Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34 is the thirty-fourth chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies spoken by the prophet Ezekiel, and is a part of the Books of the Prophets.^[1]

Text

• The original text is written in Hebrew language.
• This chapter is divided into 31 verses.

Textual versions

Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter in Hebrew language:

• Masoretic Text (10th century)

Ancient translations in Koine Greek:

• Septuagint
• Theodotion version (~AD 180)

Structure

NKJV groups this chapter into:

• Ezekiel 34:1-10 = Irresponsible Shepherds
• Ezekiel 34:11-31 = God, the True Shepherd

Verse 2

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them,

Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds:

"Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves!

Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" (NKJV)^[2]

• "Son of man" (Hebrew: בן־אדם ḇen-’ā-ḏām): this phrase is used 93 times to address Ezekiel.^[3]
• "Shepherd" (Hebrew: רועי or רעי rō-w-‘ê): the noun is derived from the Hebrew verb רָעָה ra'ah (Assyrian rê°û, verb: "pasture", noun: "ruler") meaning to "pasture, tend, graze", to "feed (the flock)"; figuratively "to guard, care for, rule."^[4][5] A metaphor for the rulers of Israel, either political or spiritual.^[6][7]

Verse 5

So they were scattered because there was no shepherd;

and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. (NKJV)^[8]

Cross reference: Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Isaiah 13:14; Jeremiah 50:6; Zechariah 10:2; Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34; Acts 20:29

Verse 23

I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David.

He shall feed them and be their shepherd. (NKJV)^[9]

Cross reference: 2 Samuel 5:2; 2 Samuel 7:8; 1 Chronicles 11:2; Psalm 78:71; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 3:15; John 10:1-16; John 21:15-17; 1 Peter 5:2-4; Acts 20:28

Verse 25

Artwork describing Ezekiel 34:25 by an unknown Italian artist; illustration of The Bible and its Story Taught by One Thousand Picture Lessons, edited by Charles F. Horne and Julius A. Bewer, published by Francis R. Niglutsch, New York, in 1908. vol. 8.

“I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.” (NKJV)^[10]

Cross reference: Leviticus 26:6; Hosea 2:20; Jeremiah 31:31

Verse 31

“You are My flock, the flock of My pasture;

you are men, and I am your God,”

says the Lord God. (NKJV)^[11]

See also

• Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 5, 1 Samuel 7, Psalm 23, Psalm 78, Psalm 89, Isaiah 40, Jeremiah 31, Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Luke 15, John 10, John 21, Hebrews 8

Notes and references

Bibliography

• Bromiley, Geoffrey W. (1995). International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: vol. iv, Q-Z. Eerdmans. 
• Brown, Francis; Briggs, Charles A.; Driver, S. R. (1994). The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (reprint ed.). Hendrickson Publishers. ISBN 978-1565632066. 
• Clements, Ronald E (1996). Ezekiel. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664252724. 
• Gesenius, H. W. F. (1979). Gesenius' Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures: Numerically Coded to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, with an English Index. Translated by Tregelles, Samuel Prideaux (7th ed.). Baker Book House. 
• Joyce, Paul M. (2009). Ezekiel: A Commentary. Continuum. ISBN 9780567483614. 

External links

Jewish

• Ezekiel 34 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Ezekiel 34 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

Christian

• Ezekiel 34 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate