Ezekiel 34 · Verse 17

Ezekiel 34:17

And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.

Ezekiel 34:17, King James Version

Ezekiel 34:17 in other translations

BSB	This is what the Lord GOD says to you, My flock: ‘I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the goats.
WEB	“As for you, O my flock, the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.
ASV	And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the he-goats.
YLT	And you, My flock, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am judging between sheep and sheep, Between rams and he-goats.
DARBY	And as for you, my flock, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between the rams and the he-goats.
BBE	And as for you, O my flock, says the Lord, truly, I will be judge between sheep and sheep, the he-sheep and the he-goats.
Webster	And as for you, O my flock, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he-goats.

What does Ezekiel 34:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

17. you, ... my flock--passing from the rulers to the people. cattle and cattle--rather, "sheep and sheep"; Margin, "small cattle," or "flocks of lambs and kids," that is, I judge between one class of citizens and another, so as to award what is right to each. He then defines the class about to be punitively "judged," namely, "the rams and he-goats," or "great he-goats" (compare Is 14:9, Margin; Zec 10:3; Mt 25:32, 33). They answer to "the fat and strong," as opposed to the "sick" (Eze 34:16). The rich and ungodly of the people are meant, who imitated the bad rulers in oppressing their poorer brethren, as if it enhanced their own joys to trample on others' rights (Eze 34:18).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 17 And as for you, O my flock - After having spoken to the shepherds, he now addresses the flock. I judge between cattle and cattle - Between false and true professors; between them that have only the form and them that have the power of godliness; between the backslider in heart and the upright man.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 34:17-31

The whole nation seemed to be the Lord's flock, yet they were very different characters; but he knew how to distinguish between them. By good pastures and deep waters, are meant the pure word of God and the dispensing of justice. The latter verses, 23-31, prophesy of Christ, and of the most glorious times of his church on earth. Under Him, as the good Shepherd, the church would be a blessing to all around. Christ, though excellent in himself, was as a tender plant out of a dry ground. Being the Tree of life, bearing all the fruits of salvation, he yields spiritual food to the souls of his people. Our constant desire and prayer should be, that there may be showers of blessings in every place where the truth of Christ is preached; and that all who profess the gospel may be filled with fruits of righteousness.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ezekiel 34:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאַתֵּ֣נָהve.'a.Te.nahand youH859

צֹאנִ֔יtzo.NiO flock myH6629

כֹּ֥הkohthusH3541

אָמַ֖ר'a.Marhe saysH559

אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136

יְהוִ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3069

הִנְנִ֤יhi.Nihere IH2005

שֹׁפֵט֙sho.Fet[am] about to judgeH8199

בֵּֽין\־bein-betweenH996

שֶׂ֣הseha sheepH7716

לָשֶׂ֔הla.Sehand a sheepH7716

לָאֵילִ֖יםla.'ei.Limand <the> ramsH352

וְלָעַתּוּדִֽים\׃ve.la.'a.tu.Dimand <the> male goatsH6260

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 34:17

Ezekiel 34:20-22
Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
Zechariah 10:3
Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
Matthew 25:32-33
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Ezekiel 20:37-38
And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I judge.
20-22; 20:37,38; Zec 10:3; Mt 25:32,33
cattle and cattle. Heb. small cattle of lambs and kids. hegoats. Heb. great he goats.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Ezekiel 34:16
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again 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 with judgment.
Ezekiel 34:17
And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
Ezekiel 34:18
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?

Read all of Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34:17 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas vosotras, ovejas mías, así ha dicho el Señor Jehová: He aquí yo juzgo entre oveja y oveja, entre carneros y machos cabríos.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mais vous, mon troupeau, – ainsi dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel: Voici, je juge entre brebis et brebis, entre béliers et boucs.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ihr, meine Herde, so spricht der Herr, Jehova: Siehe, ich werde richten zwischen Schaf und Schaf, den Widdern und den Böcken.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Vos autem, greges mei, hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego judico inter pecus et pecus, arietum et hircorum.