Ezekiel 34 · Verse 2

Ezekiel 34:2

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Ezekiel 34:2, King James Version

Ezekiel 34:2 in other translations

BSB“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock?
WEB“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?
ASVSon of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, even to the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the sheep?
YLT‘Son of man, prophesy concerning shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and thou hast said unto them: To the shepherds, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, Who have been feeding themselves! The flock do not the shepherds feed?
DARBYSon of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy; and say unto them, unto the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?
BBESon of man, be a prophet against the keepers of the flock of Israel, and say to them, O keepers of the sheep! this is the word of the Lord: A curse is on the keepers of the flock of Israel who take the food for themselves! is it not right for the keepers to give the food to the sheep?
WebsterSon of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD to the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

What does Ezekiel 34:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Eze 34:1-31. Reproof of the False Shepherds; Promise of the True and Good Shepherd.

Having in the thirty-third chapter laid down repentance as the necessary preliminary to happier times for the people, He now promises the removal of the false shepherds as preparatory to the raising up of the Good Shepherd. 2. Jr 23:1 and Zec 11:17 similarly make the removal of the false shepherds the preliminary to the interposition of Messiah the Good Shepherd in behalf of His people Israel. The "shepherds" are not prophets or priests, but rulers who sought in their government their own selfish ends, not the good of the people ruled. The term was appropriate, as David, the first king and the type of the true David (Eze 34:23, 24), was taken from being a shepherd (2Sa 5:2; Psa 78:70, 71); and the office, like that of a shepherd for his flock, is to guard and provide for his people. The choice of a shepherd for the first king was therefore designed to suggest this thought, just as Jesus' selection of fishermen for apostles was designed to remind them of their spiritual office of catching men (compare Is 44:28; Jr 2:8; 3:15; 10:21; 23:1, 2).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel - The shepherds include, first, the priests and Levites; secondly, the kings, princes, and magistrates. The flock means the whole of the people. The fat and the wool, the tithes and offerings, the taxes and imposts. The reprehensible feeding and clothing with these, as to the priests and Levites, the using these tithes and offerings, not to enable them the better to fulfill the work of the ministry, but to pamper their own bodies, and support them in an idle voluptuous life; and in reference to the state, the employing the taxes and imposts, not for the support and administration of justice and good government, but to subsidize heathen powers, and maintain their own luxury and idolatrous prodigality.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 34:1-6

The rulers reproved. (Ezek 34:1-6) The people are to be restored to their own land. (Ezek 34:7-16) The kingdom of Christ. (Ezek 34:17-31) Verses 1-6 The people became as sheep without a shepherd, were given up as a prey to their enemies, and the land was utterly desolated. No rank or office can exempt from the reproofs of God's word, men who neglect their duty, and abuse the trust reposed in them.

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 34:1-6 →

Ezekiel 34:2 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.

בֶּן\־ben-O son ofH1121
אָדָ֕ם'a.DamhumankindH120
הִנָּבֵ֖אhi.na.Ve'prophesyH5012
עַל\־'al-onH5921
רוֹעֵ֣יro.'Ei[the] shepherds ofH7462
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
הִנָּבֵ֣אhi.na.Ve'prophesyH5012
וְאָמַרְתָּ֩ve.'a.mar.Taand you will sayH559
אֲלֵיהֶ֨ם'a.lei.Hemto themH413
לָרֹעִ֜יםla.ro.'Imto the shepherdsH7462
כֹּ֥הkohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר\׀'a.Marhe saysH559
אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136
יְהוִ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3069
ה֤וֹיHowoe to!H1945
רֹעֵֽי\־ro.'ei-[the] shepherds ofH7462
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.SherwhoH834
הָיוּ֙ha.Yuthey have beenH1961
רֹעִ֣יםro.'ImshepherdingH7462
אוֹתָ֔ם'o.Tam<obj.> themselvesH853
הֲל֣וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
הַצֹּ֔אןha.Tzonthe flockH6629
יִרְע֖וּyir.'Uwill they shepherdH7462
הָרֹעִֽים\׃ha.ro.'Imthe shepherdsH7462

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 34:2

  • Jeremiah 23:1

    Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 3:15

    And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

  • Isaiah 40:11

    He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

  • Luke 20:46-47

    Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

  • Ezekiel 34:8-10

    As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

  • Jeremiah 10:21

    For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

  • 2 Peter 2:3

    And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

  • Psalms 78:71-72

    From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

  • Romans 16:18

    For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

  • John 21:15-17

    So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

  • Zechariah 11:17

    Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

  • Acts 20:29

    For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the shepherds.The shepherds of Israel, signify their kings and princes, priests and prophets; the flock, the whole of the people; the fat and wool, the tithes and offerings, taxes and imposts: these they exacted with great rigour, and even oppressed and destroyed the people to enrich themselves; but they bestowed no pains to provide for the welfare of the state, or for the souls of those entrusted to them. They knew nothing about their flock: it might be diseased, infirm, bruised, maimed, strayed, or lost, for they watched not over them.
33:24; Jer 2:8; 3:15; 10:21; 12:10; Joh 10:1,2,12
Woe.
8-10; 13:19; Jer 23:1; Mic 3:1-3,11,12; Zep 3:3,4; Zec 11:17
Mt 24:48-51; Lu 12:42-46; 20:46,47; Ro 16:18; 2Pe 2:3
feed.
2Sa 5:2; Ps 78:71,72; Isa 40:11; Joh 21:15-17; Ac 20:26,29
1Pe 5:2-4

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

Context

  • Ezekiel 34:1

    And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

  • Ezekiel 34:2

    Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

  • Ezekiel 34:3

    Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

Read all of Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hijo del hombre, profetiza contra los pastores de Israel; profetiza, y diles á los pastores: Así ha dicho el Señor Jehová: ¡Ay de los pastores de Israel, que se apacientan á sí mismos! ¿No apacientan los pastores los rebaños?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Fils d’homme, prophétise contre les pasteurs d’Israël; prophétise, et dis-leur, à ces pasteurs: Ainsi dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel: Malheur aux pasteurs d’Israël, qui se paissent eux-mêmes! Les pasteurs ne doivent-ils pas paître le troupeau?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Menschensohn, weissage wider die Hirten Israels, weissage und sprich zu ihnen, den Hirten: So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Wehe den Hirten Israels, die sich selbst weiden! Sollen die Hirten nicht die Herde weiden?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fili hominis, propheta de pastoribus Israël: propheta, et dices pastoribus: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Væ pastoribus Israël, qui pascebant semetipsos! nonne greges a pastoribus pascuntur?