Ezekiel 34:8

Ezekiel 34:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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;
• New International Version (NIV)As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”—
• New Living Translation (NLT)As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.

Context of Ezekiel 34:8

6they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 7"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

Ezekiel 34:8 word by word

חַי־אָ֜נִי נְאֻ֣ם׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־לֹ֣א יַ֣עַן הֱיֽוֹת־צֹאנִ֣י׀ לָבַ֡ז וַתִּֽהְיֶינָה֩ צֹאנִ֨י לְאָכְלָ֜ה לְכָל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ מֵאֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֔ה וְלֹֽא־דָרְשׁ֥וּ רֹעַ֖י אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וַיִּרְע֤וּ הָֽרֹעִים֙ אוֹתָ֔ם וְאֶת־צֹאנִ֖י לֹ֥א רָעֽוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• surely because my flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• became a preyבַּזbaz · plunderH957
• became meatאׇכְלָה'ôklâh · foodH402
• to every beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
• of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: wildlifeH7704
• no shepherdרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• searchדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875

Cross-references for Ezekiel 34:8

• Ezekiel 34:5So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered;
• Ezekiel 34:2"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?
• Acts 20:33I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
• 1 Corinthians 9:15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.
• 2 Peter 2:13suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.
• Jude 1:12These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;

Commentaries on Ezekiel 34:8

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-16Verses 7-16 The Lord declared that he intended mercy towards the scattered flock. Doubtless this, in the first place, had reference to the restoration of the Jews. It also represented the good Shepherd's tender care of the souls of his people. He finds them in their days of darkness and ignorance, and brings them to his fold. He comes to their relief in times of persecution and temptation. He leads them in the ways of righteousness, and causes them to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-11The Lord promised to hold the selfish shepherds accountable for their actions. He would remove them from their positions and save his flock from their grasp, so they would no longer be prey. The Lord would search for his scattered flock (Ezekiel 34:12) and bring them home.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31Having in the thirty-third chapter laid down repentance as the necessary preliminary to happier times for the people, He now promises the removal of the false shepherds as preparatory to the raising up of the Good Shepherd. 2. Jr 23:1 and Zec 11:17 similarly make the removal of the false shepherds the preliminary to the interposition of Messiah the Good Shepherd in behalf of His people Israel. The "shepherds" are not prophets or priests, but rulers who…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 34:8

• Minister, Christian
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• Cruelty
• Ezekiel, Book of
• Require
• Seek
• Ezekiel
• Shepherd
• 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