And the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying
,
Son of man
, prophesy
against the shepherds
of Israel
, prophesy
, and say
unto them, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
unto the shepherds
; Woe
be to the shepherds
of Israel
that do feed
themselves! should not the shepherds
feed
the flocks
?
Ye eat the fat
, and ye clothe
you with the wool
, ye kill
them that are fed
: but ye feed
not the flock
.
The diseased have ye not strengthened
, neither have ye healed
that which was sick
, neither have ye bound up
that which was broken
, neither have ye brought again
that which was driven away
, neither have ye sought
that which was lost
; but with force
and with cruelty
have ye ruled
them.
And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd
: and they became meat
to all the beasts
of the field
, when they were scattered
.
My sheep wandered
through all the mountains
, and upon every high
hill
: yea, my flock
was scattered
upon all the face
of the earth
, and none did search
or seek
after them .
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear
the word
of the LORD
;
As I live, saith
the Lord
GOD
, surely because my flock
became a prey
, and my flock
became meat
to every beast
of the field
, because there was no shepherd
, neither did my shepherds
search
for my flock
, but the shepherds
fed
themselves, and fed
not my flock
;
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear
the word
of the LORD
;
Thus saith the Lord
GOD
; Behold, I am against the shepherds
; and I will require
my flock
at their hand
, and cause them to cease
from feeding
the flock
; neither shall the shepherds
feed
themselves any more; for I will deliver
my flock
from their mouth
, that they may not be meat
for them.
For thus saith the Lord
GOD
; Behold, I, even I, will both search
my sheep
, and seek them out
.
As a shepherd seeketh out
his flock
in the day
that he is among
his sheep
that are scattered
; so will I seek out
my sheep
, and will deliver
them out of all places
where they have been scattered
in the cloudy
and dark
day
.
And I will bring them out from the people
, and gather
them from the countries
, and will bring
them to their own land
, and feed
them upon the mountains
of Israel
by the rivers
, and in all the inhabited places
of the country
.
I will feed them in a good
pasture
, and upon the high
mountains
of Israel
shall their fold
be: there shall they lie
in a good
fold
, and in a fat
pasture
shall they feed
upon the mountains
of Israel
.
I will feed my flock
, and I will cause them to lie down
, saith
the Lord
GOD
.
I will seek that which was lost
, and bring again
that which was driven away
, and will bind up
that which was broken
, and will strengthen
that which was sick
: but I will destroy
the fat
and the strong
; I will feed
them with judgment
.
And as for you, O my flock
, thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Behold, I judge
between cattle
and cattle
, between the rams
and the he goats
.
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up
the good
pasture
, but ye must tread down
with your feet
the residue
of your pastures
? and to have drunk
of the deep
waters
, but ye must foul
the residue
with your feet
?
And as for my flock, they eat
that which ye have trodden
with your feet
; and they drink
that which ye have fouled
with your feet
.
Therefore thus saith the Lord
GOD
unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge
between the fat
cattle
and between the lean
cattle
.
Because ye have thrust with side
and with shoulder
, and pushed
all the diseased
with your horns
, till ye have scattered
them abroad
;
Therefore will I save my flock
, and they shall no more be a prey
; and I will judge
between cattle
and cattle
.
And I will set up one
shepherd
over them, and he shall feed
them, even my servant
David
; he shall feed
them, and he shall be their shepherd
.
And I the LORD will be their God
, and my servant
David
a prince
among
them; I the LORD
have spoken
it .
And I will make with them a covenant
of peace
, and will cause the evil
beasts
to cease
out of the land
: and they shall dwell
safely
in the wilderness
, and sleep
in the woods
.
And I will make them and the places round about
my hill
a blessing
; and I will cause the shower
to come down
in his season
; there shall be showers
of blessing
.
And the tree of the field
shall yield
her fruit
, and the earth
shall yield
her increase
, and they shall be safe
in their land
, and shall know
that I am the LORD
, when I have broken
the bands
of their yoke
, and delivered
them out of the hand
of those that served
themselves of them.
And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen
, neither shall the beast
of the land
devour
them; but they shall dwell
safely
, and none shall make them afraid
.
And I will raise up for them a plant
of renown
, and they shall be no more consumed
with hunger
in the land
, neither bear
the shame
of the heathen
any more.
Thus shall they know that I the LORD
their God
am with them, and that they, even the house
of Israel
, are my people
, saith
the Lord
GOD
.
And ye my flock
, the flock
of my pasture
, are men
, and I am your God
, saith
the Lord
GOD
.