Ezekiel 34:18

Translation
King James Version
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?
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KJV (with Strong's)
Seemeth it a small thing H4592 unto you to have eaten up H7462 the good H2896 pasture H4829, but ye must tread down H7429 with your feet H7272 the residue H3499 of your pastures H4829? and to have drunk H8354 of the deep H4950 waters H4325, but ye must foul H7515 the residue H3498 with your feet H7272?
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Complete Jewish Bible
Wasn't it enough for you to feed on the best pasture and drink from the clearest water? Did you have to trample the rest of the pasture and foul the remaining water with your feet?
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Berean Standard Bible
Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the clear waters? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?
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American Standard Version
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have fed upon the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? and to have drunk of the clear waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
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World English Bible Messianic
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 you must foul the residue with your feet?
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Seemeth it a small thing vnto you to haue eaten vp the good pasture, but yee must treade downe with your feete the residue of your pasture? and to haue drunke of the deepe waters, but yee must trouble the residue with your feete?
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Young's Literal Translation
Is it a little thing for you--the good pasture ye enjoy, And the remnant of your pasture ye tread down with your feet, And a depth of waters ye do drink, And the remainder with your feet ye trample,
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See also
Luke 11:52Matthew 23:13Numbers 16:132 Samuel 7:19Isaiah 7:13Numbers 16:9Ezekiel 34:2
In the KJVVerse 21,332 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Ezekiel 34:18 delivers a searing divine indictment against the unfaithful leaders of Israel, metaphorically portrayed as self-serving shepherds who not only consume the choicest resources of the flock but deliberately spoil the remainder, rendering it unusable for the vulnerable sheep. This verse powerfully exposes the profound injustice and exploitation perpetrated by those in authority who prioritize their own indulgence and greed over the fundamental well-being and basic needs of the people entrusted to their care, highlighting a systemic abuse of power that provokes God's righteous judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 34 stands as a pivotal chapter within the prophet's broader message of judgment and restoration, immediately following prophecies against the nations and preceding visions of Israel's future hope. The chapter opens with a direct oracle against the "shepherds of Israel" (Ezekiel 34:2), condemning their abject failure to care for the flock, instead feeding themselves and scattering the sheep. Verse 18 specifically elaborates on the nature of their exploitation, providing vivid imagery of how their greed impacts the common people. This detailed condemnation sets the stage for God's dramatic declaration that He Himself will act as the true Shepherd, seeking out the lost, binding up the injured, and feeding His flock (Ezekiel 34:11-16). The chapter culminates in the promise of a righteous Davidic king, a "prince" who will shepherd them (Ezekiel 34:23-24). Therefore, verse 18 serves as a crucial piece of evidence for the divine prosecution against the unfaithful leaders, justifying God's impending intervention.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The prophecy of Ezekiel was delivered during the Babylonian exile, a period of profound national crisis for Judah (circa 593-571 BC). The "shepherds" in view refer to the kings, princes, priests, and elders who had led the nation astray, culminating in its destruction and deportation. These leaders, particularly the last kings of Judah (e.g., Jehoiakim, Zedekiah), were characterized by idolatry, injustice, and political mismanagement, often enriching themselves while the people suffered. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the metaphor of a king or leader as a "shepherd" was common, signifying protection, provision, and guidance. This imagery was deeply embedded in the cultural understanding of leadership. Therefore, Ezekiel's indictment would have resonated deeply, highlighting the egregious failure of Judah's leadership to fulfill their most fundamental societal role. The imagery of pasture and water speaks to the most basic necessities for survival and prosperity in an agrarian society, making the leaders' actions of spoiling these resources particularly heinous and offensive.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 34:18 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic corpus. It powerfully illustrates the theme of Abuse of Power, showing how those in positions of authority can exploit their privilege for personal gain, leading to the oppression of the vulnerable. This exploitation is directly linked to the theme of Injustice and Corruption, as the leaders' actions deny equitable access to vital resources and perpetuate suffering among the common people. The verse also underscores the theme of Divine Judgment, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to justice and His righteous wrath against those who harm His people. Furthermore, by portraying the leaders as failing shepherds, it highlights the stark contrast with God's own character as the True Shepherd who cares for His flock, a theme that becomes central to the chapter, as seen in God's promise to seek out His sheep and feed them (Ezekiel 34:11). This divine intervention foreshadows God's ultimate plan for restoration and the establishment of a righteous king, echoing similar promises found in other prophetic books, such as Jeremiah 23:1-6.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • good (Hebrew, ṭôwb', H2896): This word (H2896) denotes something excellent, pleasant, or beneficial in the widest sense. When applied to "pasture," it signifies the best, most fertile, and nourishing grazing land. The leaders are accused of consuming the best of what is available, emphasizing their self-serving appropriation of the nation's prime resources and blessings. This highlights not merely consumption, but a preferential and exclusive enjoyment of the finest provisions, leaving the less desirable for others.
