Ezekiel 34:5-6

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 34:5

And they were scattered because there is no shepherd ,.... No good one; there were shepherds, but they were idol shepherds, good for nothing, and it was all one as if there were none: so, in Christ's time, there were the Scribes and Pharisees; yet, since these did not feed the people with wholesome doctrine, they are said to be as sheep without a shepherd, and scattered abroad, as here from the fold, and from one another; dispersed here and there, seeking food, and none, which moved his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 34:6

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill ,.... As sheep do, when gone astray, go from mountain to hill; so the people of Israel fled from place to place, through the cruelty of their rulers, or through the force of the enemy, being carried captive into many kingdoms and nations, signified by mountains; and perhaps there is some allusion, to their worshipping of idols on hills and mountains, being drawn into it by the false prophets: yea, my flock was scattered... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 34:5

And they were scattered - There was no discipline kept up; and the flock, the Church, became disorganized, and separated from each other, both in affection and fellowship. And the consequence was, the grievous wolves, false and worldly interested teachers, seized on and made a prey of them. Of the communion of saints such shepherds know nothing, farther than that it makes a part of the common creed. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 34:6

My sheep wandered through all the mountains - They all became idolaters, and lost the knowledge of the true God. And could it be otherwise while they had such pastors? "Himself a wanderer from the narrow way; His silly sheep, no wonder that they stray!" Reader, if thou be a minister, a preacher, or a person in holy orders, or pretended holy orders, or art one pretending to holy orders, look at the qualifications of a good shepherd as laid down by the prophet. He professes to be a... 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 34:5

And they were scattered . The words are an echo of 1 Kings 22:17 , and are, in their turn, echoed by Matthew 9:36 . The words that follow paint the sufferings of the exiles who left their homes and were scattered among the heathen in the days of Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. Of these the kings took no heed, and shut themselves up in the luxurious seclusion of their palace. read more

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