Chapter XXXIV
Ver. 1-31. Reproof of the False Shepiierd!3 ; Promise OF THE True and Good Shepuekd. Having in ch.
33. laid down repentance as the necessary preliminary to happier times for the people, he now promises tlie removal of the false shepherds as preparatory to the raising up of the Good Shepherd. 3. Jeremiah 23. 1, and Zechariah 11. 17, similarly make the removal of the false shepherds tlie preliiuinury to tlie interposition of Messiah the Good Sliepherd in belialf of His people Israel. The " siiepherds " are not prophets or priests, but rulers who sought in their government their own seltisli ends, not the good of the people ruled. The term was appropriate, as David the first king, and the type of the true Diivid {v. 'Zi, 24), was taken from being a shepherd (2 Samuel 5. 3; Psalm
^. . wastes of . . . Israel—marking the blindness of the fraction of Jews under Gedaliah who, thougli dwelling amidst regions laid waste by the foe, still cherished hopes of deliverance, and this without repentance. Abraham was one . . . bnt wc are many—If God gave the land for an inheritance to Abraham, who was but 07ie (Isaiah 51.
2), mucli more it is given to us, who, thougli reduced, are
still many. If he, with 318 servants, was able to defend himself amidst so many foes, much more shall we, so much more numerous, retain our own. The grant of the land was not for his sole use, but for his numerous pos-
terity. Inherited the land—not actually possessed it (Acts 7. 5), but had the right of dwelling and pasturing his tlocks in it. [Grotius.] The Jews boasted similarly of their Abrahamic descent in Matthew 3. 9 ; John 8. 30. 35. ttatwith the blood—in opposition to the law (Leviticus
78. 70, 71), and the office, like that of a shepherd for his flock, is to guard and provide for his people. The clioice of a iAcp/tej-d for the first king was tlierelore designed to suggest this thought, just as Jesus' selection of fishermen for apostles was designed to remind tiiem of tlieir spiritual office of catching men (cf. Isaiah 44. :;8; Jeremiah 2.
19. 2fi ; cf. Genesis 9. 4). They did so as an idolatrous rite. 30. Ye stand upon your gword—Your dependence is, not on riifhtand equity, but on force and arms, every one—scarcely any one refrains from adultery. 37. shall
8; 3. 15; 10. 21; 23. 1, 2). 3. fat—or, by dillcrtiitly pointing
tlie //e6?-ew, " milk." [LXX.] Thus tlie repetition "fat and " fed " is avoided : also the eating of " fat " would not probably be put before the "killing "of the sheep. The eating of slieep or goats' milk as food (Deuterouomy 32.
fall l>y the sword—the very object of their confldence
eiicfulii be the instrument of their destruction. Thinking to " stand " by it, by it they shall " fall." Just retribution ! Some fell l>y the sword of Ishmael; others by the Chaldeans in revenge for the murder of Gedaliah (Jeremiah
14 ; Proverbs 27. 27) was unobjectionable, had not these shepherds milked them too often, and tliat without duly "feeding" them. [Bochart.J (Isaiah 56. H). The rulers levied exorbitant tributes, kill . . . fed—kill the ricii by false accusation so as to get possession of tht ir property, feed not . . . flock—take no care of tlie people (John 10.
40. 44). caves—(Judges 6. 2; 1 Samuel 13.6.) In the hilly parts of Judea there were caves almost inaccessible, as having only crooked and extremely narrow paths of ascent, with rock in front stretching down into the vallej's beneath perpendicularly (JosEPHtJS, Jew. War, 1. IG. 4). .38. most desolate— (Jeremiah 4.27; 12.11.) none . . . pass through—from fear of wild beasts and pestilence. [Grotiu.s.J 30. Not only the remnant in Judea, but those at tlie Chebar, though less flagrantly, betrayed the same unbelieving spirit, talking against thee—though going to the prophet to hear the word of the Lord, they criticised, in an unfriendly/ spirit, his peculiarities of manner and his enigmatical style (ch. 20.49); making these the excuse for their impenitence. Their talking was not directly "against" Ezekiel, for they professed to like his ministrations; l>u! God's word speaks of things as they really are, not as they appear, by the walls—in the public haunts. In the East groups assemble under the walls of their houses in winter for conversation. In the doors— privately, what is the word—their motive was curiosity, Beeking pastime and gratification of the ear (2 Timothy 4.
12). 4. The'diseased—rather, those loeafc from the eltiicla of " disease," as "strengthened" (i.e., with due nourishment) requires. [Gbotius.] broken— i. e., fractures from wounds inflicted by the wolf, brouglit again . . . driven away—(Exodus 23. 4.) Those " driven away " by tlieeuemy into foreign lands through God's judgments are meant (Jeremiah 23. 3). A spiritual reformation of the stale by the rulers would have turned away God's wrath, and "brought again " the exiles. The rulers are censured as chiefiy guilty (though the people, too, were guilty}, because they, who ought to have been foremost in cliecking the evil, promoted it. neither . . . gouglit . . . lost—contrast the Good Shepherd's love (Luke 15. 4). with force. . . ruled —(Exodus 1. 13, 14.) With an Egyptian bondage. The very thing forbidden by the law they did (Leviticus 25. 43 ; cf. 1 Peter 5. 3). 5. scattered, because . . . no sliepherd—i. e., none worthy of the name, though there were some called shepherds (1 Kings 22. 17; Mattliew 9. 36), Cf. Matthew 26. 31, where the sheep were scattered on the true Shepherd being smitten. God calls them "my sheep;" for they were not, as the shepherds treated them, their patrimony whereby to "feed themselves." meat to all . . . beasts— they became a prey to the Syrians, Ammon, Moab, and Assyria. 6. every high hill—the scene of their idolatries sanctioned by the rulers, search . . . seek—rather, seek . . . search. Tlie former Is the part of the superior rulers lo inquire after : to search out is the duty of the subordinate rulers. [Junius.] 10. 1 will require my flock—(Hebrews 13. 17), rather, "7 require," Ac, for God already had begun to do so, punishing Zedekiah and the other princes severely (Jeremiah 52. 10). I
8); not reformation of the heart. Cf. Johanan's consultation of Jeremiah, to hear the word of the Lord without desiring to do it (Jeremiah 42.43). 31. as the people cometli—I.e., in crowds, as disciples flock to their teacher, sit before tliee—on lower seats at thy feet, according to the Jewi.sh custom of pupils (Deuteronomy as. 3; 2 Kings 4. 88; Luke 10. .39; Acts 22.3). as my people—though they are not. hear . . . not do—(Matthew 13. 20, 21 ; James 1. 23, 24). they show much love— make loves, i. e., act the part of lovers. Profess love to the Lord (JIattliew7.
