Prophecy Concerning Israel's Shepherds And Sheep

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

1 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying,

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

1 A message came from the LORD for me, and it had this to say:

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them: This is what the Lord God says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves!(A) Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock?

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the (A)shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to (a)those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord (b)God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been (c)(B)feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds (d)(C)feed the flock?

2 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?

2 "Son of Man, prophesy against Israel's shepherds. Tell those shepherds, "This is what the Lord GOD says:

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the [spiritual] shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?

3 You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened animals, but you do not tend the flock.(B)

3 You (D)eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you (E)slaughter the fat sheep without (e)feeding the flock.

3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

3 "Woe to you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves and not the sheep. Shouldn't shepherds feed the sheep? You're eating the best parts, clothing yourselves with the wool, and slaughtering the home-grown sheep without having fed the sheep!

3 You eat the fat [the choicest of meat], and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the best of the livestock, but you do not feed the flock.

4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost.(C) Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

4 Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the (f)diseased you have not healed, (F)the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you (G)sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.

4 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.

4 You haven't strengthened the weak, treated the sick, set broken bones, regathered the scattered, or looked for the lost. Instead, you've dominated them with brutal force and ruthlessness.

4 You have not strengthened those who are weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bandaged the crippled, you have not brought back those gone astray, you have not looked for the lost; but you have ruled them with force and violence.

5 They were scattered for lack of a shepherd;(D) they became food for all the wild animals(E) when they were scattered.

5 They were (H)scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became (I)food for every beast of the field and were scattered.

5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

5 "Since they have no shepherd, they have been scattered around and have become prey for all sorts of wild animals. How scattered they are!

5 They were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the predators of the field.

6 My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill.(F) They were scattered over the whole face of the earth, and there was no one searching or seeking for them.

6 My flock (J)wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; (K)My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was (L)no one to search or seek for them.”’”

6 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.

6 My sheep have gone wandering on all of the mountains, on all of the hills, and throughout every high place in the whole world, with no one to look for them or go out in search of them.

6 My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought them.”’”(A)

7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord.

7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

7 "Therefore listen to what the LORD says, you shepherds:

7 Therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

8 As I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“because My flock has become prey and food for every wild animal since they lack a shepherd, for My shepherds do not search for My flock, and because the shepherds feed themselves rather than My flock,

8 “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “surely because My flock has become a (M)prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock;

8 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;

8 "As certainly as I'm alive and living, my sheep have truly become victims, food for all of the wild animals because there are no shepherds. My shepherds did not go searching for my flock. Instead, the shepherds fed themselves, and my flock they would not feed!'

8 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “certainly because My flock has become prey, My flock has even become food for every predator of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock;

9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord!

9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

9 "Therefore, you shepherds, listen to what the LORD says:

9 therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

10 “This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against the shepherds.(G) I will demand My flock from them(a) and prevent them from shepherding the flock. The shepherds will no longer feed themselves, for I will rescue My flock from their mouths so that they will not be food for them.

10 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am (N)against the shepherds, and I will demand My (g)sheep (h)from them and make them (O)cease from feeding (i)sheep. So the shepherds will not (j)feed themselves anymore, but I will (P)deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.”’”

10 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.

10 "This is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out, I'm coming after you shepherds! I'm going to demand my sheep back from them and fire them as shepherds. The shepherds won't be shepherds anymore when I snatch my flock right out of their mouths so they can't be eaten by them anymore."'"

10 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My flock from them and make them stop tending the flock, so that the shepherds cannot feed themselves anymore. I will rescue My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.”’”

The Lord God Will Seek Them Out

11 “For this is what the Lord God says: See, I Myself will search for My flock and look for them.

11 For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I Myself will (Q)search for My sheep and seek them out.

11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

11 "This is what the LORD says: "Watch me! I'm going to search for my flock. I'll watch over them myself.

