Ezekiel

The Shepherds of Israel

The word of the Lord came to me with these words:

“Son of man, speak on my behalf against the shepherds of Israel! Say to the shepherds on my behalf: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?

But you feed on milk and wear wool, and you slaughter the fattest sheep. You haven’t taken care of the flock;

you haven’t strengthened the weak, cared for the sick, or bandaged the injured. You haven’t searched for the sheep that strayed or looked for the one that was lost. Instead, you ruled over them harshly and oppressed them.

They have scattered because of a lack of a shepherd and have become prey for wild animals.

My sheep wander over the mountains and high hills; when they are scattered across the land,no one cares about them or looks for them.

Hear, then, shepherds, what the Lord says:

As I live—word of the Lord—because my sheep have been prey for wild animals and have become their food due to a lack of shepherds, because the shepherds have not cared for my sheep.

After all, you, shepherds, have not bothered about them but fed yourselves instead of the flock, hear the word of the Lord.

This is what the Lord says: I will hold the shepherds accountable and reclaim my sheep from them. They will no longer tend my flock, nor will there be shepherdswho feed only themselves. I will rescue the flock from their mouths; they will no longerbe food for them.

Indeed, the Lord declares this: I, myself, will care for my sheep and watch over them.

As the shepherd cares for his flock when he finds them scattered, so will I watch over my sheep; and gather them from all the places where they were scattered during times of cloud and fog.I will bring them out from the nations and collect them from other countries.

I will lead them to their own land; and pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in all the valleys and inhabited regions of the land. I will take them to good pastures on the high mountains of Israel.

They will rest where the grazing is plentiful, and feed in lush pastures on the heights of Israel.

I, myself, will tend my sheep and let them rest, says the word of the Lord.

I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the fat and strong will be removed.I will shepherd my flock with justice.

As for you, my flock—says the Lord—I will separate one sheep from another and set apart rams and goats.

Was it not enough for you to feed on good pasture? Why did you trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Were you not satisfied with drinking clear water? Why did you muddy the rest with your feet?

Must my sheep eat what you have trampled, and drink what you have muddiedwith your feet?

That is why the Lord God says to the shepherds: Here I am. I will personally judge between the fat sheep and the lean ones.

Because with flank, shoulder, and horns, you butt the weak sheep until they are driven away,

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

Over them, I will place one shepherd—my servant David—who will tend, pasture, and lead them as a true shepherd.

I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a ruler among them. I, the Lord, declare:

I will establish a Covenant of peace with them and eliminate wild beasts from the land, so they can live safely in the desert and sleep peacefully in the forests.

I will settle them on my holy mountain, sending rain at the right time, showers of rich blessings.

The trees of the field will bear fruit, and the soil will produce its crops while they are safe in their land; and they will realize that I am the Lord.I will break the bars of their yoke and free them from the power of those who enslave them.

No longer will they be plundered by other nations or ravaged by wild animals. They will live in safety, without anyone causing them fear.

I will provide them with abundant crops; people will not die of hunger; and they will no longer be scorned by other nations.

This people will realize that I, the Lord, am their God; that I am with them; and that Israel is my people—word of the Lord.

You are my sheep, the flock of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord.