以色列的牧人

34 耶和华对我说: “人子啊,你要这样向以色列的牧人发预言,‘主耶和华说,以色列的牧人啊,你们有祸了!你们只顾喂养自己,牧人岂不应该照顾羊群吗? 但你们只顾吃羊的脂肪,穿羊毛衣,宰杀肥羊,却不照顾羊群。 你们没有养壮瘦弱的,没有医治生病的,没有包扎受伤的,没有领回走散的,没有寻找迷失的。你们反以暴力来管辖他们。 因为没有牧人,羊群便流离失散,成了野兽的食物。 我的羊在群山和高岗上游荡,分散在各地,没有人寻找他们。

“‘所以,你们这些牧人啊,要听耶和华的话。 主耶和华说,我凭我的永恒起誓,我必惩罚你们。因为我的羊没有牧人,以致沦为所有野兽的食物。我的牧人不去寻找我的羊,他们只喂养自己,不喂养我的羊。 你们这些牧人啊,要听耶和华的话。 10 主耶和华说,我要攻击这些牧人,从他们手中讨回我的羊,不再让他们牧放羊群,使他们无法再喂养自己。我要从他们口中夺回我的羊,不再让羊成为他们的食物。

11 “‘主耶和华说,看啊,我要亲自寻找我的羊,找到他们。 12 牧人怎样寻找他四散的羊,我也照样寻找我的羊,他们在密云幽暗的日子失散到各地,我要把他们从那里救回来。 13 我要把他们从各国各族中领出来,带他们回到自己的故土,我要在以色列的山岭上、溪水旁和境内的草场上牧养他们。 14 我要在佳美的草场上牧养他们,以色列的山岭必成为他们的草场。他们要在佳美的草场上安卧,在以色列山岭的肥美草场上吃草。 15 主耶和华说,“我要亲自喂养我的羊,让他们得到安歇。 16 我要寻找迷失的,领回分散的,包扎受伤的,医治患病的,但我要消灭肥壮的。我要凭公义牧养他们。”

17 “‘我的羊群啊!至于你们,主耶和华这样说,我要在你们中间施行审判,在公绵羊和公山羊之间进行审判。 18 你们肥壮的羊在茂盛的草场上吃还不够吗?你们非要用蹄子践踏吃剩的草吗?你们喝清水还不够吗?你们非要用蹄子搅浑剩下的水吗? 19 我其余的羊只得吃你们践踏的草,喝你们搅浑的水。

20 “‘所以主耶和华对他们说,看啊,我要亲自在肥羊和瘦羊之间施行审判。 21 你们肥羊用胁和肩拱,用角抵瘦弱的,使他们四散。 22 因此我要拯救我的羊,使他们不再成为猎物,我要在羊与羊之间施行审判。 23 我要立我的仆人大卫做他们的牧人,他将牧养他们,做他们的牧人。 24 我耶和华要做他们的上帝,我的仆人大卫要在他们当中做王,这是耶和华说的。

25 “‘我要跟他们立平安的约,除去地上的恶兽,让他们在旷野安居,在丛林安睡。 26 我要赐福他们,也要赐福我圣山的周围,我要按季节降雨给他们,使恩福如雨降下。 27 田间的树木必结果子,土地必长出庄稼,他们要在故乡安居。我要折断他们所负的轭,从奴役他们的人手中把他们拯救出来,他们便知道我是耶和华。 28 他们必不再成为列国的猎物,也不会被地上的野兽吞吃。他们必安居乐业,不再受人惊吓。 29 我要把沃土赐给他们,使他们不再受饥荒之苦,也不再受各国的侮辱。 30 这样,以色列人就知道我耶和华——他们的上帝与他们同在,他们是我的子民,这是主耶和华说的。 31 你们是我草场上的羊,你们是我的子民,我是你们的上帝。这是主耶和华说的。’”

譴責失職的牧者

34 耶和華的話臨到我說: “人子啊!你要說預言攻擊以色列眾牧者;你要對他們說預言:‘主耶和華這樣說:以色列眾牧者有禍了!他們只顧牧養自己。牧者豈不應當牧養羊群嗎? 你們吃脂油、穿羊毛,宰肥壯的羊,卻不牧養羊群。 瘦弱的,你們沒有養壯;患病的,你們沒有醫治;受傷的,你們沒有包紮;被趕散的,你們沒有領回;迷失的,你們沒有尋找;你們反而用強暴嚴嚴地管轄牠們。 牠們沒有牧人,就分散了,作了田野一切走獸的食物。 我的羊在眾山和各高岡上流離;牠們分散在全地上,沒有人去尋,也沒有人去找。

“‘因此,你們這些作牧者的,要聽耶和華的話: 我指著我的永生起誓,我的羊因沒有牧人,就成了獵物,作了田野一切走獸的食物。我的眾牧者不尋找我的羊;他們只顧牧養自己,卻不牧養我的羊。這是主耶和華的宣告。 因此,你們這些作牧者的,要聽耶和華的話。 10 主耶和華這樣說:看哪!我要與眾牧者為敵;我必向他們追討我的羊,使他們不再牧養羊群,也不再牧養自己。我必救我的羊脫離他們的口,不再作他們的食物。

耶和華親自作以色列的牧者

11 “‘因為主耶和華這樣說:看哪!我必親自尋覓我的羊,把牠們找出來。 12 牧人在他的羊群四散的時候,怎樣尋找他的羊,我也必照樣尋找我的羊。這些羊在密雲幽暗的日子四散到各處,我要把牠們從那裡救回來。 13 我必把牠們從萬族中領出來,從列邦中聚集牠們,領牠們歸回故土。我必在以色列的群山上,在眾溪水旁,在國內一切居住的地方,牧養牠們。 14 我必在美好的草場上牧養牠們,以色列的高山必作牧放牠們的地方。在那裡牠們必躺臥在美好的牧場上,牠們必在以色列群山肥美的草場上吃草。 15 我必親自牧養我的羊,親自使牠們躺臥。這是主耶和華的宣告。 16 迷失的,我必尋找;被趕散的,我必領回;受傷的,我必包紮;患病的,我必養壯;肥壯的,我卻要除滅。我也必按著公正牧養牠們。

