Ezekiel 34:1-2

The Lord gave Ezekiel a message for the shepherds (leaders, rulers, cf. Psalms 23) of Israel. Ancient Near Easterners often referred to kings and leaders as "shepherds" (e.g. Numbers 27:17; 2 Samuel 5:2; 1 Kings 22:17; Isaiah 44:28; Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 23:1-6; Jeremiah 25:34-38; Micah 5:4-5; Zechariah 11:4-17). Prophets and priests were also called "shepherds," but here kings are also in view. God pronounced judgment on them for three reasons. First, they fed themselves rather than the people; they were selfish. They were more interested in providing for themselves than for the people whom God had placed in their care (cf. John 10:11-13; John 21:15-17). They exploited their followers.

A review of the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel’s rulers reveals a consistent string of corrupt leaders, and Ezekiel pointed out earlier that Judah was worse than her sister Israel (ch. 23).