Ezekiel 34:1
New International Version
The word of the LORD came to me:

New Living Translation
Then this message came to me from the LORD:

English Standard Version
The word of the LORD came to me:

Berean Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

King James Bible
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

New King James Version
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New American Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

NASB 1995
Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,

NASB 1977
Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying,

Amplified Bible
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
The word of the LORD came to me:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The word of the LORD came to me: “

American Standard Version
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The LORD God said:

English Revised Version
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

Good News Translation
The LORD spoke to me.

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

Majority Standard Bible
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

NET Bible
The word of the LORD came to me:

New Heart English Bible
The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

World English Bible
Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the word of Jehovah will be to me, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

New American Bible
The word of the LORD came to me:

New Revised Standard Version
The word of the LORD came to me:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the word of LORD JEHOVAH was upon me, saying:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Prophecy Against Israel's Shepherds
1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock?…

Cross References
Jeremiah 23:1-4
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. / Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD. / Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will return them to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and multiply. ...

John 10:11-16
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. / The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. / The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. ...

Zechariah 11:4-17
This is what the LORD my God says: “Pasture the flock marked for slaughter, / whose buyers slaughter them without remorse. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion on them. / For I will no longer have compassion on the people of the land, declares the LORD, but behold, I will cause each man to fall into the hands of his neighbor and his king, who will devastate the land, and I will not deliver it from their hands.” ...

Matthew 9:36
When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Isaiah 56:9-12
Come, all you beasts of the field; eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest. / Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. / Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: ...

Matthew 23:1-4
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: / “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. / So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ...

1 Peter 5:2-4
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; / not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. / And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Jeremiah 3:15
Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Acts 20:28-30
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. / I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

Micah 3:1-3
Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? / You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”

Hebrews 13:20
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,

Jeremiah 10:21
For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

Luke 15:4-7
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? / And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, / comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ ...

Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.

Zechariah 10:2
For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.


Treasury of Scripture

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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Ezekiel 34
1. A reproof of the shepherds
7. God's judgment against them
11. His providence over his flock
20. The kingdom of Christ














Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
*The word of the LORD*: This phrase indicates divine revelation, a common expression in prophetic literature, signifying that the message originates from God Himself. It underscores the authority and authenticity of the prophecy. In the context of Ezekiel, it emphasizes that the prophet is merely a vessel for God's communication, not speaking on his own accord.

*Came to me*: This personalizes the message, highlighting Ezekiel's role as a chosen prophet. It suggests a direct and intimate communication between God and Ezekiel, reinforcing the prophet's responsibility to convey God's message accurately to the people of Israel.

*Saying*: This introduces the content of the divine message. In the broader context of Ezekiel 34, the message is a rebuke of the leaders of Israel, often referred to as shepherds, for their failure to care for the people. This sets the stage for the subsequent verses where God outlines the failures of these leaders and His plan to intervene.

In the broader biblical narrative, this passage connects to the theme of God as the true shepherd, a motif that is further developed in the New Testament with Jesus Christ being identified as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). This typology highlights the contrast between human leaders who fail and the divine leadership of Christ, who cares for and sacrifices Himself for His flock.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet of God during the Babylonian exile, tasked with delivering God's messages to the Israelites.

2. The LORD
The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who communicates His will and judgment through His prophets.

3. Israel
The nation to whom Ezekiel is prophesying, specifically addressing the leaders and shepherds of Israel.

4. Babylonian Exile
The historical context in which Ezekiel prophesied, where the Israelites were in captivity due to their disobedience to God.
Teaching Points
The Responsibility of Leadership
Leaders are accountable to God for how they guide and care for those under their charge. This passage challenges leaders to reflect on their stewardship and align it with God's standards.

God's Communication
God speaks to His people through His chosen messengers. We must be attentive to His word and discern His voice amidst the noise of the world.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets serve as God's mouthpiece, often delivering difficult messages. We should value and heed prophetic voices that call us back to faithfulness.

Divine Judgment and Mercy
While God judges unfaithfulness, His ultimate desire is to restore and shepherd His people. This dual aspect of God's character should inspire both reverence and hope.

Personal Reflection
Each believer is called to examine their own life and leadership roles, ensuring they reflect God's heart and priorities.Verse 1. - And the word of the Lord, etc. As no date is given, we may infer that what follows came as an almost immediate sequel to that which precedes it. The kernel of the chapter is found in the Messianic prophecies of vers. 23, 24, as the first stage in the restoration of Israel which is beginning to open to the prophet's gaze. We can hardly avoid seeing in it the deliberate expression of words that had been spoken by Ezekiel's master (Jeremiah 23:1-4), and which in his case also were followed by a directly Messianic announcement. In Matthew 9:36, still more in John 10:1-16, we can scarcely avoid recognizing the distinct appropriation of the words to himself by him of whom they both had spoken. So far as we may venture to speculate on the influence, so to speak, of the words of the prophets of the Old Testament on our Lord's human soul, we may think of these as having marked out for him the work which he was to do, just as we may think of Psalm 22. and Isaiah 53. as having pointed out to him the path of suffering which he was to tread.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the word
דְבַר־ (ḏə·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

came
וַיְהִ֥י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to me,
אֵלַ֥י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

saying,
לֵאמֹֽר׃ (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 34:1 The word of Yahweh came to me (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 33:33
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