Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 34:20
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, [even] I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
Yahweh having promised to be a Ruler of His people, the administration of the divine kingdom is now described, as carried on by One King, the representative of David, whose dominion should fulfill all the promises originally made to the man after Gods own heart. Ezekiel does not so much add to, as explain and develope, the original promise; and as the complete fulfillment of the spiritual blessings, which the prophets were guided to proclaim, was manifestly never realized in any temporal prosperity of the Jews, and never could and never can be realized in any earthly kingdom, we recognize throughout the Sacred Volume the one subject of all prophecy – the Righteous King, the Anointed Prince, the Son and the Lord of David.
Eze 34:23
One shepherd – One, as ruling over an undivided people, the distinction between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah having been done away.
My servant David – David was a fit type of the True King because he was a true and faithful servant of Yahweh. That which David was partially and imperfectly, Christ is in full perfection (compare Mat 12:18; Joh 5:30; Heb 10:7.)
Eze 34:26
The blessings here foretold are especially those of the old covenant. The wilderness (or, pasture-country) and the woods, the places most exposed to beasts and birds of prey, become places of security. Under the new covenant Sion and the hills around are representative of Gods Church; and temporal blessings are typical of the blessings showered down upon Christs Church by Him who has vanquished the powers of evil.
Eze 34:29
A plant – Equivalent to the Branch, under which name Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesy of the Messiah. The contrast in this verse to hunger seems to favor the idea that the plant was for food, i. e., spiritual food, and in this sense also, applicable to the Messiah (compare Joh 6:35.)
The shame of the pagan – The shameful reproaches with which the pagan assail them.
Eze 34:31
Translate Ye are my flock, the flock of my pasture (compare Jer 23:1); ye are men, and I am your God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. I will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.] Between the rich and the poor; those who fare sumptuously every day and those who have not the necessaries of life.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I, even I: see Eze 34:11,17. I am judge by office and I will vindicate and right the poor by judgment.
The fat cattle; the rich, voluptuous, and wanton ones.
The lean cattle; the poor and indigent, that are despised, oppressed, and injured; thus the Chaldee paraphrase, between the rich man and the poor man.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. fat . . . leanthe richoppressors . . . the humble poor.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them,…. To the rams and he goats of the flock, that use the pastures and defile the waters after this manner, and make them unfit for the lesser cattle; or that use the poor people of God after this sort:
behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. The Targum is,
“between the rich man and the poor man;”
this is repeated, and in very strong terms, for the confirmation of it: this the Lord promised to do, and he has done it by his son, to whom he committed all judgment; and who, in the days of his flesh, made a difference between those who were full of themselves, self-righteous persons; who were self-sufficient, and needed not repentance, nor any other righteousness but their own; who trusted in themselves, and despised others: and may be meant by the “fat cattle”: and between those who were low and mean in their own eyes, humble and meek, weary and heavy laden, hungering and thirsting after the righteousness of another: now for judgment did Christ come, that they which see not might see, and those who saw might be made blind; he called the one, and not the other, to repentance; made known the things of the Gospel to babes, and hid them from the wise and prudent; rejected the one, and had compassion on the other; see Joh 5:22, and when he comes a second time, he will judge between these, and separate them; and set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left, Mt 25:31.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Eze 34:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, [even] I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
Ver. 20. I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle. ] These are, saith Augustine, those that presume of their own strength, and boast of their own righteousness, being proud, insolent, and void of charity.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 34:20-22
20Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them, Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, 22therefore, I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another.
Eze 34:21 The leaders are described as aggressive male rams and goats that push and shove the people away.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Eze 34:20-24
Eze 34:20-24
“Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 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. And I, Jehovah will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Jehovah, have spoken it.”
“Ye thrust with side and shoulder …” (Eze 34:21). The message here is that human beings, some of them, behave exactly like hungry animals shoving and jostling one another in the feed lot.
The reference is to the shameful and outrageous conduct of the upper classes of society in their greedy denial of the rights of the poor and needy. Here Ezekiel takes his place among such prophets as Hosea, Amos, and others who demanded that the principles of social justice be received and practiced among God’s people.
“Between sheep and sheep …” (Eze 34:20). These words reveal that this paragraph, like the one before it, is still speaking of the judgment, not merely of the evil rulers, but of the sheep themselves.
“One shepherd over them … even my servant David …” (Eze 34:23). Some commentators still cling to the notion that “a line of rulers,” rather than an individual personal Messiah, is suggested by certain Old Testament passages; and such suggestions cannot be completely denied. However, for those who must find multiple shepherds (kings) in these ancient prophecies, they like every things else prophesied are to be found in the Church of Jesus Christ alone, and nowhere else.
