Ezekiel 34:19
"Does it seem a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? And to have drunk of the clear waters, but must you foul the residue with your feet?"
Key Reflection
In Ezekiel 34:19, God contrasts the way in which the shepherds were supposed to care for the flock with how they actually abused their role. The original audience would have recognized that this imagery referred to the religious leaders of Israel, who were supposed to provide spiritual sustenance and guidance but instead treated the people harshly. By feeding on the "good pasture" and drinking from the "clear waters," God symbolizes the proper care one should receive as a follower; however, by treading down the remaining pasture and fouling the water, the shepherds demonstrated their neglect and mistreatment of the flock, showing that they failed to fulfill their divine calling.
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