2<\/strong>. the shepherds<\/em> ] i.e. the rulers. The term is chiefly used in later writings (Jer 2:8<\/span>; Jer 3:15<\/span>); it occurs, however, in Zechariah 9-11, the date of which is disputed. On Zedekiah cf. ch. 17, and on his immediate predecessors, Jer 22:10-30<\/span>. In general, Jeremiah 23<\/span>, Jer 25:32<\/span> seq<\/em>.<\/p>\n unto the shepherds<\/em> ] Possibly this is a marginal heading which has crept into the text, cf. Jer 23:9<\/span>, and the reading may be, thus saith the Lord God, Woe be to<\/em> For flocks, flock.<\/p>\n Shepherds – <\/B>Not priests or prophets, but rulers and kings (see the Jer 2:8<\/span> note). The most ancient title for ruler is a monogram which occurs on the oldest monuments discovered in the cuneiform character. In the Assyrian language it became riu (compare Hebrew <\/span> raah<\/I> =shepherd). In the traditions of Berosus we find that Alorus, the first king in the world, received from the Divinity the title of Shepherd. The title, as well as the monogram, was preserved to the latest times of the Assyrian monarchy. While the distress and misery of the people daily in creased, the last kings of Judah exacted more and more from their subjects and lavished more and more on personal luxury and show.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 2<\/span>. Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel<\/B><\/I>] The shepherds<\/I> include, first, the priests<\/I> and Levites<\/I>; secondly, the kings,<\/I> princes<\/I>, and magistrates<\/I>. The flock<\/I> means the whole of the people<\/I>. The fat<\/I> and the wool<\/I>, the tithes<\/I> and offerings<\/I>, the taxes<\/I> and imposts<\/I>. The reprehensible feeding<\/I> and clothing<\/I> with these, as to the priests and Levites, the using these tithes<\/I> and offerings<\/I>, not to enable them the better to fulfil the work of the ministry<\/I>, but to pamper their own bodies, and support them in an idle voluptuous life; and in reference to the state<\/I>, the employing the taxes<\/I> and imposts<\/I>, not for the support and administration of justice<\/I> and good government<\/I>, but to subsidize heathen powers, and maintain their own luxury and idolatrous prodigality.<\/P> <\/p>\n The shepherds; <\/B>the rulers of the people, both political, as kings, magicians, and princes, and also ecclesiastical, priests and prophets. <\/P> Israel; <\/B>the two tribes, and the few that out of the ten did adhere to the house of David. <\/P> Prophesy; <\/B>the command is repeated to encourage and engage the prophet to his work. <\/P> Thus saith the Lord God:<\/B> Ezekiel speaks, but these rulers must know it is God that speaks by him. <\/P> Woe be to the shepherds!<\/B> they have been principal causes of many sins, and exemplary actors in other sins, for which many woes were threatened; many already are come, and the rest will come, in which woes these rulers shall have more than ordinary share. <\/P> Feed themselves; <\/B>contrive their own ease, advantage, honour, and ambitious projects. Let the consciences of these rulers, ecclesiastical and political, speak, ought they not, as shepherds, to take care of the sheep committed to their care? <\/P> The flocks; <\/B>the sheep, both whole flocks and the single sheep, whole societies and particular members of them. <\/P> <\/p>\n 2.<\/B> Jer 23:1<\/span>;Zec 11:17<\/span> similarly make theremoval of the false shepherds the preliminary to the interpositionof Messiah the Good Shepherd in behalf of His people Israel. The”shepherds” are not prophets or priests, but rulers<\/I>who sought in their government their own selfish ends, not the goodof the people ruled. The term was appropriate, as David, the firstking and the type of the true David (Eze 34:23<\/span>;Eze 34:24<\/span>), was taken from beinga shepherd (2Sa 5:2<\/span>; Psa 78:70<\/span>;Psa 78:71<\/span>); and the office, likethat of a shepherd for his flock, is to guard and provide for hispeople. The choice of a shepherd<\/I> for the first king wastherefore designed to suggest this thought, just as Jesus’ selectionof fishermen<\/I> for apostles was designed to remind them of theirspiritual office of catching men (compare Isa 44:28<\/span>;Jer 2:8<\/span>; Jer 3:15<\/span>;Jer 10:21<\/span>; Jer 23:1<\/span>;Jer 23:2<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel<\/strong>,…. Or, “concerning” p them; the governors of them, as the Targum and Jarchi; their political governors, their kings, princes, and civil magistrates of every order and degree; so Kimchi interprets it of kings; and it was common with the eastern nations, and with the Greeks, to call kings shepherds; and one and the same word; in the Greek language, signifies to feed sheep, and to govern people; see Ps 78:72<\/span>, also their ecclesiastical governors are intended, prophets, priests, Levites, scribes, and Pharisees; these were bad shepherds, or they would not have been prophesied against; and though they were shepherds of Israel, this must be done:<\/p>\n prophesy, and say unto them, thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds<\/strong>: that the message to them might be the more regarded, it is ordered to be delivered in the name of the Lord; otherwise they would have been apt to have despised it, and charged the prophet with impertinence and rudeness:<\/p>\n woe be to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves<\/strong>! that is, themselves only, and not the flock: had they fed the flock, as well as themselves, they would not have been blamed; but they took no care of the people over whom they were set only minded their own affairs, to get riches and honour, but neglected the good of the people, yea, cruelly oppressed them:<\/p>\n should not the shepherds feed the flocks<\/strong>? undoubtedly they should; it is their duty, the business of their office, so to do; kings to rule over their subjects, defend their persons and property, and secure their privileges and liberties to them; and ecclesiastical rulers, ministers of the word, should feed the flock or church of God committed to them with knowledge and understanding; see Jer 3:15<\/span>.