Ezekiel 34:1

Key Reflection

In the first century BCE, shepherds in Israel were often portrayed as corrupt and self-serving, neglecting their flock for personal gain. Ezekiel 34:1, addressed to these very shepherds, challenges them by exposing their hypocrisy. The original audience would have understood that a prophet was calling out religious leaders for failing in their pastoral roles, a common theme reflecting the social and political tensions of the time.