  • tread down (Hebrew, râmaç', H7429): This verb (H7429) means to trample upon, stamp upon, or oppress. It implies a deliberate, forceful, and destructive action, not merely passive neglect. By treading down the "residue" of the pasture, the leaders actively spoil what remains, making it unfit for others. This action is one of contempt and wanton destruction, ensuring that even the leftovers are rendered unusable, thereby maximizing the harm to the flock.
  • foul (Hebrew, râphas', H7515): This primitive root (H7515) means to trample, specifically to roil or muddy water. It vividly describes the act of stirring up clean water with one's feet, making it turbid and undrinkable. This imagery is particularly potent, as clean water is essential for life. The leaders, having drunk their fill of the "deep waters," then intentionally contaminate the rest, demonstrating a malicious disregard for the needs of the flock and a deliberate act of rendering communal resources unusable.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture,": This opening phrase is a powerful rhetorical question, designed to highlight the profound audacity and utter lack of conscience of the unfaithful shepherds. It implies that their actions are far from "a small thing" (H4592, mᵉʻaṭ), but are, in fact, a grave offense in God's eyes. They have consumed the "good pasture" (H2896, ṭôwb'), symbolizing the nation's choicest resources, prosperity, and perhaps even spiritual blessings, which were meant to sustain the entire community. This underscores their privileged access and self-serving indulgence.
  • "but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures?": This clause reveals the active and destructive nature of their exploitation. Not content with merely consuming the best, they then deliberately "tread down" (H7429, râmaç') the remaining pasture. The "residue" (H3499, yether) is spoiled by their "feet" (H7272, regel), making it unfit for the other sheep to graze upon. This illustrates a malicious intent to deny even the leftovers to the vulnerable, ensuring their deprivation and suffering.
  • "and to have drunk of the deep waters,": Parallel to the first clause, this refers to their consumption of the "deep" (H4950, mishqâʻ) "waters" (H4325, mayim), representing abundant, pure, and life-sustaining resources. This further emphasizes their privileged access and full enjoyment of the nation's blessings, whether material wealth, spiritual truth, or societal advantages, reinforcing the extent of their self-indulgence.
  • "but ye must foul the residue with your feet?": Completing the parallel, this clause describes the second act of active destruction. After drinking their fill (H8354, shâthâh), they "foul" (H7515, râphas') the remaining water (H3498, yâthar) with their "feet" (H7272, regel). This act of defilement makes the water turbid and undrinkable for the rest of the flock, demonstrating a callous disregard for the basic needs of others and an intentional act of rendering communal resources unusable.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 34:18 is rich with Metaphor, where the leaders of Israel are represented as "shepherds" and the people as their "flock." The nation's resources and blessings are vividly depicted as "good pasture" and "deep waters." This central metaphor allows for a relatable and visceral portrayal of exploitation and neglect. The verse employs a powerful Rhetorical Question ("Seemeth it a small thing unto you...?") which is not intended to elicit an answer, but to emphasize the outrageousness and self-evident nature of the leaders' guilt. This device serves to highlight the severity of their transgression and God's righteous indignation. There is clear Parallelism between the two halves of the verse, contrasting the leaders' consumption of "good pasture" with their trampling of the "residue of your pastures," and their drinking of "deep waters" with their fouling of the "residue" of the waters. This structural repetition intensifies the accusation and underscores the systematic and deliberate nature of their abuse. The Imagery is stark and visceral, depicting feet treading down and fouling, creating a strong visual of contamination and destruction that leaves a lasting impression of the leaders' depravity and the suffering of the flock.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 34:18 profoundly illustrates the theological principle of stewardship and accountability, particularly for those in positions of power. It reveals God's deep concern for the vulnerable and His righteous indignation against injustice and exploitation. The leaders' actions are not merely economic or social failures; they are a direct affront to God's character, as He is the ultimate Shepherd who cares for His flock. This verse underscores that true leadership, whether spiritual or temporal, is a sacred trust from God, demanding selfless service and protection of the flock, not self-enrichment or oppression. The deliberate spoiling of resources for others highlights a profound lack of compassion and a perversion of the divine mandate to govern justly, demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of their role as God's representatives.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 34:18 serves as a timeless mirror for examining leadership in all spheres of life today. It challenges us to consider whether those in positions of influence—in government, business, church, or even family—are truly serving the well-being of those under their care, or if they are primarily consuming the "good pasture" and "deep waters" for themselves, leaving only spoiled remnants for others. This verse calls us to accountability, reminding us that true leadership is marked by stewardship, sacrifice, and a commitment to justice, ensuring that resources and opportunities are equitably shared and preserved for the common good. For those who feel marginalized, oppressed, or deprived by the actions of negligent leaders, this passage offers a profound sense of validation and hope, affirming that God sees their plight and will ultimately intervene on behalf of the vulnerable. It compels us to pray for righteous leaders and to actively work for systems that promote equity and care, reflecting the heart of the Good Shepherd, and to embody these principles in our own lives, however small our sphere of influence may be.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might I, in my own sphere of influence, be consuming the "good pasture" or "deep waters" without considering the "residue" left for others?
  • How can I advocate for or contribute to systems that ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities, rather than allowing them to be spoiled by a few?
  • What does this verse teach me about the character of God and His unwavering concern for justice and the vulnerable?
  • How does the concept of "treading down" or "fouling" resources apply to intangible things like reputation, trust, or community spirit within relationships or organizations?

