A Prophecy against Israel’s Shepherds 1 UEB Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, BSB BSB: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 UEB "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who are shepherding themselves. Should not shepherds guard the flock? BSB 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?
3 UEB You eat the fatty portions and you dress in wool. You slaughter the fatlings of the flock. You do not shepherd at all. BSB BSB: You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock.
4 UEB You have not strengthened those who have diseases, nor do you heal the ones who are ill. You do not bind up the ones who are broken, and you do not restore the outcasts or seek the lost. Instead, you rule over them through strength and violence. BSB BSB: You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.
5 UEB Then they were scattered without a shepherd, and they became food for all the living beasts in the fields, after they were scattered. BSB BSB: They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts.
6 UEB My flock strays on all of the mountains and on every high hill, and it is dispersed over the entire surface of the earth. Yet no one is searching for them. BSB BSB: My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the face of all the earth, with no one to search for them or seek them out.’
7 UEB Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh: BSB BSB: Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
8 UEB As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—because my flock has become plunder and food for all the beasts in the fields, because there was no shepherd and none of my shepherds sought my flock, but the shepherds guarded themselves and did not shepherd my flock. BSB BSB: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because My flock lacks a shepherd and has become prey and food for every wild beast, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but fed themselves instead,
9 UEB Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh: BSB BSB: therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD!’
10 UEB The Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock from their hand. Then I will dismiss them from shepherding the flock; neither will the shepherds any longer shepherd themselves since I will take away my flock from their mouths, so that my flock will no longer be food for them. BSB BSB: This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand from them My flock and remove them from tending the flock, so that they can no longer feed themselves. For I will deliver My flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.’
The Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1–6; John 10:1–21)
11 UEB For the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I myself will seek out my flock and I will look after them, BSB BSB: For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.
12 UEB like a shepherd seeking his flock on the day he is within the midst of his scattered flock. Thus I will seek my flock, and I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on the day of clouds and darkness. BSB BSB: As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
13 UEB Then I will bring them out from among the peoples; I will gather them from the lands and bring them to their land. I will put them in pastures on the mountainsides of Israel, by the streams, and in every settlement in the land. BSB BSB: I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settlements of the land.
14 UEB I will put them in good pastures; the high mountains of Israel will be their grazing places. They will lie down there in good places for grazing, in abundant pastures, and they will graze on the mountains of Israel. BSB BSB: I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
15 UEB I myself will shepherd my flock, and I myself will make them lie down—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration— BSB BSB: I will tend My flock and make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.
16 UEB I will seek the lost and restore the outcast. I will bind up the broken sheep and heal the sick sheep but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd with justice. BSB BSB: I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
17 UEB So now you, my flock—this is what the Lord Yahweh says—behold, I will be a judge between sheep and sheep and between rams and male goats. BSB 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.
18 UEB Is it not enough to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample down with your feet what is left of the pasture; and to drink from clear waters, that you must muddy the rivers with your feet? BSB BSB: 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?
19 UEB Must my sheep eat what you have trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet? BSB BSB: Why must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?’
20 UEB Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this to them: Behold! I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin ones, BSB BSB: Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
21 UEB for you have pushed them with your sides and shoulders, and you have gored all of the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them away from the land. BSB BSB: Since you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them abroad,
22 UEB I will save my flock and they will no longer be plunder, and I will judge between one sheep and another! BSB BSB: I will save My flock, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.
23 UEB I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will shepherd them, he will feed them, and he will be their shepherd. BSB BSB: I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
24 UEB For I, Yahweh, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among them—I, Yahweh, have declared this. BSB BSB: I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.
The Covenant of Peace 25 UEB Then I will make a covenant of peace with them and remove the evil wild animals from the land, so that they will live securely in the wilderness and safely sleep in the forests. BSB BSB: I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
26 UEB I will also bring blessings on them and on the places around my hill, for I will send out showers in due season. These will be showers of blessing. BSB BSB: I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing.
27 UEB Then the trees of the field will produce their fruit, and the earth will yield its produce. My sheep will be secure in their land; then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I break the bars of their yoke, and when I rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them. BSB BSB: The trees of the field will give their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; My flock will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and delivered them from the hands that enslaved them.
28 UEB They will no longer be plunder for the nations, and the wild animals on the earth will no longer devour them. For they will live securely, and no one will frighten them. BSB BSB: They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not consume them. They will dwell securely, and no one will frighten them.
29 UEB For I will provide them a land known for its crops; so they will not be victims of famine in the land, and they will not bear the scorn of the nations. BSB BSB: And I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.
30 UEB Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them. They are my people, the house of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration. BSB BSB: Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,’ declares the Lord GOD.
31 UEB For you are my sheep, the flock of my pasture, and my people, and I am your God—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'" BSB BSB: ‘You are My flock, the sheep of My pasture, My people, and I am your God,’ declares the Lord GOD.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.