Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
11. The first line reads, And the dogs are greedy (lit. “strong of soul,” i.e. appetite), they know not how to be satisfied. The charge of cupidity and of selling oracles for gain is one frequently brought against the false prophets (Mic 3:5; Mic 3:11; Jer 6:13; Eze 13:19; Eze 22:25); a contemporary instance may be the incident of Shemaiah (Neh 6:10 ff.). That the priesthood was infected with the same vice of covetousness is shown by Mal 1:12; on the upper classes generally see Neh 5:7 ff.
and they are shepherds &c.] The meaning can hardly be that those who have been called dogs are really the shepherds of the flock; but it is not easy to obtain a satisfactory sense. Cheyne renders “and these, pastors as they are,” taking “pastors” in the figurative sense of rulers. Dillmann with a slight change of the text reads “and even these, the shepherds,” supposing that a class of persons different from the “watchmen” (prophets) are now spoken of, viz., the nobles and elders. On any view the sentence is awkward; it adds nothing to the thought, and may originally have been a marginal gloss.
they all look to their own way ] R.V. they have all turned to their own way; all pursue their selfish interests (cf. Isa 53:6).
from his quarter ] Render, without exception, as Eze 25:9; Gen 19:4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Yea, they are greedy dogs – Margin, Strong of appetite. Literally, Strong of soul ( azey–nephesh. Jerome renders it, Canes impudentissimi. So the Septuagint, Kunes anaideis te psuche – Dogs impudent in soul. They were greedy and insatiable in that which the soul or the appetite demands. The idea here is, that the prophets to whom reference is here made were sensual, and disposed to gorge themselves; living only for carnal indulgence, insensible to the rights of others, and never satisfied.
And they are shepherds that cannot understand – Who are ignorant of the needs of the people, and who cannot be made to comprehend what is needed by them (see Isa 56:10).
They all look to their own way – That is, they are all selfish. The ministers of religion are set apart not to promote their own interests bug the welfare and salavation of others.
Every one for his gain – For his own private ends and emoluments.
From his quarter – Lowth, From the highest to the lowest. So Rosenmuller. Septuagint, Kata to heautou – Each one according to his own purpose. The Hebrew is literally, From his end, or extremity. Gen 19:4 : From every quarter ( mqqatseh) that is, from one end to the other; one and all, the whole. This seems to be the idea here, that one and all were given to selfishness, to covetousness, and to indulgence in luxury and sensuality.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. Greedy dogs] Insatiably feeding themselves with the fat, and clothing themselves with the wool, while the flock is scattered, ravaged, and starved! O what an abundance of these dumb and greedy dogs are there found hanging on and prowling about the flock of Christ! How can any careless, avaricious, hireling minister read this without agitation and dismay?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Greedy dogs which can never have enough; insatiably covetous.
That cannot understand, Heb. that know not to understand; that do not care, or love, or desire (as knowing is frequently taken) either to understand the law or word of God themselves, or to make the people to understand it.
They all look to their own way; they regard neither Gods command and glory, nor the peoples good, but only the satisfaction of their own base lusts. See Poole “Isa 53:6“.
Every one for his gain, from his quarter; in their several places and stations, as they have opportunity. Heb. from his or their end or extremity, i.e. universally, or all from one end of that body or society of men unto the other; as the same word signifies, Gen 19:4; from one end of the city to the other; or, as we there render it,
from every quarter; and as the same word is by divers learned men rendered, 1Ki 12:31, out of the meanest of the people, but out of all the people, or indifferently out of every tribe; of which See Poole “1Ki 12:31“. But if that phrase be rightly rendered there, out of the meanest of the people, as divers also expound the same phrase, Gen 47:2, of the meanest of his brethren, why may it not as well be rendered here, even from the meanest or poorest of his flock? which is a great aggravation of their covetousness and cruelty, to extort gains from such as needed their charity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. greedyliterally, “strong”(that is, insatiable) in appetite (Eze 34:2;Eze 34:3; Mic 3:11).
cannot understandunableto comprehend the wants of the people, spiritually: so Isa56:10, “cannot bark.”
look to . . . own waythatis, their own selfish interests; not to the spiritual welfare of thepeople (Jer 6:13; Eze 22:27).