FAQ

What does "good pasture" and "deep waters" represent in this verse?

Answer: "Good pasture" and "deep waters" are powerful metaphors representing the abundant resources, prosperity, and blessings of the nation of Israel. This includes fertile land, material wealth, and perhaps even spiritual truths and opportunities for flourishing. The imagery emphasizes that the leaders had privileged access to and consumed the very best of what was available, highlighting their self-indulgence and the extent of their appropriation of communal assets.

Who are the "shepherds" being condemned in Ezekiel 34?

Answer: In Ezekiel 34, the "shepherds" primarily refer to the political and religious leaders of Israel during the period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile. This includes kings, princes, priests, and elders who were responsible for governing and guiding the people. God condemns them for their failure to care for the "flock" (the people of Israel), instead exploiting them, scattering them, and neglecting their spiritual and physical well-being, as detailed throughout the opening verses of the chapter, specifically Ezekiel 34:1-10.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 34:18, with its scathing indictment of unfaithful shepherds who consume the best and spoil the rest, sets the stage for the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to shepherd His people Himself, a promise gloriously realized in Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament prophets condemned the corrupt leaders who exploited the flock, the New Testament reveals Jesus as the Good Shepherd who stands in stark contrast to these self-serving figures. Unlike the shepherds who consumed the "good pasture" and fouled the "deep waters" for their own gain, Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). He is the one who leads His sheep to true, abundant pasture and living waters (John 10:9, John 7:37-38). He does not trample the residue but ensures that all who come to Him find rest and provision, inviting the weary and burdened to find solace in Him (Matthew 11:28). The judgment against the false shepherds in Ezekiel foreshadows Christ's own condemnation of the religious leaders of His day who burdened the people with heavy loads but did not lift a finger to help them (Matthew 23:4). Ultimately, Jesus, the perfect Shepherd, lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11), ensuring that the flock is not exploited but eternally nourished, protected, and brought into abundant life.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 34 verses 17–31

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details

The prophet has no more to say to the shepherds, but he has now a message to deliver to the flock. God had ordered him to speak tenderly to them, and to assure them of the mercy he had in store for them. But here he is ordered to make a difference between some and others of them, to separate between the precious and the vile and then to give them a promise of the Messiah, by whom this distinction should be effectually made, partly at his first coming (for for judgment he came into this world, Joh 9:39, to fill the hungry with good things and to send the rich empty away, Luk 1:53), but completely at his second coming, when he shall, as it is here said, judge between cattle and cattle, as a shepherd divides between the sheep and the goats, and shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left (Mat 25:32, Mat 25:33), which seems to have reference to this. We have here,

I. Conviction spoken to those of the flock that were fat and strong, the rams and the he-goats (Eze 34:17), those that, though they had not power, as shepherds and rulers, to oppress with, yet, being rich and wealthy, made use of the opportunity which this gave them to bear hard upon their poor neighbours. Those that have much would have more, and, if they set to it, will have more, so many ways have they of encroaching upon their poor neighbours, and forcing from them the one ewe-lamb, Sa2 12:4. Do not the rich oppress the poor merely with the help of their riches, and draw them before the judgment-seats? Jam 2:6. Poor servants and tenants are hardly used by their rich lords and masters. The rams and the he-goats not only kept all the good pasture to themselves, ate the fat and drank the sweet, but they would not let the poor of the flock have any comfortable enjoyment of the little that was left them; they trod down the residue of the pastures and fouled the residue of the waters, so that the flock was obliged to eat that which they had trodden into the dirt, and drink that which they had muddied, Eze 34:18, Eze 34:19. This intimates that the great men not only by extortion and oppression made and kept their neighbours poor, and scarcely left them enough to subsist on, but were so vexatious to them that what little coarse fare they had was embittered to them. And this seemed a small thing to them; they thought there was no harm in it, as if it were the privilege of their quality to be injurious to all their neighbours. Note, Many that live in pomp and at ease themselves care not what straits those about them are reduced to, so they may but have every thing to their mind. Those that are at ease, and the proud, grudge that any body should live by them with any comfort. But this as not all; they not only robbed the poor, to make them poorer, but were troublesome to the sick and weak of the flock (Eze 34:21): They thrust with side and shoulder those that were feeble (for the weakest goes to the wall) and pushed the diseased with their horns, because they knew they could be too hard for them, when they durst not meddle with their match. It has been observed concerning sheep that if one of the flock be sick and faint the rest will secure it as well as they can, and shelter it from the scorching heat of the sun; but these, on the contrary, were most injurious to the diseased. Those that they could not serve themselves of they did what they could to rid the country of, and so scattered them abroad, as if the poor, whom, Christ says, we must have always with us, were public nuisances, not to be relieved, but sent far away from us. Note, It is a barbarous thing to add affliction to the afflicted. Perhaps these rams and he-goats are designed to represent the scribes and Pharisees, for they are such troublers of the church as Christ himself must come to deliver it from, Eze 34:23. They devoured widows' houses, took away the key of knowledge, corrupted the pure water of divine truths, and oppressed the consciences of men with the traditions of the elders, besides that they were continually vexatious and injurious to the poor of the flock that waited on the Lord, Zac 11:11. Note, It is no new thing for the flock of God to receive a great deal of damage and mischief from those that are themselves of the flock, and in eminent stations in it, Act 20:30.

