God (verse 30).

The chapter concludes with the reaffirmation of God’s commitment and the people’s identity as His flock:

“And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 34:31).

This closing statement encapsulates the entire chapter’s message: a call for responsible leadership, divine intervention, judgment, and the promise of restoration. It emphasizes the intimate and protective relationship between God and His people and the forthcoming leadership under the promised Davidic shepherd.

Conclusion

In summary, Ezekiel Chapter 34 is a critical examination of Israel’s leadership failures and an earnest promise of God’s intervention to rescue, restore, and lead His people. Its metaphoric language and vivid imagery highlight key aspects of God’s care, justice, and covenantal promises, offering a profound reflection on responsible leadership and divine faithfulness. The chapter’s enduring relevance calls for reflection on both spiritual and secular levels of leadership, emphasizing accountability, compassion, and the ultimate reliance on divine oversight for true justice and peace.

Understanding the Key Messages in Ezekiel 34: Insights and Explanation

In this chapter, God prophesies the destruction of Edom and the restoration of Israel. He declares that He will judge Edom for their violence against Israel and their pride. God promises to pour out His wrath on Edom, causing it to become desolate. However, He also promises to restore His people, gathering them from the nations and giving them a land of their own. This chapter serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His faithfulness to His chosen people.

Notes

This chapter showcases God's justice, as He punishes Edom for their violence against Israel. It also highlights His mercy, as He promises to restore His people despite their disobedience.