Prophecy against Israel’s Shepherds
1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell the shepherds, ‘The Lord GOD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should the shepherds not feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep.
4 You have not strengthened the diseased. You have not healed that which was sick. You have not bound up that which was broken. You have not brought back that which was driven away. You have not sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor. 5 They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered all over the face of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought for them.”
7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD, 8 ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because because there was no shepherd, my sheep became prey and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, and because my shepherds did not search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD!’
10 The Lord GOD says: ‘I am against the shepherds. I will hold them responsible for my sheep in their hands and cause them to stop feeding the sheep. The shepherds will not feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth that they may not be food for them.’ ”
The Good Shepherd
11 “For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I, indeed I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in cloudy and dark days.
13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them with good pasture, and their fold will be on the mountains of the height of Israel. There they will lie down in a good grazing land. They will feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek that which was lost and will bring back that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them with justice.’
17 As for you, O my flock, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I judge between one sheep and another, the rams and the male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down the rest of your pasture with your feet? And to have drunk of the clear waters, but now you must muck up the rest with your feet? 19 As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have mucked up with your feet.
20 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I, indeed I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you thrust with side and with shoulder and butted all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad, 22 therefore I will save my flock, and they will no longer be a prey. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd. 24 I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken it.’ ”
The Covenant of Peace
25 I will make with them a covenant of peace and will drive dangerous animals out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the showers to come down in their season. There will be showers of blessing.
27 The tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they 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 have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.
28 They will no longer be prey to the nations, nor will the animals of the earth devour them, but they will dwell securely, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will raise up for them a plantation of renown, and they will no longer be consumed with famine in the land, nor bear the shame of the nations any more. 30 They will know that I, the LORD, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD. 31 You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.’ ”