II. Comfort spoken to those of the flock that are poor and feeble, and that wait for the consolation of Israel (Eze 34:22): "I will save my flock, and they shall no more be spoiled as they have been by the beasts of prey, by their own shepherds or by the rams and he-goats among themselves." Upon this occasion, as is usual in the prophets, comes in a prediction of the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up of his kingdom, and the exceedingly great and precious benefits which the church should enjoy under the protection and influence of that kingdom. Observe what is here foretold,

1.Concerning the Messiah himself. (1.) He shall have his commission from God himself: I will set him up (Eze 34:23); I will raise him up, Eze 34:29. He sanctified and sealed him, appointed and anointed him. (2.) He shall be the great Shepherd of the sheep, who shall do that for his flock which no one else could do. He is the one Shepherd, under whom Jews and Gentiles should be one fold. (3.) He is God's servant, employed by him and for him, and doing all in obedience to his will, with an eye to his glory - his servant, to re-establish his kingdom among men and advance the interests of that kingdom. (4.) He is David, one after God's own heart, set as his King upon the holy hill of Zion, made the head of the corner, with whom the covenant of royalty is made, and to whom God would give the throne of his father David. He is both the root and offspring of David. (5.) He is the plant of renown, because a righteous branch (Jer 23:5), a branch of the Lord, that is beautiful and glorious, Isa 4:2. He has a name above every name, a throne above every throne, and may therefore well be called a branch of renown. Some understand it of the church, the planting of the Lord, Isa 61:3. Its name shall be remembered (Psa 45:17) and Christ's in it.

2.Concerning the great charter by which the kingdom of the Messiah should be incorporated, and upon which it should be founded (Eze 34:25): I will make with them a covenant of peace. The covenant of grace is a covenant of peace. In it God is at peace with us, speaks peace to us, and assures us of peace, of all good, all the good we need to make us happy. The tenour of this covenant is: "I the Lord will be their God, a God all-sufficient to them (Eze 34:24), will own them and will be owned by them; in order to this my servant David shall be a prince among them, to reduce them to their allegiance, to receive their homage, and to reign over them, in them, and for them." Note, Those, and those only, that have the Lord Jesus for their prince have the Lord Jehovah for their God. And then they, even the house of Israel, shall be my people. If we take God to be our God, he will take us to be his people. From this covenant between God and Israel there results communion: "I the Lord their God am with them, to converse with them; and they shall know it, and have the comfort of it."

3.Concerning the privileges of those that are the faithful subjects of this kingdom of the Messiah and interested in the covenant of peace. These are here set forth figuratively, as the blessings of the flock. But we have a key to it, Eze 34:31. Those that belong to this flock, though they are spoken of as sheep, are really men, men that have the Lord for their God, and are in covenant with him. Now to them it is promised,

(1.)That they shall enjoy a holy security under the divine protection. Christ, our good Shepherd, has caused the evil beasts to cease out of the land (Eze 34:25), having vanquished all our spiritual enemies, broken their power, and triumphed over them; the roaring lion is not a roaring devouring lion to them; they shall no more be a prey to the heathen nor the heathen a terror to them, neither shall the beasts of the land devour them. Sin and Satan, death and hell, are conquered. And then they shall dwell safely, not only in the folds, but in the fields, in the wilderness, in the woods, where the beasts of prey are; they shall not only dwell there, but they shall sleep there, which denotes not only that the beasts being made to cease there shall be no danger, but, their consciences being purified and pacified, they shall be in no apprehension of danger; not only safe from evil, but quiet from the fear of evil. Note, Those may lay down and sleep securely, sleep at ease, that have Christ for their prince; for he will be their protector, and make them to dwell in safety. None shall hurt them, nay, none shall make them afraid. If God be for us, who can be against us? Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed. Through Christ, God delivers his people not only from the things they have reason to fear, but from their fear even of death itself, from all that fear that has torment. This safety from evil is promised (Eze 34:27): They shall be safe in their land, in no danger of being invaded and enslaved, though their great plenty be a temptation to their neighbours to desire their land; and that which shall make them think themselves safe is their confidence in the wisdom, power, and goodness of God: They shall know that I am the Lord. All our disquieting fears arise from our ignorance of God and mistakes concerning him. Their experience of his particular care concerning them encourages their confidence in him: "I have broken the bands of their yoke, with which they have been brought and held down under oppression, and have delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them, whence they shall argue, He that has delivered does and will, therefore will we dwell safely." This is explained, and applied to our gospel-state, Luk 1:74. That we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, as those may do that serve him in faith.