11 For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.

12 As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered(H) on a cloudy and dark day.

12 (R)As a shepherd (k)cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered (l)sheep, so I will (m)(S)care for My (n)sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a (T)cloudy and gloomy day.

12 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.

12 Just as a shepherd looks after his flock during the day time while he is with them, so also I'm going to watch over my sheep, delivering them from every place where they've been scattered during the times of gloom and doom.

12 As a shepherd cares for his sheep on the day that he is among his scattered flock, so I will care for My sheep; and I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.

13 I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will (U)feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the (V)streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

13 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.

13 I'm going to bring them out from foreign nations and from foreign lands. Then I'll bring them to their own land and feed them in Israel on the mountains, in their valleys, and in all of their settlements throughout the land.

13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

14 I will tend them with good pasture, and their grazing place will be on Israel’s lofty mountains. There they will lie down in a good grazing place; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

14 I will feed them in a (W)good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in (o)(X)rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

14 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.

14 I'll feed them in excellent pastures, and even the very heights of Israel's mountains will serve as verdant pastures for them in which they'll rest and feed yes, even on the fertile mountains of Israel!

14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15 I will tend My flock and let them lie down.”(I) This is the declaration of the Lord God.

15 I will (Y)feed My flock and I will (p)lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God.

15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

15 I will feed my sheep and give them rest,' declares the Lord GOD.

15 I will feed My flock and I will let them lie down [to rest],” says the Lord God.

16 “I will seek the lost,(J) bring back the strays, bandage the injured,(K) and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy(b) the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.

16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the (Z)fat and the strong I will destroy. I will (AA)feed them with judgment.

16 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.

16 "I'm going to seek both the lost as well as the scattered, and bring them both back so their broken bones can be set and the sick can be healed. But in righteousness I'll exterminate the fat and the stiff-necked.'"

16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bandage the crippled, and strengthen the weak and the sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong [who have become hard-hearted and perverse]. I will feed them with judgment and punishment.(B)

17 “The Lord God says to you, My flock: I am going to judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and male goats.(L)

17 “As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I will (AB)judge between one (q)sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats.

17 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.

17 "Now as for you, my flock, this is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out! I'm going to judge between one sheep and another, and between the rams and the goats.

17 “And as for you, My flock, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats [between the righteous and the unrighteous].

18 Isn’t it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Or isn’t it enough that you drink the clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?

18 Is it too (AC)slight a thing for you that you should feed in the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures? Or that you should drink of the clear waters, that you must (r)foul the rest with your feet?

18 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?

18 Is it such an insignificant thing to you that you're feeding in good pastures but trampling down the other pastures with your feet? Or that as you're drinking from the clear streams you're muddying the rest with your feet?

18 Is it too little a thing for you that you [unrighteous ones who are well-fed] feed in the best pasture, yet you must trample down with your feet [of wickedness] the rest of your pastures? Or that you drink clear [still] water, yet you must muddy with your feet [of wickedness] the rest [of the water]?

19 Yet My flock has to feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied.

19 As for My flock, they must eat what you tread down with your feet and drink what you (s)foul with your feet!’”

19 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.

19 My flock is grazing on what you've been treading down with your feet and they're drinking what you've been making muddy with your feet!'

19 As for My flock (the righteous), they must feed on what you trample with your feet and drink what you muddy with your feet!’”

20 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says to them: See, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

20 Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them, “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.

20 "Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: "Watch me! I'm going to judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep,

20 Therefore thus says the Lord God to them, “Behold, I Myself will judge between the [well-fed] fat sheep and the lean sheep.

21 Since you have pushed with flank and shoulder and butted all the weak ones with your horns until you scattered them all over,

21 Because you push with side and with shoulder, and (AD)thrust at all the (t)weak with your horns until you have scattered them (u)abroad,

21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;

21 since you've been bumping aside all the weaker sheep with your backsides and shoulders, butting them with your horns until they're scattered around outside.

21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and gore with your horns all those that have become weak and sick until you have scattered them away,

22 I will save My flock, and they will no longer be prey for you. I will judge between one sheep and another.

22 therefore, I will (AE)deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another.

