The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

34 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 you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?^(A)

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^(A) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(B) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(C) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(D) 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^(E) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(F)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(G) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(H) 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.^(I)