Ezekiel 34:13-31

13They have been living in foreign countries among other people. I will bring them back to live in their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel. They will eat beside its rivers and in all the places where people live.

14I will feed them in fields on Israel's mountains where grass grows. They will lie down in the good fields. They will eat the green grass that grows on the mountains.

15I myself will take care of my sheep. I will give them safe places to lie down and rest. I, the Almighty Lord, say this.

16I will find the lost sheep and I will bring them back. I will cover their wounds. I will help those who are weak to become strong. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will give them justice as their food!

17This is what I, the Almighty Lord, say to you, my sheep: I will judge you. I will decide which of you are good and which of you are bad. I will judge between male sheep and goats.

18You bad sheep make sure that you have plenty of good grass to eat. But then you spoil the other grass so that no other sheep can eat it. You have clean water to drink. But then you spoil the water which remains. It is too dirty for other sheep to drink.

19Because of that, my sheep eat grass that you have spoiled. They drink water that you have made dirty with your feet.

20So this is what I, the Almighty Lord, say to the sheep: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep.

21You fat sheep use your shoulders to push the other sheep away. You attack the weak sheep with your horns so that they run away.

22Because you do this, I will rescue my sheep. They will no longer be in danger from other animals. I will judge between one sheep and another sheep.

23Then I will choose one shepherd to lead them. He is my servant, David. He will take care of them as their shepherd.

24I, the Lord, will be their God. My servant David will be their ruler. I, the Lord, have said this.

25I will make an agreement with them, that I will give them peace. I will remove the dangerous wild animals from the land. Then they can live there safely, even in the wilderness. They will not be afraid when they sleep in the forests.

26I will bless them with many good things as they live around my holy hill. I will send rain at the proper time each year. The rain will bring my blessings to them.

27The trees in the fields will give them fruit to eat. Crops of food will grow in the ground. The people will live safely in their land. I will take away the power of those who were cruel to them. I will rescue them from the people who made them their slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

28They will no longer be in danger from other nations. Wild animals will no longer eat them. They will live safely and nobody will cause them to be afraid.

29I will give them a land that is famous for its good crops. So famine will never cause them to suffer in that land. Other nations will no longer insult them.

30Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. They will know that they are my people, the Israelites. That is what the Almighty Lord says.

31You are my people and I take care of you, as a shepherd takes care of his sheep. You are my people and I am your God. That is what the Almighty Lord says.” ’