Israel’s False Shepherds

34 A message came from the Lord for me, and it had this to say: ² “Son of Man, prophesy against Israel’s shepherds. Tell those shepherds, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves and not the sheep. Shouldn’t shepherds feed the sheep? ³ You’re eating the best parts,^[a] clothing yourselves with the wool, and slaughtering the home-grown sheep without having fed the sheep! ⁴ You haven’t strengthened the weak, treated the sick, set broken bones, regathered the scattered, or looked for the lost. Instead, you’ve dominated them with brutal force and ruthlessness.

⁵ “Since they have no shepherd, they have been scattered around and have become prey for all sorts of wild animals. How scattered they are! ⁶ My sheep have gone wandering on all of the mountains, on all of the hills, and throughout every high place in the whole world, with no one to look for them or go out in search of them.

⁷ “Therefore listen to what the Lord says, you shepherds: ⁸ ‘As certainly as I’m alive and living, my sheep have truly become victims, food for all of the wild animals because there are no shepherds. My shepherds did not go searching for my flock. Instead, the shepherds fed themselves, and my flock they would not feed!’

⁹ “Therefore, you shepherds, listen to what the Lord says: ¹⁰ ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Watch out, I’m coming after you shepherds! I’m going to demand my sheep back from them^[b] and fire them as shepherds. The shepherds won’t be shepherds anymore when I snatch my flock right out of their mouths so they can’t be eaten by them anymore.”’”