Ezekiel 34

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?

You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep.

You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t brought back that which was driven away. You haven’t sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor.

They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.

My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the LORD’s word:

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds didn’t search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep,

therefore, you shepherds, hear the LORD’s word!”

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.”

“‘For the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

I will feed them with good pasture, and their fold will be on the mountains of the height of Israel. There they will lie down in a good fold. They will feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down,” says the Lord GOD.

“I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them in justice.”’

“As for you, O my flock, the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.

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?

As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.’

“Therefore the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

Because you thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad,

therefore I will save my flock, and they will no more be a prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep.

I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.

I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken it.

“‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There will be showers of blessing.

The tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.

They will no more be a prey to the nations, neither will the animals of the earth devour them; but they will dwell securely, and no one will make them afraid.

I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they will no more be consumed with famine in the land, and not bear the shame of the nations any more.

They will know that I, the LORD, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD.

You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God,’ says the Lord GOD.”

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview. This chapter confronts the failure of Israel’s leaders, depicted as negligent shepherds who exploited the people rather than caring for them, and announces God’s judgment on them. In response, the Lord declares His personal intervention to seek out His scattered flock, shepherd them with justice, and establish a new shepherd, a covenant of peace, and restoration in the land.

Flow.

God charges the leaders of Israel with self-serving leadership, accusing them of neglecting the vulnerable and scattering the flock (vv. 1–6).
He pronounces judgment on these false shepherds, vowing to hold them accountable and remove them from leadership (vv. 7–10).
The Lord pledges to become the true Shepherd, seeking His sheep, gathering them from exile, and feeding them on the mountains of Israel (vv. 11–16).
Finally, He promises to judge between the oppressed and the oppressors among the sheep, appointing His servant David as their one shepherd and establishing a covenant of peace and blessing (vv. 17–31).

Connections. Following chapter 33, in which God charges watchmen to warn the people and establishes individual accountability, chapter 34 expands the focus to the leadership of the entire nation, showing that shepherd-leaders are also accountable to God. The failure of human shepherds underscores the need for divine intervention, which chapter 35 begins to resolve by judging Edom (a symbol of hostile powers), paving the way for the restoration promised here in Ezekiel’s vision of a renewed flock and land.

What it teaches. God holds leaders responsible for the spiritual and physical well-being of His people, and their abuse of authority invites divine judgment (WCF 23.3). When human leadership fails, God Himself arises to vindicate His name, shepherd His people, and fulfill His covenant promises (WCF 7.6). The promise of “one shepherd,” David, points to a coming king from David’s line through whom God establishes an everlasting covenant of peace, security, and blessing (; cf. WCF 8.6, HC LD 12). The knowledge of God—“I am the LORD”—is the ultimate goal of redemption (; Nicene Creed: “for us and for our salvation”).

Apply. God judges leaders who exploit His people and promises to shepherd them Himself through the true Davidic King.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.