(2.)That they shall enjoy a spiritual plenty of all good things, the best things, for their comfort and happiness: They shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, Eze 34:29. Famine and scarcity, when Israel was punished with that judgment, turned as much to their reproach among the heathen as any other, because the fruitfulness of Canaan was so much talked of. But now they shall not bear that shame of the heathen any more For the showers shall come down in their season, even showers of blessing, Eze 34:26. Christ is a Shepherd that will feed his people; and they shall go in and out, and find pasture. [1.] They shall not be consumed with hunger; for they shall not be put off with the world for a portion, which is not bread, which satisfies not, and which leaves those that are put off with it to be consumed with hunger. The ordinances of the ceremonial law are called beggarly elements, for there was little in them, compared with the Christian institutes, wherewith the mower fills his hand and he that binds sheaves his bosom. Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall not be consumed with that hunger, for they shall be filled. And he that drinks of the water that Christ gives him, the still waters by which he leads his sheep, shall never thirst. [2.] Showers of blessings shall come upon them, Eze 34:26, Eze 34:27. The heavens shall yield their dews; the trees of the field also shall yield their fruit. The seat of this plenty is God's hill, his holy hill of Zion, for on that mountain, in the gospel church, it is, that God has made to all nations a feast; to that those must join themselves who would partake of gospel benefits. The cause of this plenty is the showers that come down in their season, that descend upon the mountains of Zion, the graces of Christ, his doctrine that drops as the dew, the graces of Christ, and the fruits and comforts of his Spirit, by which we are made fruitful in the fruits of righteousness. The instances of this plenty are the blessings of heaven poured down upon us and the productions of grace brought forth by us, our comfort in God's favour and God's glory in our fruit-bearing. The extent of this plenty is very large, to all the places round about my hill; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, shall go forth light to a dark world, and the river that shall water a dry and desert world; all that are in the neighbourhood of Zion shall fare the better for it; and the nearer the church the nearer its God. And, lastly, The effect of this plenty is, I will make them a blessing, eminently and exemplarily blessed, patterns of happiness, Isa 19:24. Or, They shall be blessings to all about them, diffusively useful. Note, Those that are the blessed of the Lord must study to make themselves blessings to the world. He that is good, let him do good; he that has received the gift, the grace, let him minister the same.