from his quarterrather,”from the highest to the lowest” [LOWTH].”From his quarter”; that is, from one end to the other ofthem, one and all (Ge 19:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yea, they [are] greedy dogs,…. Or “strong of soul” y; of great appetites, and are never satisfied: or “strong of body”; the soul is sometimes put for the body; large bodied, fat bellied men, such as the priests, monks, and friars, that live upon the fat of the land; gluttons, epicures, men of a canine appetite, like dogs,
which can never have enough; know not fulness z, or what it is to be filled to satisfaction, always craving more. Though some think this denotes their insatiable avarice, their greedy desire of money, not being satisfied with what they have, in order to support their voluptuous way of living.
And they are shepherds that cannot understand; or, “and they are”, or “are they shepherds?” these blind and ignorant watchmen; these dumb and greedy dogs; these pretend to be the shepherds of the flock, and to feed them?
yet they know not to understand a, or “know not understanding”; have no knowledge and understanding of divine things, and therefore unfit and incapable of feeding the people therewith:
they all look to their own way: to do that which is most pleasing to them, agreeable to their carnal lusts; they seek that which is most for their worldly profit and advantage, having no regard to the glory of God, the interest of Christ, and the welfare of the flock:
everyone for his gain from his quarter; from the province, city, or town he is in; from his archbishopric, bishopric, or parish; making the most of his benefice, of his tithes and revenues; increasing his salary as much as he can; getting as much as possible from all sorts of persons, rich and poor, high and low, that are under his jurisdiction; and this is the case of everyone, from the greatest to the least. The Targum is,
“everyone to spoil the substance of Israel;”
as the Pharisees devoured widows’ houses, Mt 23:14.
y “fortes animo”, Montanus; “fortes anima, [sub.] appetente”, Vatablus; “sunt valido appetitu”, Vitringa. z “nesciunt, vel non noverunt saturitatem”, Paguinus, Montanus, c, a “et iili pastores? non sciunt docere”, Cocceius “et illi cum pastores sunt, mulla pollent discernendi peritia”, Vitringa.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. And those dogs strong of appetite. The third vice which he remarks in wicked pastors is insatiable avarice. Though they are lazy in all that relates to good government, yet they have a strong and ravenous appetite for food. Some view the Prophet’s words as still more extensive, and as meaning that they rule tyrannically. Ezekiel expressly reproves them for this vice; for false prophets are commonly fierce, and act cruelly and barbarously towards the people of God. (Eze 34:4) But if any person examine the matter carefully, he will perceive that the Prophet speaks of their insatiable avarice, which he afterwards describes by a variety of expressions.
They look to their ways. That is, “They attend eagerly to their own affairs; every person consults his own advantage.” In short, he means that there is no man who does not wish to be preferred to others, as if every man had been born for himself.
Every one to his gain from his end. (101) מקצהו ( mikkatzehu) has received various expositions. Some render it, “In his end,” that is, “In his affairs;” as if the reading had been, בקצהו, ( bekatzehu) But this does not agree with the Prophet’s meaning. Others render it, “From the end of his avarice.” I think that a more simple interpretation is, “From his end,” that is, “On his part;“ or as we commonly say, ( Chacun en son endroict ,) “Every one in his place.” Thus every one is bent on avarice, and draws and appropriates everything to himself, and consults his own advantage, without attending to the duties of his office.
Hence we learn, that no man can serve God who is given up to wicked desires; and he who shall labor to amass wealth, will not apply his mind to build up the Church of the Lord. No kind of blindness can be more dangerous than avarice; and so much the more ought it to be avoided by pastors, if they wish to be faithful servants of God. When we see the Prophet complaining of the bad pastors of his time, let us not be alarmed if we meet with the same thing in the present day, and let us not look upon it as an unusual occurrence that so few are earnestly employed in the work of the Lord.
(101) “From his quarter.” (Eng. Ver.) “Heb. ‘this extremity,’ his quarter, be it ever so remote; that is, universally.” Stock. “Literally, ‘From his extremity.’ Jerome correctly renders it, ‘From first to last,’ that is, without any exception; and that is the meaning which the word bears in Gen 19:4; Eze 33:2.” Rosenmuller. “All to a man.” Doederlein.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) Shepherds that cannot understand . . .Better, and such are shepherds; they cannot understand. There is no confusion or change of metaphors. What is implied is that the prophets who are not fit to be watch-dogs of the flock, assume the office of its shepherds.
