וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר

The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

בֶּן־אָדָם הִנָּבֵא עַל־רוֹעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנָּבֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם לָרֹעִים כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים הוֹי רֹעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ רֹעִים אוֹתָם הֲלוֹא הַצֹּאן יִרְעוּ הָרֹעִים!

Son of man, prophesy concerning the shepherds of Israel, its leaders; prophesy and say to them, to the shepherds: So said the Lord God: Woe! Shepherds of Israel who have been shepherding themselves, isn’t it the flocks that the shepherds should shepherd? The shepherds’ priority should be to supervise and provide for their flock, not for themselves. Alternatively, the verse can be understood: Listen, shepherds of Israel, is it possible that the flock must herd its shepherds?

אֶת־הַחֵלֶב תֹּאכֵלוּ וְאֶת־הַצֶּמֶר תִּלְבָּשׁוּ הַבְּרִיאָה תִּזְבָּחוּ הַצֹּאן לֹא תִרְעוּ

You, the shepherds, eat the choice fat, and you wear the wool of sheep, and you also slaughter the fat ones for your food, but you do not shepherd the flocks. You exploit the people for your own interests, while failing to fulfill your obligations to manage and care for them.

אֶת־הַנַּחְלוֹת לֹא חִזַּקְתֶּם וְאֶת־הַחוֹלָה לֹא־רִפֵּאתֶם וְלַנִּשְׁבֶּרֶת לֹא חֲבַשְׁתֶּם וְאֶת־הַנִּדַּחַת לֹא הֲשֵׁבֹתֶם וְאֶת־הָאֹבֶדֶת לֹא בִקַּשְׁתֶּם וּבְחָזְקָה רְדִיתֶם אֹתָם וּבְפָרֶךְ

The weak sheep you did not strengthen, the ill you did not heal, and the injured bones you did not bind; the outcast sheep you did not return, and the lost, whose whereabouts are unknown, you did not seek. You have not treated the flock with kindness, and you subjugated them forcefully and with travail. You exploited the people through hard labor.

וַתְּפוּצֶינָה מִבְּלִי רֹעֶה וַתִּהְיֶינָה לְאָכְלָה לְכָל־חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וַתְּפוּצֶינָה

They, the sheep, were dispersed for lack of a caring shepherd to look after them, and once they were away from the flock, they were vulnerable and became food for every beast of the field, and they were dispersed even more.

יִשְׁגּוּ צֹאנִי בְּכָל־הֶהָרִים וְעַל כָּל־גִּבְעָה רָמָה וְעַל כָּל־פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ נָפֹצוּ צֹאנִי וְאֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ וְאֵין מְבַקֵּשׁ

My flock strays on all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was dispersed over the entire face of the earth, but there is no one seeking and there is no one searching. The shepherds were occupied with themselves and they were uninterested in the whereabouts and welfare of the sheep. The reference to wandering on the mountains could be an allusion to idol worship, which is typically performed on mountaintops.

לָכֵן רֹעִים שִׁמְעוּ אֶת־דְּבַר ה'

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים אִם־לֹא יַעַן הֱיוֹת־צֹאנִי לָבַז וַתִּהְיֶינָה צֹאנִי לְאָכְלָה לְכָל־חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה מֵאֵין רֹעֶה וְלֹא־דָרְשׁוּ רֹעַי אֶת־צֹאנִי וַיִּרְעוּ הָרֹעִים אוֹתָם וְאֶת־צֹאנִי לֹא רָעוּ

As I live – the utterance of the Lord God – surely because My flock was loot and My flock became food for every beast of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not seek My flock, and the shepherds herded themselves and did not herd My flock. The authorities cared for no one but themselves;

לָכֵן הָרֹעִים שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־ה'

therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים הִנְנִי אֶל־הָרֹעִים וְדָרַשְׁתִּי אֶת־צֹאנִי מִיָּדָם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּים מֵרְעוֹת צֹאן וְלֹא־יִרְעוּ עוֹד הָרֹעִים אוֹתָם וְהִצַּלְתִּי צֹאנִי מִפִּיהֶם וְלֹא־תִהְיֶיןָ לָהֶם לְאָכְלָה

So said the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds, or: Behold I am turning to the shepherds; and I will demand My flock from their hand. The flock in their care belongs to Me, and I will demand an accounting from their leaders. And I will cause them to cease herding flocks, and the shepherds will not herd themselves any longer. I will remove them from their positions, and I will rescue My flock from their mouth, and they will not be food for them.