Now this promise of the Messiah and his kingdom spoke much comfort to those to whom it was then made, for they might be sure that God would not utterly destroy their nation, how low soever it might be brought, as long as that blessing was in the womb of it, Isa 65:8. But it speaks much more comfort to us, to whom it is fulfilled, who are the sheep of this good Shepherd, are fed in his pastures, and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things by him.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–31. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Chapter 34.) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds (or to the shepherds) of Israel, prophesy, and say to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves. (Or: O shepherds of Israel, do the shepherds not feed themselves?) Do not the flocks feed on the shepherds? (Or do the sheep not feed the shepherds?) You have eaten the curds, and you have clothed yourselves with the wool, and you have slaughtered the fat animals, but you have not fed my flock. You did not strengthen what was weak (or comforted); and you did not heal what was sick; you did not bind up what was broken, and you did not bring back what was cast away (or wandering); you did not seek what was lost; but with severity you commanded them, and with power (or what happened to be, you afflicted them with labor). And my sheep were scattered because there was no shepherd (or shepherds), and they became a prey to all the beasts of the field, and they were scattered. My flocks (or sheep) had wandered upon all the mountains, and upon every high hill, and were scattered upon the face of the whole earth; and there was none to seek them, there was no one, I say, to seek (or bring back) them. Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, says the Lord God, forasmuch as my flocks (or sheep) have been made a prey, and my sheep have been devoured by every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd (or shepherds), for my shepherds sought not after my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and did not feed my flocks. Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord God: Behold, I myself will require my flock from their hand, and I will make them cease to shepherd my flock any longer; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves (or the sheep) any longer, and I will deliver my flock (or sheep) from their mouth, and they shall no longer be food for them. For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his dispersed sheep (or when there is darkness and clouds among his separated sheep), so will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them (whether female or male) from the peoples (or from the nations), and I will gather them (whether female or male) from the lands (or from the regions), and I will bring them (whether female or male) into their own land, and I will feed them (whether female or male) on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the inhabited places of the land. In the most fertile pastures I will feed them (whether female or male), and they will be grazing their (or their sheep's) pastures on the high mountains of Israel: there they will rest in green grass, and in rich pastures they will graze on the mountains of Israel. I will feed my sheep, and I will make them lie down (or rest), says the Lord God. I will seek what was lost, and I will bring back what was cast away (or wandered): and I will bind up what was broken, and I will strengthen (or comfort) what was weak: and I will watch over the fat and strong ones, and I will feed them with judgment (or justice). But you, my flock (or sheep), this says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between the sheep, and between rams and goats. Was it not enough for you to graze on good pastures? Moreover, you trampled the remnants of your pastures with your feet, and when you drank the purest water, you disturbed the rest with your feet. And my sheep, which were trampled by your feet, were fed, and those feet of yours that disturbed, they drank. Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I myself will judge between the fat livestock and the lean (or between the strong and the weak livestock): because you pushed with your sides and shoulders, and with your horns you scattered all the weak animals until they were scattered outside. I will save my flock, and it will no longer be plundered, and I will judge between sheep and sheep (or between ram and ram). And I will raise up over them (here and elsewhere) (or over them) one shepherd who will feed them (or him), my servant David: he will feed them (or him): and he will be their shepherd. But I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I, the Lord, have spoken. And I will make a covenant (or testament) of peace with them, and I will cause the most harmful beasts to cease from the earth, and those who dwell in the wilderness will sleep safely in the woods. And I will place them around my hill as a blessing, and I will bring rain in its season, and the rains will be a blessing. And the trees of the field will yield their fruit, and the land will give its increase, and they will dwell in their land without fear (or in the hope of peace), and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who have enslaved them. And they will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will the beasts of the earth devour them, but they will dwell securely (or in hope) without any fear. And I will raise up for them a renowned offspring (or a peaceable plantation), and they will no longer be cut off (or destroyed) by famine in the land, nor bear the reproach of the nations anymore. And they will know that I am the Lord their God, for I am with them, and they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the Lord God. But you, my flock, are men, the flock of my pasture (or sheep), and I am the Lord your God, says the Lord God. I have often advised to mix both editions, in order to magnify the greatness of the books, in those parts only, which do not differ much from themselves in translation. After the capture of Jerusalem, after he announced in Babylon that he had fled, he spoke about those who dwelt in the ruined Jerusalem, and then about those who were placed in captivity but nevertheless persisted in evil, unwilling to hear the words of the prophets: now he directs his speech to the shepherds, that is, to the leaders, whose fault the sheep, that is, the people, were scattered. And this should be noted, that from the twelfth year, tenth month, fifth day of the month of transmigration, or captivity of Jechoniah, and those who were captured with him, until the twenty-fifth year, when the temple is built on the mountain of the city, and the incredible sacraments of the Church are revealed, there is no middle year, and no specific time is mentioned; but it is simply said: The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, speak to those and to them, that we may understand everything that is read in thirteen years, at different times; and yet certain intervals of time are not specified among them. But the word is directed to the shepherds of Israel, whom we must understand as either kings, or princes, scribes and Pharisees, and teachers of the Jewish people. Or certainly in the Gospel people, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons: or