From his quarteri.e., in modern phrase, from his own sphere of influence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 56:11 Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Ver. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs that can never have enough. ] Heb., Strong of soul, or of appetite; they know not to be satisfied. Lac et luna, is that they look for; the “instruments of a foolish shepherd,” forcipes et mulctra, the shears and milk pail are in their hand; Zec 11:15 they eat the fruit and drink the milk; as Eze 25:4 yea, they eat the fat, and tear the claws in pieces. Zec 11:16 Albertus Magnus complained heavily of the covetousness of pastors in his time. Temporalia colliguntper se, spiritualia seminant per alios saith he on Mat 10:16 ; a they take little pains, but care not how much profit they make. He that made Fasciculus temporum, doth the like. Another modern writer fitly applieth that to them, which Oedipus in Sophocles saith of Tiresias the heathen prophet –
“
M , , ”
i.e., that he looked only to his gain, but was little seen in his profession. Such a one was Balaam; Jdg 1:11 such were those false prophets; Eze 13:2-3 the covetous Pharisees; Luk 16:14 the false apostles, Rom 16:18 called dogs; Php 3:2 such as had a greedy worm under their tongues, and could never be satisfied.
And they are shepherds that cannot understand.
They all look to their own way.
a Midas secundum Etymologiam Graecam caecus est. Midas, according to Greek mythology, was blind.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
greedy = strong of soul. Hebrew. nephesh (App-13) =
strong of appetite: i.e., as well rendered, “greedy”.
every one. Hebrew. ‘Ish. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
they are: 1Sa 2:12-17, 1Sa 2:29, Eze 13:19, Eze 34:2, Eze 34:3, Mic 3:5, Mic 3:11, Mal 1:10, Act 20:29, Act 20:33, Phi 3:2, Phi 3:19, 1Ti 3:3, 1Ti 3:8, Tit 1:7, Tit 1:11, 1Pe 5:2, 2Pe 2:3, 2Pe 2:14, 2Pe 2:15, Jud 1:11, Jud 1:16, Rev 22:15
greedy: Heb. strong of appetite
can never have enough: Heb. know not to be satisfied. Ecc 5:10
are shepherds: Mic 3:6, Zec 11:15-17, Mat 13:14, Mat 13:15, Joh 8:43, 2Co 4:4
all look: Exo 23:3, Jer 22:17, 2Pe 2:15, 2Pe 2:16
Reciprocal: Num 22:7 – rewards of divination Num 31:47 – kept the charge Deu 23:18 – dog Jdg 18:4 – hired me Jdg 18:20 – heart 1Sa 2:14 – all that the fleshhook 2Ki 8:13 – a dog Neh 6:12 – hired him Psa 59:15 – if Pro 30:15 – Give Isa 44:18 – cannot Isa 47:15 – thy merchants Isa 53:6 – his own Isa 57:17 – the iniquity Eze 22:12 – greedily Eze 22:25 – like Eze 33:6 – and blow Hos 4:8 – set their heart on their iniquity Hos 4:14 – therefore Amo 7:12 – eat Mat 7:15 – are Mat 21:27 – We cannot tell Mat 23:16 – ye blind Mat 26:15 – What Luk 16:14 – who Joh 10:6 – they understood not Joh 10:10 – thief Act 19:24 – brought Act 24:26 – hoped Rom 2:21 – dost thou steal Eph 4:19 – with Phi 2:21 – all 1Th 2:5 – a cloak 1Ti 6:5 – supposing 1Ti 6:10 – the love Jam 4:13 – and buy
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 56:11. Yea, they are greedy dogs Insatiably covetous: shepherds that cannot understand Hebrew, that know not to understand; that do not care, or love, or desire either to understand the word of God themselves, or to make the people understand it. They all look to their own way They regard neither Gods glory nor the peoples good, but only the satisfaction of their own base desires. Every one for his gain from his quarter In their several places and stations, as they have opportunity.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
These prophets and leaders of the people were greedy to satisfy their own desires and so were never satisfied. They had no understanding and so pursued their own personal agendas (cf. Isa 28:7-8; Isa 29:9-11).