Ezekiel 34 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

The word of Yahweh came to me:

"Son of man, speak against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them — to the shepherds — this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign One, declares: What sorrow awaits the shepherds of Israel who only feed themselves! Shouldn't shepherds feed the flock?"

You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fattened animals — but you do not feed the flock.

You have not strengthened the weak, or healed the sick, or bandaged the injured, or brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with brutality and cruelty.

So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for every wild animal.

My flock wandered over every mountain and every high hill. My flock was scattered across the whole face of the earth, and no one searched for them. No one went looking.

"So, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh:

As surely as I live — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One — because my flock became prey, because my flock became food for every wild animal since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but fed themselves instead of feeding my flock — "

therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh!

This is what Yahweh, the Sovereign One, declares: Watch — I am against the shepherds. I will demand my flock from their hand and put an end to their feeding on the flock. The shepherds will no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and my sheep will no longer be food for them.

"For this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign One, declares: Look — I myself will search for my flock and look after them.

As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is among them, so I will look after my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them back to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settled places of the land.

I will feed them in good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in rich grazing land, and they will feed in lush pasture on the mountains of Israel.

I myself will feed my flock, and I myself will make them lie down — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One.

I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

"And as for you, my flock — this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign One, declares — watch, I am about to judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats.

Is it not enough for you to feed in the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? You drink the clear water, but must you also muddy what remains with your feet?

Must my flock feed on what your feet have trampled and drink what your feet have muddied?

"Therefore this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign One, says to them: Watch — I myself am about to judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

Because you push with flank and shoulder, and butt all the weak ones with your horns until you have driven them away,

I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.

I will set over them one shepherd, and he will feed them — my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.

And I, Yahweh, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I, Yahweh, have spoken.

"I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of dangerous animals, so that they may live in the wilderness safely and sleep in the forests.

I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a source of life-giving rain. The rains will come down in their season — showers that bring life and growth.

The trees of the field will yield their fruit, and the land will yield its crops. My people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am Yahweh when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.

They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the wild animals of the land will not devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.

I will raise up for them a planting place of renown, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.

Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One.

"You are my flock, the flock of my pasture. You are human, and I am your God" — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One.