A Message of Hope

The Lord said:

23 ^(A) You leaders of my people are like shepherds that kill and scatter the sheep. ² You were supposed to take care of my people, but instead you chased them away. So now I'll punish you severely and make you pay for your crimes!

³ I will bring the rest of my people home from the lands where I have scattered them, and they will grow into a mighty nation. ⁴ I promise to choose leaders who will care for them like real shepherds. All of my people will be there, and they will never again be frightened.

Israel's Leaders Are Worthless Shepherds

34 ^(A) The Lord God said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, Israel's leaders are like shepherds taking care of my sheep, the people of Israel. But I want you to condemn these leaders and tell them:

I, the Lord God, say you shepherds of Israel are doomed! You take care of yourselves while ignoring my sheep. ³ You drink their milk and use their wool to make your clothes. Then you butcher the best ones for food. But you don't take care of the flock! ⁴ You have never protected the weak ones or healed the sick ones or bandaged those that get hurt. You let them wander off and never look for those that get lost. You are cruel and mean to my sheep. ^5 (B) They strayed in every direction, and because there was no shepherd to watch them, they were attacked and eaten by wild animals. ⁶ So my sheep were scattered across the earth. They roamed on hills and mountains, without anyone even bothering to look for them.

^7-8 Now listen to what I, the living Lord God, am saying to you shepherds. My sheep have been attacked and eaten by wild animals, because you refused to watch them. You never went looking for the lost ones, and you fed yourselves without feeding my sheep. ^9-10 So I, the Lord, will punish you! I will rescue my sheep from you and never let you be their shepherd again or butcher them for food. I, the Lord, have spoken.

The Lord Is the Good Shepherd

¹¹ The Lord God then said:

I will look for my sheep and take care of them myself, ¹² just as a shepherd looks for lost sheep. My sheep have been lost since that dark and miserable day when they were scattered throughout the nations.^[a] But I will rescue them ¹³ and bring them back from the foreign nations where they now live. I will be their shepherd and will let them graze on Israel's mountains and in the valleys and fertile fields. ¹⁴ They will be safe as they feed on grassy meadows and green hills. ¹⁵ I promise to take care of them and keep them safe, ¹⁶ to look for those that are lost and bring back the ones that wander off, to bandage those that are hurt and protect the ones that are weak. I will also slaughter^[b] those that are fat and strong, because I always do right.

^23 (A) After that, I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David. All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you.

^24 (A) He will be your leader, and I will be your God. I, the Lord, have spoken.