Ezekiel 34:11

"The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against the shepherds. I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. The shepherds won’t feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.”"

Key Reflection

In Ezekiel 34:11, God addresses the leaders of Israel as shepherds who had failed in their duties, a common metaphor for rulers and religious leaders. The original audience would have recognized this imagery from their own context, where shepherds were expected to protect and provide for their flocks. Here, God declares that He will hold these leaders accountable for their neglect, vowing to take the sheep away from them so they can no longer exploit or mistreat them. This prophecy underscores the divine expectation of leadership and the consequences of failing to fulfill one’s role effectively.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Yahweh is the shepherd of His people. He will do all which the shepherds should have done and did not. These promises - partially fulfilled in the return from Babylon, and in the subsequent prosperity under the Maccabees - point to the ingathering of all nations in the Church of Christ the Good Shepherd. CompareMatthew 18:11:John 10:1-18;Romans 9:25-33.

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