Ezekiel 34:4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 34:1-6

The prophecy of this chapter is not dated, nor any of those that follow it, till Ezek. 40:1-49 It is most probable that it was delivered after the completing of Jerusalem's destruction, when it would be very seasonable to enquire into the causes of it. I. The prophet is ordered to prophesy against the shepherds of Israel?the princes and magistrates, the priests and Levites, the great Sanhedrim or council of state, or whoever they were that had the direction of public affairs in a higher or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 34:4

The diseased have ye not strengthened ,.... Such, in the civil polity, who were poor, and in necessitous circumstances, were not relieved; such who were injured and oppressed by others were not vindicated; and such as were forced to flee to other countries, or were carried captive, no care was taken, or methods used, to ransom them, and, bring them back; all which may be meant by this and the following metaphors, taken from the evil things that befall a flock of sheep: and such who were weak... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 34:4

The diseased have ye not strengthened - No person is fit for the office of a shepherd, who does not well understand the diseases to which sheep are incident, and the mode of cure. And is any man fit for the pastoral office, or to be a shepherd of souls, who is not well acquainted with the disease of sin in all its varieties, and the remedy for this disease, and the proper mode of administering it, in those various cases? He who does not know Jesus Christ as his own Savior, never can... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 34:1-10

Shepherds denounced. I. THEIR RESPONSIBILITY . Ezekiel now turns from the people to their leaders. Theirs is the greatest guilt. They were placed in positions which led to much being expected of them. Their failure means a corresponding guilt. The princes and priests, the political leaders and the religious teachers, would be included under the designation "shepherds." The same two classes and other varieties may be seen today; i.e. political rulers, Christian ministers, leaders of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 34:1-10

The human shepherds of the flock. It is a comparison as old, yes, older than literature, this of the people to a flock of sheep, and of their rulers, leaders, and spiritual instructors to the shepherds whose vocation it is to protect, care for, and feed them. Both in the Old and New Testament Scriptures we meet with passages in which unfaithful, careless, selfish, and grasping religious teachers and leaders are denounced as hirelings who have nothing of the true shepherd's heart—no... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 34:1-10

The use and the abuse of office. It is generally agreed that by the shepherd of the text we are to understand primarily the king and princes of Israel, who should have guarded and nourished the people of Israel with the devotedness with which David (see Ezekiel 34:23 ) once tended his people; but the interpretation need not exclude the "ecclesiastical" officers of the land, those whose practice was to teach and warn the people—priest and Levite and prophet. These strong words of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 34:1-16

God's verdict upon self-serving rulers. The disasters that overtook the land and the people of Israel were largely due to the misdeeds of their rulers. The people in olden time were more easily led by their sovereign than they are now. The ability to read, combined with the free use of printed literature, has stimulated the power to think, and this has led to self-reliance, independence, and freedom. But in Ezekiel's day a dearth of literature made the people largely dependent on priests... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 34:4

The diseased have ye not strengthened . The verbs indicate the difference between the "diseased," i.e. the weak sheep (comp. Isaiah 40:11 ; Psalms 78:71 ) and the sick, that were suffering from more definite maladies. So the broken are the sheep that have fallen from a rock and thus maimed themselves. Each case required its appropriate treatment, and none had met with it. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 34:3-4

Ezekiel 34:3-4. Ye eat the fat Or, the milk, as the LXX. render it. The Hebrew words chalab, milk, and cheleb, fat, differ only in their points, so that the ancient versions take them promiscuously one for the other. These shepherds of the Lord’s flock, these civil and ecclesiastical rulers of the people, used their power over them, and exercised their offices, merely for their temporal advantage and emolument. “They exacted their tribute and taxes, their tithes and perquisites, with... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 34:1-31

Rulers past and future (34:1-31)The leaders of Israel, whether of the northern kingdom or the southern, were supposed to be shepherds, but instead of caring for the people they exploited them. Their sole concern was for themselves (34:1-4). Because of their neglect of the flock, the sheep were attacked and scattered. Because of the corruption of its leaders, Israel was destroyed by hostile nations and its people taken captive into foreign countries (5-6).God will therefore punish the shepherds,... read more

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