The big picture
Ezekiel 34 opens in verse 1 with “And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 16 with “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will…”, and closes in verse 31 with “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD…” Repeated or prominent terms include flock, LORD, feed, shepherds, cattle. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ezekiel · King James Version · 31Ezekiel 34:1-8
1–8: The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezekiel 34:1–8 opens with “And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,” and reaches “As I live, saith the Lord GOD , surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Negligent shepherds feeding themselves contrasted with the Lord gathering injured and scattered sheep, with particular weight carried by shepherds, flock, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, word. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.” The line’s distinctive content terms include clothe, feed, flock. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they…” The line’s distinctive content terms include scattered, beasts, became. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 34:1-8
King James Version1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2Son 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?
3Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
7Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD ;
8As 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;
Ezekiel 34:9-16
9–16: Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD ;
Ezekiel 34:9–16 opens with “Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD ;” and reaches “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Negligent shepherds feeding themselves contrasted with the Lord gathering injured and scattered sheep, with particular weight carried by feed, flock, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD ;” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“For thus saith the Lord GOD ; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD .” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken…” The line’s distinctive content terms include bind, broken, destroy. Its relationship to verses 15 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 34:9-16
King James Version9Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD ;
10Thus 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.
11For thus saith the Lord GOD ; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD .
16I 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 34:17-24
17–24: As for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD ; Behold, I judge…
Ezekiel 34:17–24 opens with “And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD ; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle…” and reaches “And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Negligent shepherds feeding themselves contrasted with the Lord gathering injured and scattered sheep, with particular weight carried by cattle, feet, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD ; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and…” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with…” The line’s distinctive content terms include feet, drink, flock. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezekiel 34:17-24
King James Version17And 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.
18Seemeth 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?
19And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
20Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
21Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
22Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
23And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
24And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
Ezekiel 34:25-31
25–31: I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil…
Ezekiel 34:25–31 opens with “And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of…” and reaches “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD .” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Negligent shepherds feeding themselves contrasted with the Lord gathering injured and scattered sheep, with particular weight carried by land, LORD, blessing.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Ezekiel 34:25-31
King James Version25And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD , when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
28And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
29And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
30Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD .
31And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ezekiel 34:1 begins with “And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Ezekiel 34:18 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Ezekiel 34:31 leaves the reader with “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD .”
A word trail through the chapter
The words flock, LORD, feed, shepherds, cattle, Israel help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How is religion misused in this chapter?
Circumcision is proposed deceptively to make the city vulnerable.
What later passage evaluates Simeon and Levi's violence?
Genesis 49:5-7 condemns their fierce anger and cruel wrath.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.