All Christians are “kings and priests unto God” (Rev 1:6, KJV). The twelve apostles are upon twelve thrones reigning with Christ throughout the dispensation (Mat 19:28); and the elders of God’s church actually have received that glorious designation, “Shepherds.” The word `shepherd,’ pastor in the Greek, is one of the New Testament terms for elder; thus all elders are “kings” in the sense of ruling under “The Chief Shepherd” (1Pe 5:1-4). As Paul expressed it, “If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.”
This fully takes care of the impression that their are multiple kings suggested.
Nevertheless, it is an indisputable fact that absolutely all of the great blessings promised here did not appear under the “kingship” of any human Davidic successor. They were never even partially realized in the temporary prosperity of the Jews, “Nor can they ever be realized in any earthly kingdom. All of these prophecies point to the One Subject of all Prophecy, The Righteous King, the Anointed Prince, the Son of God, the Son of David, and the Lord of David.
It is surprising that a Christian scholar should raise a quibble over the fact of David’s being referred to in Eze 34:24 as “prince,” stating, that, “The leader of the ideal theocracy would be `a prince’ rather than `a king.’ How could he have overlooked the God-given name of the Seed of the Virgin, which includes the designation, “Prince of Peace!” (Isa 9:6). It is a truth well known to the scholarship of all mankind that, “‘Prince’ instead of `king’ is Ezekiel’s usual designation of the ruler of the future, as in Ezekiel 45; Ezekiel 46. Besides that, the mention of the ‘covenant of peace’ in the next verse, which is undoubtedly a reference to the New Covenant under Christ, made it extremely appropriate for Ezekiel to use the term `prince’ in Eze 34:24. If any further proof of this was needed, it is available in Ezekiel 37, “Where the name `king’ is used three times in a peculiarly effective manner as titles of `The Messianic prince.’ There is no reason whatever to suppose that Ezekiel saw some kind of a distinction between `prince’ and `king.'” Ezekiel used the terms interchangeably.
“Christ as the Good Shepherd (equivalent to Jehovah) and as `The Son of David’ completely fulfills, not merely these prophecies here, but those of 2Sa 7:13; Jer 23:5-6; Mic 5:2-4; Isa 9:6-7; Dan 9:25-26; and many others.” In fact, it is no exaggeration at all to affirm that Jesus Christ as the Holy Messiah fulfills every one of the 333 prophecies concerning him in the entire Old Testament.
The two great Types of the Son of God in the Old Testament are Moses and David; and it is hardly a coincidence that both David and Moses were shepherds.
The notion that “The Davidic monarchy will be continued, but the monarch will have a real shepherd’s heart, must be rejected. Jeconiah was the final end of the earthly dynasty of David, and Jeremiah categorically prophesied that no descendent of his should ever again rule in Jerusalem (Jer 22:30). (See my commentary on this in Volume II of our Major Prophets Series.” Not even Christ could have inherited the throne of David if he had been the literal son of Joseph (who was descended from Coniah); but as his adopted son, the ban of Jeconiah’s posterity did not affect our Lord.
“One shepherd over them …” (Eze 34:23). Still another error is founded on this mention of “one shepherd.” Feinberg supposed that this meant, “There would be the need of only one shepherd for the united nation.” What is indicated here is not the reunion of the Northern and Southern sinful kingdoms of the old racial Israel, but the uniting of all men, Jews and Gentiles alike in Jesus Christ. Of course, that is exactly what Feinberg may have intended, but the erroneous understanding of it prevails with some.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Behold: Eze 34:10, Eze 34:17, Psa 22:12-16, Mat 25:31-46
Reciprocal: Gen 6:17 – behold Exo 14:17 – behold Num 18:6 – And I Deu 31:20 – waxen fat Jdg 3:17 – a very fat Isa 17:4 – the fatness Jer 23:39 – even I Jer 25:34 – ye principal Eze 7:3 – will judge Eze 18:30 – I will Eze 20:38 – I will purge Eze 24:5 – the choice Zec 10:3 – and I Mal 3:5 – I will come
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 34:20. Beginning with this verse and running through Eze 3431 will be given the prediction mentioned in the comments on verse 10. Christ and his church under the New Testament rule is the subject of the passage as will become evident in our study of the verses. However, the imagery of shepherds and all that pertains to that occupation will still be referred to for illustrations. The injustices of unworthy characters among the Lord’s professed servants are carried over for consideration, and He is going to see that such evils will be guarded against in the great institution to come.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
God would judge between the fat and the lean sheep, between those who fed themselves and kept others from eating and those who had to exist on poor food and drink.