懲罰惡羊

17 “‘我的羊啊!論到你們,主耶和華這樣說:我要在羊與羊之間,在公綿羊與公山羊之間,施行審判。 18 你們在美好的草場上吃草,還不知足嗎?剩下的草,你們竟用腳踐踏;你們喝了清水,剩下的你們竟用腳攪濁。 19 我的羊,就只能吃你們用腳踐踏過的,喝你們用腳攪濁了的。

20 “‘因此,主耶和華對牠們這樣說:看哪!我必親自在肥羊與瘦羊之間施行審判。 21 因為你們用腰用肩擁擠所有瘦弱的,又用角牴觸牠們,直到把牠們驅散到外面, 22 所以我必拯救我的羊,使牠們不再作獵物。我要在羊與羊之間施行審判。

彌賽亞的預言

23 “‘我必立一個牧人,就是我的僕人大衛,看管牠們,牧養牠們。他必牧養牠們,作牠們的牧人。 24 我耶和華必作牠們的 神,我的僕人大衛要在牠們中間作領袖。我耶和華已經說了。

25 “‘我必與牠們立平安的約,使惡獸從境內滅絕,牠們就可以在曠野安居,在樹林中躺臥。 26 我必使他們和我的山四圍都蒙福;我必按時降雨,這就是賜福的雨。 27 田野的樹木必結果子,地也必有出產;他們必在自己的土地上安居。我打斷他們所負的軛,救他們脫離奴役者的手的時候,他們就知道我是耶和華。 28 他們必不再作列國的獵物,地上的野獸也不再吞吃他們;他們必安然居住,沒有人驚嚇他們。 29 我必給他們興起一個以種植聞名的地方,使他們在境內不再被饑荒消滅,也不再擔當列國的羞辱。 30 那時,他們就知道我耶和華他們的 神與他們同在,並且知道他們以色列家是我的子民。這是主耶和華的宣告。 31 你們是我的羊,是我草場上的羊;我是你們的 神。這是耶和華的宣告。’”

The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

34 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?(A) You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.(B) You have not strengthened the weak or healed(C) the sick or bound up(D) the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.(E) So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,(F) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.(G) My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.(H) They were scattered(I) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.(J)

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered(K) and has become food for all the wild animals,(L) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,(M) therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against(N) 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(O) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.(P)

11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep(Q) and look after them. 12 As a shepherd(R) 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.(S) 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather(T) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.(U) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.(V) 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel(W) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture(X) on the mountains of Israel.(Y) 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,(Z) declares the Sovereign Lord.(AA) 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up(AB) the injured and strengthen the weak,(AC) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.(AD) I will shepherd the flock with justice.(AE)

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.(AF) 18 Is it not enough(AG) for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet?(AH) 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.(AI) 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns(AJ) 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.(AK) 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend(AL) them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.(AM) 24 I the Lord will be their God,(AN) and my servant David(AO) will be prince among them.(AP) I the Lord have spoken.(AQ)

25 “‘I will make a covenant(AR) of peace(AS) with them and rid the land of savage beasts(AT) so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.(AU) 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.[a](AV) I will send down showers in season;(AW) there will be showers of blessing.(AX) 27 The trees will yield their fruit(AY) and the ground will yield its crops;(AZ) the people will be secure(BA) in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke(BB) and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.(BC) 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety,(BD) and no one will make them afraid.(BE) 29 I will provide for them a land renowned(BF) for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine(BG) in the land or bear the scorn(BH) of the nations.(BI) 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BJ) 31 You are my sheep,(BK) the sheep of my pasture,(BL) and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 34:26 Or I will cause them and the places surrounding my hill to be named in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or I will cause them and the places surrounding my hill to be seen as blessed

Irresponsible Shepherds

34 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: (A)“Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (B)You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you (C)slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. (D)The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor (E)sought what was lost; but with (F)force and [a]cruelty you have ruled them. (G)So they were (H)scattered because there was no shepherd; (I)and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep (J)wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.

‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock (K)became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, (L)but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”— therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! 10 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am (M)against the shepherds, and (N)I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall (O)feed themselves no more; for I will (P)deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

God, the True Shepherd

11 ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 As a (Q)shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on (R)a cloudy and dark day. 13 And (S)I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, [b]in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 (T)I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. (U)There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. 16 (V)“I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy (W)the fat and the strong, and feed them (X)in judgment.”

17 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: (Y)“Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 18 Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the [c]residue of your pasture—and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? 19 And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet.”

20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: (Z)“Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21 Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, 22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will establish one (AA)shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—(AB)My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And (AC)I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David (AD)a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

25 (AE)“I will make a covenant of peace with them, and (AF)cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they (AG)will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places all around (AH)My hill (AI)a blessing; and I will (AJ)cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be (AK)showers of blessing. 27 Then (AL)the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have (AM)broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who (AN)enslaved them. 28 And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but (AO)they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. 29 I will raise up for them a (AP)garden[d] of renown, and they shall (AQ)no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, (AR)nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. 30 Thus they shall know that (AS)I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are (AT)My people,” says the Lord God.’

31 “You are My (AU)flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 34:4 harshness or rigor
  2. Ezekiel 34:13 Or by the streams
  3. Ezekiel 34:18 remainder
  4. Ezekiel 34:29 Lit. planting place