22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.

22 That's how I'll save my sheep so they won't be plundered any longer. I'm going to judge between one sheep and another.'"

22 therefore, I will rescue My flock, and they shall no longer be prey; and I will judge between one sheep [ungodly] and another [godly].

23 I will appoint over them a single shepherd, My servant David, and he will shepherd them. He will tend them himself and will be their shepherd.(M)

23 “Then I will (AF)set over them one (AG)shepherd, My servant (AH)David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd.

23 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.

23 ""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

23 “Then I will appoint over them one shepherd and he will feed them, [a ruler like] My servant (a)David; he will feed them and be their shepherd.(C)

24 I, Yahweh, will be their God, and My servant David(N) will be a prince among them. I, Yahweh, have spoken.

24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant (AI)David will be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken.

24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

24 I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will rule among them as Prince.' I, the LORD, have spoken this.

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

The Lord's Covenant Of Peace

25 “I will make a covenant of peace(O) with them and eliminate dangerous animals(P) in the land, so that they may live securely(Q) in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.

25 “I will make a (AJ)covenant of peace with them and (AK)eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they may (AL)live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

25 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.

25 "I'm going to enter into a covenant with them, one of peace, and I'll eliminate wild beasts from the land so they can live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forests.

25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them and will eliminate the predatory animals from the land so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep [safely] in the woods.(D)

26 I will make them and the area around My hill(R) a blessing: I will send down showers in their season(S)—showers(c) of blessing.

26 I will make them and the places around My hill a (AM)blessing. And I will cause (AN)showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of (AO)blessing.

26 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.

26 I'm going to make them and everything that surrounds my hill a blessing. I'll send down the rain! At the appropriate time there will be a rainstorm of blessing!

26 I will make them and the places around My hill (Jerusalem, Zion) a blessing. And I will make showers come down in their season; there will be [abundant] showers of blessing (divine favor).

27 The trees of the field will give their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; My flock will be secure in their land. They will know that I am Yahweh when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslave them.(T)

27 Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be (AP)secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have (AQ)broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them.

27 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.

27 I'll bring fruit to the trees in the orchards, the land will yield its produce, they will live securely on their land, and they will learn that I am the LORD, when I break the bar that has been their yoke and deliver them from the control of those who have enslaved them.

27 Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its produce; and My people will be secure on their land. Then they will know [with confidence] that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have rescued them from the hand of those who made them slaves.

28 They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the wild animals of the land will not consume them. They will live securely, and no one will frighten them.

28 They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will (AR)live securely, and no one will make them afraid.

28 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.

28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will settle down confidently, with nothing to frighten them.

28 They will no longer be prey to the nations, and the predators of the earth will not devour them; but they will live safely, and no one will make them afraid [in the (b)day of the Messiah’s reign].(E)

29 I will establish for them a place renowned for its agriculture,(d) and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land. They will no longer endure the insults of the nations.(U)

29 I will establish for them a (AS)renowned planting place, and they will (AT)not again be (v)victims of famine in the land, and they will not (AU)endure the insults of the nations anymore.

29 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.

29 I'm going to prepare for them the best of gardening spots. They will no longer live as victims in a land of starvation, nor will they have to bear the insults of the international community.

29 I will prepare for them a place renowned for planting [crops], and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations any longer.

30 Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people.”(V) This is the declaration of the Lord God.

30 Then they will know that (AV)I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” declares the Lord God.

30 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.

30 That's when they'll learn that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people,' declares the Lord GOD.

30 Then they will know [with assurance] that I the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord God.

31 “You are My flock, the human flock of My pasture, and I am your God.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.(W)

31 “As for you, My (AW)sheep, the (AX)sheep of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God,” declares the Lord God.

31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

31 "And as for you, my sheep, the flock that I'm pasturing, you are mankind, and I am your God,' declares the Lord GOD."

31 “As for you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God.

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