1Herren sagde til mig:2„Du menneske, profetér imod Israels ledere, som burde være hyrder for hjorden.[1] Sig til dem: Ve jer, I hyrder, I er dømt, for I tænker kun på jer selv, ikke på fårene. Er det ikke hyrders opgave at sørge for, at fårene har det godt? (Jer 23,1)3Men I spiser selv fedtet[2] og bruger ulden til at klæde jer i. I slagter de fedeste dyr. I er ikke hyrder for fårene.4I har hverken forbundet de sårede, taget jer af de syge, hjulpet de svage eller ledt efter dem, der var faret vild. I har i stedet behandlet dem hårdt og grusomt.5Fordi mit folk ikke havde gode hyrder, blev de forvirrede og fór vild, et let bytte for de vilde dyr.6Mine får vandrede fortabte rundt i bjergene og spredtes ud over hele jorden, men ingen gik ud for at søge efter dem og tage sig af dem.7I hyrder, hør nu Herrens ord:8I forsømte min hjord og beskyttede den ikke mod angreb fra vilde dyr. I er uegnede som hyrder, for I søgte ikke efter de får, der fór vild. I tænkte kun på jer selv, ikke på fårene.9-10Derfor straffer jeg jer. Så sandt jeg lever, siger Herren, skal I hyrder kræves til regnskab for, hvad der er sket med min hjord. Jeg tillader jer ikke længere at vogte mine får, for I tænker kun på jer selv. Jeg river mine får ud af kløerne på jer. I får ikke lov at udnytte dem længere.
Genoprettelsen og den gode hyrde
11Herren siger: Jeg vil selv opsøge mine får og tage mig af dem.12Som en hyrde leder efter de fortabte får, vil jeg opsøge mit folk på de steder, de blev fordrevet til, da ulykken ramte dem.13Jeg samler dem sammen fra de fremmede folk og nationer, hvor de er i landflygtighed, og fører dem hjem til deres eget land. De skal få lov at græsse på Israels højdedrag og langs floderne, hvor jorden er frugtbar og god.14Jeg leder dem til de bedste og mest frodige græsgange.15Jeg overtager ansvaret for mine får og sikrer mig, at de hviler trygt, siger Herren.16Jeg opsøger de fortabte og forkomne får og sørger for, at de kommer sikkert hjem igen. Jeg forbinder de sårede og helbreder de syge. Men de selvsikre og egoistiske vil få deres velfortjente straf.17Jeg vil sætte skel mellem de gode og de onde, som man skiller fårene fra gederne, siger Herren.18Nogle af jer spiser det grønneste græs og tramper derefter resten af græsset ned. I drikker det bedste vand og mudrer derefter resten af vandet med jeres fødder.19Det er ikke fair, at mine andre får skal nøjes med nedtrampet græs og mudret vand.20Derfor vil jeg, Herren, adskille de egoistiske fra de ydmyge.21I, der er stærke og egoistiske, skubber de svage til side og bruger jeres horn til at jage dem væk.22Men jeg griber ind og redder dem. De skal ikke længere behandles på den måde. Derfor sætter jeg skel mellem de gode og de onde.23Jeg vil give dem en ny og god hyrde, der er som min tjener David. Han skal tage sig af dem og være deres hyrde.24Da vil jeg, Herren, være deres Gud, og de får en ny leder, der er som min tjener David. Jeg, Herren, har talt.
En ny pagt med fred
25Jeg slutter en fredspagt med dem og fordriver de vilde dyr fra landet, så mit folk kan bo der uden frygt og sove trygt i skoven.26Jeg velsigner dem og giver dem lov at bo tæt ved mit hellige bjerg. Den velsignede regn skal falde til rette tid.27Frugttræer og marker skal give en rigelig høst, og der skal være fred i landet. Når jeg har brudt deres slavelænker og befriet dem fra deres tyranner, vil de indse, at jeg er Herren.28De skal ikke længere være et let bytte for fremmede nationer. De vilde dyr får ikke lov at fortære dem. De skal bo sikkert og trygt uden at frygte andres trusler.29Landet skal blive kendt for de frodige planter, jeg lader vokse der, og mit folk skal ikke længere sulte eller være skydeskive for nationernes hån.30Så vil de erkende, at jeg er Herren, deres Gud, og at de er mit folk, Israel, siger Herren.31I er min hjord, som græsser på mine græsgange, siger Gud Herren. I er mit folk, og jeg er jeres Gud.”
1The word of the Lord came to me: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? (Jer 23,1; Ez 2,1; Ez 34,8; Ez 34,10; 2.Kor 12,14; Judas 1,12)3You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. (Mika 3,2; Zak 11,4; Zak 11,16)4The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. (2.Mos 1,13; Ez 34,3; Ez 34,16; Ez 34,21; Matt 18,12; Luk 15,4; 1.Pet 5,3)5So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; (1.Kong 22,17; Jer 50,7; Jer 50,17; Matt 9,36)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. (Ez 34,11)7“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:8As 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, (Ez 16,48; Ez 34,22)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. (Ez 3,18; Ez 13,8; Ez 13,21; Ez 34,2; Ez 34,8; Zak 11,8; Heb 13,17)
The Lord God Will Seek Them Out
11“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. (Mika 4,6; Luk 19,10; Joh 10,11)12As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. (Ez 30,3; Joel 2,2; Zef 1,15)13And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. (Ez 6,2; Ez 11,17)14I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. (Salm 23,2; Es 32,18; Jer 33,12; Joh 10,9)15I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. (Es 40,11; Ez 34,14; Ez 34,23)16I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.[1] I will feed them in justice. (Es 10,16; Ez 34,4; Ez 34,20; Amos 4,1; Mika 4,6)17“As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. (Ez 20,38; Ez 34,20; Ez 34,22; Zak 10,3; Matt 25,32)18Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? (Ez 32,14)19And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?20“Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.21Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, (5.Mos 33,17; Ez 34,4; Dan 8,4)22I will rescue[2] my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. (Ez 34,8)23And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. (2.Sam 5,2; Salm 78,71; Jer 23,4; Ez 34,15; Ez 37,22; Ez 37,24; Mika 5,4; Mika 7,14; Joh 10,11; Joh 10,16)24And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken. (2.Mos 29,45; 3.Mos 26,12; Ez 17,24; Ez 37,27)
The Lord’s Covenant of Peace
25“I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. (3.Mos 26,6; Es 11,6; Es 35,9; Es 54,10; Ez 37,26; Ez 38,8; Ez 38,14; Ez 39,26; Hos 2,18)26And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. (1.Mos 12,2; 3.Mos 26,4; Es 19,24; Ez 22,24; Zak 8,13; Mal 3,10)27And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. (3.Mos 26,4; Jer 30,8; Ez 6,7; Ez 34,25; Ez 36,30)28They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. (Ez 34,22; Ez 34,25)29And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. (Es 60,21; Es 61,3; Ez 32,24; Ez 36,29)30And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. (Ez 34,24)31And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.” (Salm 74,1; Salm 100,3; Joh 10,16)