Ezekiel 34:17

Ezekiel 34:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“ ‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats.
• New King James Version (NKJV)‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats.

Context of Ezekiel 34:17

15I will feed My flock and I will let them lie down [to rest],” says the Lord God. 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. “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]. 18Is 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]? 19As for My flock (the righteous), they must feed on what you trample with your feet and drink what you muddy with your feet!’ ”

Ezekiel 34:17 word by word

וְאַתֵּ֣נָה צֹאנִ֔י כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הִנְנִ֤י שֹׁפֵט֙ בֵּֽין־שֶׂ֣ה לָשֶׂ֔ה לָאֵילִ֖ים וְלָעַתּוּדִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• youאַתֵּן'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(f.p.)H859
• O my flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• Behold, I judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• between cattleשֶׂהώeh ώêy · sheepH7716
• between the ramsאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
• and the he goatsעַתּוּד‛attûd ‛attûd · goatH6260

Cross-references for Ezekiel 34:17

• Ezekiel 34:20Therefore thus says the Lord God to them, “Behold, I Myself will judge between the [well-fed] fat sheep and the lean sheep.
• Ezekiel 20:37“I will make you pass under the rod [as the shepherd does with his sheep when he counts them, and I will count you as Mine and constrain you] and bring you into the bond of the covenant [to which you are permanently bound].
• Zechariah 10:3“My anger is kindled against the shepherds [who are not true shepherds], And I shall punish the male goats (leaders); For the Lord of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah (the Southern Kingdom), And will make them like His beautiful and majestic horse in the battle.
• Matthew 25:32All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;

Commentaries on Ezekiel 34:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17And as for you, O my flock - After having spoken to the shepherds, he now addresses the flock. I judge between cattle and cattle - Between false and true professors; between them that have only the form and them that have the power of godliness; between the backslider in heart and the upright man.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-31Verses 17-31 The whole nation seemed to be the Lord's flock, yet they were very different characters; but he knew how to distinguish between them. By good pastures and deep waters, are meant the pure word of God and the dispensing of justice. The latter verses, 23-31, prophesy of Christ, and of the most glorious times of his church on earth. Under Him, as the good Shepherd, the church would be a blessing to all around. Christ, though excellent in himself…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-19The goats were the powerful, unrighteous members of the community.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. you, ... my flock--passing from the rulers to the people. cattle and cattle--rather, "sheep and sheep"; Margin, "small cattle," or "flocks of lambs and kids," that is, I judge between one class of citizens and another, so as to award what is right to each. He then defines the class about to be punitively "judged," namely, "the rams and he-goats," or "great he-goats" (compare Is 14:9, Margin; Zec 10:3; Mt 25:32, 33). They answer to "the fat and…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 34:17

• Minister, Christian
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• God
• Cruelty
• Ezekiel, Book of
• Goat
• Require
• Seek
• Ezekiel
• Teach; Teacher; Teaching

Commentaries on Ezekiel 34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings