The Father Confronts the Failed Shepherds
34 1 The word of our Father came to me:
2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, to the shepherds: This is what the Sovereign Father says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding only themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the fat, you wear the wool, you slaughter the fattened animals, but you do not feed the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with force and harshness. 5 So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for every wild animal. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of our Father: 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Father, because my flock has been plundered and has become food for every wild animal for lack of a shepherd, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but fed themselves instead of my flock— 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of our Father: 10 This is what the Sovereign Father says: I am against the shepherds, and I 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 my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.
The Father Himself Will Shepherd
11 For this is what the Sovereign Father says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 1 1 v11 Here our Father takes up the shepherd's work himself — the same heart Jesus claims when he says, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). The Father who searches becomes the Son who lays down his life for the sheep. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settled places of the land. 14 I will tend them in good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my flock and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Father. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the sleek and the strong. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
17 As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Father says: I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the 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 Father says to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns 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. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 2 2 v23 Centuries after David died, our Father promises one shepherd from David's line who would tend his flock forever. Jesus is that Shepherd — "I am the good shepherd... there will be one flock, one shepherd" (John 10:11, 16). 24 I, the Father, will be their Father, and my servant David will be prince among them. I, the Father, have spoken.
The Father's Covenant of Peace
25 I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forests. 26 I will make them and the land around my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am their Father when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will give them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, their Father, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign Father. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your Father, declares the Sovereign Father."