<\/p>\n p “de pastoribus”, V. L. Grotius; “super pastores”, Pagninus, Montanus.<\/p>\n (2) Shepherds of Israel.<\/strong>This is a common Scriptural expression for rulers, and the whole context shows that these are the persons here intended. In the passage in Jeremiah 23<\/span> they are treated under this name separately from the prophets and priests, and also in Jer. 2:8<\/span> they are distinguished from prophets and priests. The name itself is a peculiarly appropriate one, and seems to have been in use throughout the East, but especially in Israel, from the time when David was taken from the care of the flocks to feed the Lords people. (Comp. 2Sa. 5:2<\/span>; Psa. 78:70-71<\/span>.)<\/p>\n That do feed themselves.<\/strong>This selfishness is characteristic of the unfaithful shepherd (comp. Joh. 10:1-17<\/span>), and is enlarged upon in Eze. 34:3-4<\/span>. The history shows that for a long time it had been eminently true of the rulers, and especially of the kings of Israel.<\/p>\n Eze 34:2<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Against the shepherds of Israel<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> Hereby are meant the priests, the Levites, and teachers of the law; the kings, princes, magistrates, and judges; the prophet gives them here excellent instructions; shewing them, under the parable of the shepherds, <\/em>what was their duty, and wherein they had fallen short. The metaphorical expressions are all plain, and easily applicable to the shepherds of the people above-mentioned. <\/p>\n Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?<\/p>\n Ver. 2. Prophesy against the shepherds.<\/strong> ] Good shepherds they should have been, but they were naught, Jer 23:1-4 and naught would come of them, for their maladministration. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Woe be to the shepherds of Israel.<\/strong> ] Both to princes and priests, by whose evil government the people were so bad, as in the former chapter is fully set forth. Qualis rex, talis grex; <\/em> the sheep will follow the shepherd; the common people are like a flock of cranes – as the first fly, all follow. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?<\/strong> ] Such flocks especially as have golden fleeces, precious souls. Oh feed, feed, feed, saith our Saviour to Peter! Joh 21:15 feed them for my sake, as the Syriac there hath it, rule them well, teach them well, go before them in good example, do all the offices of a faithful shepherd to them, and be instant, or stand close to the work; 2Ti 4:2 Dominus prope,<\/em> the Arch-shepherd is at hand.<\/p>\n Son of man. See note on Eze 2:1. <\/p>\n shepherds = rulers. <\/p>\n the Lord GOD. Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Eze 2:4. <\/p>\n the shepherds: The shepherds of Israel, signify their kings and princes, priests and prophets; the flock, the whole of the people; the fat and wool, the tithes and offerings, taxes and imposts: these they exacted with great rigour, and even oppressed and destroyed the people to enrich themselves; but they bestowed no pains to provide for the welfare of the state, or for the souls of those entrusted to them. They knew nothing about their flock: it might be diseased, infirm, bruised, maimed, strayed, or lost, for they watched not over them. Eze 33:24, Jer 2:8, Jer 3:15, Jer 10:21, Jer 12:10, Joh 10:1, Joh 10:2, Joh 10:12 <\/p>\n Woe: Eze 34:8-10, Eze 13:19, Jer 23:1, Mic 3:1-3, Mic 3:11, Mic 3:12, Zep 3:3, Zep 3:4, Zec 11:17, Mat 24:48-51, Luk 12:42-46, Luk 20:46, Luk 20:47, Rom 16:18, 2Pe 2:3 <\/p>\n feed: 2Sa 5:2, Psa 78:71, Psa 78:72, Isa 40:11, Joh 21:15-17, Act 20:26, Act 20:29, 1Pe 5:2-4 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 31:38 – the rams 1Sa 2:29 – make 2Sa 7:7 – feed 2Sa 24:17 – these sheep 1Ch 17:6 – feed Isa 56:11 – they are Jer 22:22 – thy pastors Eze 13:3 – Woe Eze 34:10 – neither shall Eze 34:18 – to have Zec 10:3 – anger Zec 11:5 – possessors Zec 11:16 – which Mat 24:45 – to give Luk 10:2 – are Joh 10:8 – came Joh 10:10 – thief<\/p>\n Eze 34:2. Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel The word shepherd, in the prophetical writings, comprehends both civil and ecclesiastical governors. See notes on Isa 56:11; Jer 2:8. Other writers also use the same expression; princes being called shepherds of their people, as well as those who have the immediate care of their souls: see Psa 78:71-72. Thus Homer calls Agamemnon, , the shepherd of the people. And as the threatenings here denounced extend to all sorts of governors, so the several sins of the princes, priests, and prophets are reproved, Eze 22:25, &c. Wo to the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves That regard their own profit and advantage, not the good of the people committed to their charge. The beauty of the original, , may be expressed in Latin or Greek, though not in English: pastoribus qui pascunt semet ipsos: . Plato, in the first book of his Commonwealth, describing the office of a magistrate, saith, He should look upon himself as sustaining the office of a shepherd, that makes it his chief business to take care of his flock; not as if he were going to a feast to fill himself and satiate his appetite, or to a market to make what gain he can to himself. Eusebius, in his twelfth book De Preparatione Evangelica, chap. 44., hath transcribed the whole passage, as an exact parallel to this place of Ezekiel. See Lowth.<\/p>\n 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD to the shepherds; Woe [be] to the {a} shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?<\/p>\n (a) By the shepherds he means the king, the magistrates, priests and prophets.<\/p>\n Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 2. the shepherds ] i.e. the rulers. The term is chiefly used in later writings … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 34:2”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21326\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"