according to mystical understanding, the Angels of the individual Churches, to whom John wrote in his Apocalypse (Apoc. I), and whose Angels daily see the face of God (Matthew XV). And it is said first: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who, although they should feed the Lord's flock and provide for its salvation, hasten to satisfy their own luxury. Therefore, great caution must be taken, and those precepts must be observed: Do not seek to become a judge, lest you may not be able to remove injustices (Eccli. VII, 6). And again: The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself, and in the sight of the Lord you will find favor (Ibid. III, 29). And again: They have made you a leader, do not be exalted, but be among them as one of them (Eccli. XXXII, 1). Thus the Apostle says that he is like a little child and a nursing infant among the disciples (I Cor. III). And that which follows: You were eating milk, and were clothed with wool, speaks metaphorically of the shepherds to the princes, of whom it is written elsewhere: Who devour my people like bread (Ps. LII, 5). Understand all food in milk: in wool, the various variety of garments. But when it is said: And you killed the fat, it speaks of the rich in the people, whom the wicked princes are said to slay in the churches, while they preach to them, and dare not rebuke their vices. Concerning whom the prophet also says: 'My people, who call you blessed, deceive you and undermine the path of your feet' (Isaiah 3:12). Concerning whom also James speaks (James 2:3), that when they enter, they are honored with precious clothing and a gold ring, and to the holy poor it is said: 'But you, sit on a stool, or on the ground, or stand.' They do not strengthen or consolidate what is weak. And Paul also speaks: Receive the weak (Rom. XIV, 1). And: receive the weak in faith. And: Many among you are weak and sick. To whom divine speech is sent, about which it is written in the Psalms: He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Ps. CV, 10). And he says that what is broken is not bound: not considering mortal wounds in the people, such as adultery, murder, sacrilege. And they do not bring back what has been rejected or what they have seen to be in error, allowing them to be deceived by heretics. And they do not seek what has been lost, not desiring to save those who are perishing, but rather to devour those who are in the Churches: but they command them with severity and with power, which properly belongs to the superciliousness of the bishops, namely, those who disgrace the dignity of their name by their actions and assume pride in humility, so that they consider themselves to have gained honor, not burden: and they strive to oppress anyone in the Church whom they see as powerful and as having the word of God. Where in the Septuagint it is written: And what was by chance, you afflicted with labor. And the people of God was dispersed, either by vices or by the error of heretics: because there was no good shepherd who would lay down his life for the sheep: but all were mercenaries, who only considered their own profit from the flocks, and when they saw a wolf, they fled. By their negligence, the flock of the Lord is devoured by the beasts of the field, of which it is written: You have set darkness, and it became night: in it all the beasts of the field shall pass, the lion's whelps roaring, that they may snatch and seek food from God (Ps. 103:20-21). And they are scattered and wander on all the mountains, which rise up against the knowledge of God, and on every lofty hill, which through heretical pride despise the simplicity of the Church. And they are scattered over the whole face of the earth, seeking earthly things, not heavenly. And there was no one who would seek or lead them back, because they are occupied with pleasures and do not care for the losses of the Lord's flock. Therefore, the word of the Lord is addressed to the wicked shepherds, because they have done these things that I have explained above, and which are enumerated a second time: Behold, I myself will come to the shepherds and seek my flock from their hand, for it is expedient that the millstone of the donkey be tied around their neck (Matthew 18), rather than they cause the least scandal to my people. And this will be their punishment or rather the greatest punishment, that they shall no longer pasture my flock: lest under the excuse of feeding the sheep they feed on themselves, and gather riches: And I will deliver my people from their mouth. I will require, says the Lord, from their hand, and I will deliver from their mouth what is devoured by greedy jaws. But when He shall require the sheep, He will visit them as if they were sick and emaciated, and scattered by the negligence of the shepherds: and He will deliver from all places in the day of the cloud and darkness, of which also Joel speaks: The day of the Lord is near, and it is the day of darkness and gloom, and the day of clouds and mist (Joel. II, 1, 2). Then they shall be brought out from the lands, to be brought into their own land, which is the land of the living: and he himself shall feed them in the mountains of Israel, of which David speaks: I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence shall come my help (Ps. CXX, 1). And not only in the mountains, but in the rivers, and in all the seats of the earth, in fertile pastures, and on the high mountain, of which Isaiah and Micah prophesy more fully (Isa. II; Mic. IV, VII): or in the high mountains of Israel. There they will rest in green pastures, and they will say: The Lord feeds me, and nothing will be lacking to me; he has placed me there in the place of pasture. He has led me forth above the waters of refreshment (Ps. 22:1-2). And they will be fed in the richest pastures on the mountains of Israel. It is an endless promise and hope of blessedness, when the Lord himself promises, saying: I will feed my sheep, and I will never commit them to evil shepherds, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God, so that they may rest in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then what was lost among the peoples of the nations will be sought after, and what had wandered in the persuasion of heretics will be brought back, and what was broken will be bound up, and what was crushed and weak will be strengthened, so that what is written may be fulfilled: He heals their infirmities and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). For a broken and humbled heart, God will not despise (Psalm 51:19). Therefore, even the holy one says: Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled (Psalm 6:2). And in the thirty-seventh Psalm (Verse 4) the penitent says: There is no peace in my bones because of the face of my sins: and what is fat, he says, I will keep: lest it be devoured by beasts. And he will feed his sheep in judgment, knowing to which sheep what pastures are owed. For there are many mansions with the Father (John XIV). And: The Father does not judge anyone: but he has given all judgment to the Son (Ibid., V). But these things he spoke against the shepherds: now he speaks to the sheep, that is, to the people: and to the flock of both kinds of livestock, that is, the sheep and the goats: and not only to the sheep and goats, but also to the rams and the bucks, who are the leaders in the flocks, to whom he says: Was it not enough for you to feed on the good pastures of the Scriptures? But in addition, you were trampling on the remnants of your pastures with your feet. And while you were drinking the purest waters of God's teachings, you were disturbing the remaining waters with your feet, so that my people would eat and drink trampled pastures and tainted waters because of your fault, which in itself was good but became corrupted and violated. Indeed, this is what all heretics do, they pick apart the words of the Scriptures and, to the best of their ability, stain them. But even the ecclesiastical men who do not preserve the truth of the doctrines, but instead fabricate them from their own hearts, and hold their presumption as a teacher, are held captive by a similar error. When they persuade the people that the things they invent are true, and when they incite applause and cheers in a theatrical manner, they become forgetful of their own ignorance, and with raised eyebrows, weighing their words, and brandishing them, they assume the authority of teachers for themselves. Let us therefore see what judgment there is between one flock and another: and by what judgment the good and true shepherd, who has received all judgment from the Father, may judge them. Behold, he says, I myself judge between the fat flock and the lean, or between the strong and the weak. For the strong push and butt the weak with their sides and shoulders, and they fan them with their horns, not knowing that the bull should be punished by the law of the horn (Exodus 21). But they keep pushing on the sides, and they fan with their horns until they scatter and drive the sheep outside. For the pride of the ancestors and the injustice of the leaders, they are frequently driven out of the Church, so that they may be scattered by the Lord, whom He Himself saved. But the Lord will not let them continue to plunder, and He will judge between sheep and sheep: not between the names of dignitaries, by which the leaders swell with pride; but between man and man, according to what each servant of the Lord is. Then He will raise up one shepherd, who says in the Gospel: I am the good shepherd (John 10:11); His servant David according to what form of a servant He deigned to assume (Philippians 2); who is interpreted as 'mighty by hand'. He Himself will pasture them, and the Lord will be their God, either the Son and the Father, or certainly the shepherd according to assumed flesh: But the Lord, and God, according to the Word which was in the beginning with God. That David, as the rational animal advances in the flock, will by no means be called a shepherd, but rather a prince among them, about whom it is written: But there is one among you whom you do not know (John 1:26). Then he will make a covenant of peace with them, not of war or discord, for his dwelling place is in peace (Psalm 75), but the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4), who says: My peace I give to you: my peace I leave with you (John 14, 27). And he will cause the most harmful creatures to cease from the earth, vices, or disturbances, by which human souls are tormented: or opposing powers, by which they are attacked. And those who dwell in the wilderness shall sleep securely in the forests. For the Lord will reveal the hidden places of the woods, and in His temple all shall declare glory (Ps. 28:9). And with the beasts driven away and the land reduced to solitude, those who sleep securely shall say: The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear (Ps. 26:1)? And He will place them, who sleep securely, around His mountain or hill, and they shall receive blessings. Then he will give rain in its season, and there will be rain of blessings, which he promises in the blessings of Deuteronomy (Deut. XXVIII). And he will give, it is said, the tree of life, of which it is written in Genesis (Genes. II): and the tree of wisdom, of which it is said, It is a tree of life to all who take hold of it (Prov. III, 18). And he will give its fruit, when the earth also gives its fruit: whether it be the trees of the regions, a great multitude of the saints. And the earth will give its fruit: for truth has arisen from the earth (Ps. 84, 12). And they shall be in their land without fear, or in the hope of peace, in the land of the living, in the land of the meek, of whom it is written: Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess the land (Matt. 5, 4): so that they may know by the happiness of all things that He is the Lord: when He has broken the chains, or the iron circle of their yoke, with which they were oppressed as if by a most severe power, and has freed them from the hand of those who held them in power or afflicted them with servitude. For everyone is a slave of whoever conquers them. And they will no longer be a prey to demonic nations; nor will the beasts of the earth devour those of whom we have spoken: but they will dwell confidently without any fear, according to the above explanation. And I will raise up for them a named offspring, or a planting of peace, which is spoken of in the Gospel: I am the true vine (John 15:1). And they will no longer be diminished by hunger on the earth. Therefore, hunger is on earth: the hunger to hear the word of God, which, under a good shepherd and a named branch, and celebrated in the speech of all, and the planting of peace, will never be on earth; nor will they be subjected any longer to the reproaches of the nations, saying: Where is their God (Psalm 113, 10)? And after all this, it is known that not only is He the Lord, as He Himself had said before, but with the addition that He is the Lord of all and truly their God, with those who says in the Gospel to the Apostles: Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28, 20). But when He Himself shall be their Lord God, then they shall also be His people, not anyone, but those who have merited to be called the house of Israel. And so that we may not think that all that has been said pertains to shepherds and goats and rams, He solves the riddle, or rather the metaphor, and states more plainly: But you are My sheep, and you, men, are the sheep of My pasture. Therefore, every divine word is for human beings, to whom He says: I am the Lord your God, says the Lord God.
JeromeAD 420
COMMENTARY ON EZEKIEL 11:34.1-31
Now he speaks to the sheep, that is, the people, and to the flock of either kind, that is, of sheep and she-goats but also to rams and he-goats who are leaders among flocks. To them he says, “Is it not enough for you to be fed for the good nourishment the Scriptures provide? But you crush under your feet what remains of your food, and when you have drunk the purest water that are the words of God, you disturb with your feet the waters that remain, so that my people chew food that is trodden on by you and drink water that has been disturbed by you.”
Augustine of HippoAD 430
SERMON 47:9
God’s pastures are good, and God’s springs are pure. We have them in the holy Scriptures.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
PASTORAL RULE 1:2
The shepherds drink water that is most pure when with right understanding they imbibe the streams of truth. But to dirty the same water with their feet is to corrupt the studies of holy meditation by evil living.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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