Ezekiel 34:7-31

New International Version

⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered^(A) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(B) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(C) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(D) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue^(E) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(F)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(G) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(H) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(I) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(J) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(K) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(L) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(M) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(N) on the mountains of Israel.^{(O) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(P) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(Q) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(R) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(S) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(T) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(U)

¹⁷ “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.^{(V) 18} Is it not enough^(W) for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet?^(X) Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? ¹⁹ Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

²⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.^{(Y) 21} Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns^(Z) until you have driven them away, ²² I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.^{(AA) 23} I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend^(AB) them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.^{(AC) 24} I the Lord will be their God,^(AD) and my servant David^(AE) will be prince among them.^(AF) I the Lord have spoken.^(AG)

²⁵ “‘I will make a covenant^(AH) of peace^(AI) with them and rid the land of savage beasts^(AJ) so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.^{(AK) 26} I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.^[a](AL) I will send down showers in season;^(AM) there will be showers of blessing.^{(AN) 27} The trees will yield their fruit^(AO) and the ground will yield its crops;^(AP) the people will be secure^(AQ) in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke^(AR) and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.^{(AS) 28} They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety,^(AT) and no one will make them afraid.^{(AU) 29} I will provide for them a land renowned^(AV) for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine^(AW) in the land or bear the scorn^(AX) of the nations.^{(AY) 30} Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(AZ) 31} You are my sheep,^(BA) the sheep of my pasture,^(BB) and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”