כִּי כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים הִנְנִי־אָנִי וְדָרַשְׁתִּי אֶת־צֹאנִי וּבִקַּרְתִּים

For so said the Lord God: Behold, it is I, and I Myself will seek My flock and inspect them, assess their situation.

כְּבַקָּרַת רֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ בְּיוֹם־הֱיוֹתוֹ בְתוֹךְ־צֹאנוֹ נִפְרָשׁוֹת כֵּן אֲבַקֵּר אֶת־צֹאנִי וְהִצַּלְתִּי אֶתְהֶם מִכָּל־הַמְּקוֹמֹת אֲשֶׁר נָפֹצוּ שָׁם בְּיוֹם עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל

Like the inspection by a shepherd of his flock on the day that he is among his sheep that were separated from the rest of the herd, so I will inspect My flock, and I will rescue them from all the places to which they were dispersed on the day of cloud and fog. On a cloudy day, sheep tend to wander off and scatter to distant places. Similarly, Israel was exiled among the nations during a period of gloom, because their leaders provided for themselves and neglected their people.

וְהוֹצֵאתִים מִן־הָעַמִּים וְקִבַּצְתִּים מִן־הָאֲרָצוֹת וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל־אַדְמָתָם וּרְעִיתִים אֶל־הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאֲפִיקִים וּבְכֹל מוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ

I will take them out from the peoples and I will gather them from the lands, and I will bring them to their soil, and I will herd them on the mountains of Israel, in the streams and in all the dwellings of the land.

בְּמִרְעֶה־טּוֹב אֶרְעֶה אֹתָם וּבְהָרֵי מְרוֹם־יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה נְוֵהֶם שָׁם תִּרְבַּצְנָה בְּנָוֶה טּוֹב וּמִרְעֶה שָׁמֵן תִּרְעֶינָה אֶל־הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

In good pasture I will herd them, and on the mountains of the heights of Israel will be their grazing place; there they will lie in a good grazing place, their resting place, and in a rich pasture they will graze on the mountains of Israel. When I bring My people of Israel back to their land, they will come to the place that is appropriate for them, where they will find sustenance and serenity.

אֲנִי אֶרְעֶה צֹאנִי וַאֲנִי אַרְבִּיצֵם נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

It is not you, leaders of Israel, who will lead My people. Rather, I Myself will shepherd My flock, and I will lay them down, prepare a resting place for them – the utterance of the Lord God.

אֶת־הָאֹבֶדֶת אֲבַקֵּשׁ וְאֶת־הַנִּדַּחַת אָשִׁיב וְלַנִּשְׁבֶּרֶת אֶחֱבשׁ וְאֶת־הַחוֹלָה אֲחַזֵּק וְאֶת־הַשְּׁמֵנָה וְאֶת־הַחֲזָקָה אַשְׁמִיד אֶרְעֶנָּה בְמִשְׁפָּט

The lost I will seek, the outcast I will restore, the injured I will bandage, the ill I will strengthen, and the fat and the strong, who harm the sheep, I will destroy. I will not allow powerful men to gain control over and harm My people. Rather, I will herd them with justice and I will care for the entire flock.

וְאַתֵּנָה צֹאנִי כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים הִנְנִי שֹׁפֵט בֵּין־שֶׂה לָשֶׂה לָאֵילִים וְלָעַתּוּדִים

God addresses the sheep of the flocks themselves: As for you, My flock, so said the Lord God: Behold, I am judging between one lamb and another, between the sheep and the rams, the older sheep and the male goats.

הַמְעַט מִכֶּם הַמִּרְעֶה הַטּוֹב תִּרְעוּ! וְיֶתֶר מִרְעֵיכֶם תִּרְמְסוּ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם מִשְׁקַע־מַיִם תִּשְׁתּוּ וְאֵת הַנּוֹתָרִים בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם תִּרְפֹּשׂוּן

Is it not enough for you, the powerful ones, that you graze on the good, lush pasture, due to your power and your agility; this does not satisfy you, so that the rest of your pasture you trample with your feet, rather than ensuring they are left for others who are weaker than you? Likewise, is it not enough for you that you drink settled, clear waters, and quench your thirst? At the same time, you muddy the remainder of the water by roiling mud and filth with your feet.

וצֹאנִי מִרְמַס רַגְלֵיכֶם תִּרְעֶינָה ומִרְפַּשׂ רַגְלֵיכֶם תִּשְׁתֶּינָה

The rest of My flock, they graze upon that which was trampled by your feet, and they drink that which was muddied by your feet. You, the strongest of the people, distractedly trample on the sources of food and water available to others, leaving them only with your remnants.

לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים אֲלֵיהֶם הִנְנִי־אָנִי וְשָׁפַטְתִּי בֵּין־שֶׂה בִרְיָה וּבֵין שֶׂה רָזָה

Therefore, so said the Lord God to them: Behold, it is I, and I will judge between the fat, healthy lamb and the lean lamb,

יַעַן בְּצַד וּבְכָתֵף תֶּהְדֹּפוּ וּבְקַרְנֵיכֶם תְּנַגְּחוּ כָּל־הַנַּחְלוֹת עַד אֲשֶׁר הֲפִיצוֹתֶם אוֹתָנָה אֶל־הַחוּצָה

because you, the large, strong sheep, shove the feeble with the flank and with the shoulder, and with your horns you gore all the weak until you cause them to disperse outside. You forcibly ejected from the flock all those unable to cope.

וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּי לְצֹאנִי וְלֹא־תִהְיֶינָה עוֹד לָבַז וְשָׁפַטְתִּי בֵּין שֶׂה לָשֶׂה

I will save My flock, and they will no longer be as loot, and I will judge between one lamb and another.

וַהֲקִמֹתִי עֲלֵיהֶם רֹעֶה אֶחָד וְרָעָה אֶתְהֶן אֵת עַבְדִּי דָוִיד הוּא יִרְעֶה אֹתָם וְהוּא יִהְיֶה לָהֶן לְרֹעֶה

After removing the shepherds and restoring the flock to a healthy, orderly state, I will establish one shepherd over them, and he will herd them: My servant David, who began his career as a shepherd. He will herd them, rather than only shepherding himself, and he alone will be a shepherd for them, as he will sustain them and see to their welfare. As is the case elsewhere in the prophecies of Ezekiel and other prophets, the mention of David is a reference to the future unification of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel under the rule of a king from the Davidic dynasty.

וַאֲנִי ה' אֶהְיֶה לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים וְעַבְדִּי דָוִד נָשִׂיא בְתוֹכָם אֲנִי ה' דִּבַּרְתִּי

I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

וְכָרַתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה־רָעָה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְיָשְׁבוּ בַמִּדְבָּר לָבֶטַח וְיָשְׁנוּ בַּיְּעָרִים

I will establish a covenant of peace with them, as I will ensure that My people will live among their neighbors in peace, and I will eliminate evil beasts from the land, and they, My flock, will live in security in the wilderness, a place for grazing, and they will sleep in the forests. Since the evil beasts will be eradicated, the people will be able to reside in unprotected areas without concern.

וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָם וסְבִיבוֹת גִּבְעָתִי בְרָכָה וְהוֹרַדְתִּי הַגֶּשֶׁם בְּעִתּוֹ גִּשְׁמֵי בְרָכָה יִהְיוּ

I will render them and the surroundings of My hill, the Temple Mount, a blessing, and I will cause the rain to fall in its season, rains of blessing they will be.

וְנָתַן עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה אֶת־פִּרְיוֹ וְהָאָרֶץ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ וְהָיוּ עַל־אַדְמָתָם לָבֶטַח וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי ה' בְּשִׁבְרִי אֶת־מֹטוֹת עֻלָּם וְהִצַּלְתִּים מִיַּד הָעֹבְדִים בָּהֶם

The tree of the field will yield its fruit and the land will yield its produce, and they, Israel, will be upon their land in security, and they will know that I am the Lord when I break the bars of their yoke of subjugation, and rescue them from the hand of those who enslave and exploit them.

וְלֹא־יִהְיוּ עוֹד בַּז לַגּוֹיִם וְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לֹא תֹאכְלֵם וְיָשְׁבוּ לָבֶטַח וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד

They will no longer be loot for the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; they will live in security, and there will be none to frighten them.

וַהֲקִמֹתִי לָהֶם מַטָּע לְשֵׁם וְלֹא־יִהְיוּ עוֹד אֲסֻפֵי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ וְלֹא־יִשְׂאוּ עוֹד כְּלִמַּת הַגּוֹיִם

I will establish them as an orchard, as they will be planted in the Land of Israel, where they will thrive until it will be for them for renown, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land, and they will no longer bear the humiliation of the nations. The children of Israel will be satiated and protected and they will never again be forced into exile, to dwell in foreign lands, where they will feel ashamed before the gentiles.

וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם אִתָּם וְהֵמָּה עַמִּי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

They, the other nations, will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, the children of Israel, and that they are My people, the house of Israel – the utterance of the Lord God.

וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם אֲנִי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

You, Israel, My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are people. Although I lead you, you are not a flock of animals, controlled for profit; rather, you are a flock of people and I am your God – the utterance of the Lord God.