21). Gesenius translates, according to Arabic idiom, "They do the delights of God," i. e., all that is agreeable to God. Vulgate translates, "They turn thy words into a •ongof t heir mouths." heart goeth after . . . covetonsthe grand rival to the love 01 God ; therefore called
. . . will . . . search — doing that which the so-calloo 607
T7ie Kingdom of Christ. EZEKIEL XXXV. GocPs Judgment on Edom.
typically and partially represented (Acts 13. .36); so He is the fittest person to wield the world-sceptre, abused by all the world-kings (Daniel 2. 34, 35, 44, 45). 25. covenant of peace . . . evil beasts ... to cease . . , dwell safely The original promise of the law (Leviticus 26. 6) shall be realized for the first time fully under Messiah (Isaiah 11. 6-9 ; 35. 9 ; Hosea 2. 18). 26. them and the places round about my hlU—the Jews, and Zion, God's hill (I'sulm 2. 6), are to be sources of blessing, not merely to themselves, but to the surrounding heathen (Isaiah 19. 24; 56. 6, 7; 60. 3; MicahS. 7; Zechariah 8. 13). Tlie literal fulfilment is, however, the primary one, though the spiritual also is designed. In correspondence with the settled reign of righteousness internally, all is to be prosperity externally, fertilizing showers (according to the promise of the ancient covenant, Leviticus 26. 4; Psalm 68. 9 ; Malachi 3.
shepherds had failed to do, I being the rightful owner of the flock. \i. in t!ie day tliat he is among in the midst
of (Hebrew) his sheep that had been scattered. Referring to Messiah's second advent, when He shall be " the glory in the midst of Israel" (Zechariah 2. 5). In the cloitdy . . . day—the day of the nation's calamity (Joel 2. 2). 13. (Ch.
28. 25; 36. 24; i7. 21, 22; Isaiah 65. 9, 10; Jeremiah 23. 3.) 14. good pasture—(Psalm 23. 2.) high mountains of Israel —In chs. 17. 23 ; 20. 40, the phrase is " the mountain of the height of Israel" in ihe singular number. The reason of the difference is, there Ezekiel spoke of the central seat of the kingdom, where the people met for the worship of Jehovah, Mount Zion; here, he speaks of the kingdom of Israel at large, all the parts of which are regarded as possessing a moral elevation. 16. In contrast to the unfaith-
ful shepherds (v. 4). The several duties neglected by them I will faithfully discharge, fat . . . strong—i. e., those rendered wanton by prosperity (Deuteronomy 32. 15; Jeremiah 5. 28), who use their strength to oppress the weak. Cf. v. 20, " the fat cattle" (Isaiah 10. 16). The image
10), and productive trees and lands (v. 27). Thus shall they realize the image of v. 14, viz., a flock richly pastured by God Himself. 27. served themselves of tlicm—availed themselves of their services, as if the Jews were their slaves (Jeremiah 22.13; 25.14; cf. Genesis 15. 13; Exodus
is from fat cattle that wax refractory, with judgment
i, e., justice and equity, as contrasted with the "force" and
1. 14). 28. dwell safely— (Jeremiah 23. 6.) 29. plant of renown—Messiah, the "Rod" and " Branch" (I.saiah 11.
"cruelty" with which the unfaithful shepherds ruled the flock (v. i). 17. you . . . my flock— passing from the rulers to the people, cattle and cattle—rather, sheep and sheep; Margin, small cattle, or flocks of lambs and kids, i. e.,
1), the " righteous Branch" (Jeremiah 23. 5), who shall obtain for them " renown." FairbairnIcss probably frani-
lates, " A plantation for a name," i. e., a flourishing condition, represented as a garden (alluding to Eden, Genesis
I judge between one class of citizens and another, so as to award what is right to each. He then defines the class about to be punitively "judged," viz., "the rams and hegoats," or great he-goats (cf. Isaiah 14. 9, Margin ; Zechariah
2. 8-11, with its various trees, good for food and pleasant to the sight), the planting of the Lord (Isaiah 60. 21 ; 61. 3), and an object of "renown" among the heathen. 31. ye my flock . . . are men—not merely an explanation of the image, as Jerome represents, but as God had promised many things which mere "men" could not expect to realize. He shows that it is not from man's might their realization is to be looked for, but from God, who would perform them for His covenant-people, "His flock." [RosENMULLER.] When we realize most our weakness, and God's power and faithfulness to His covenant, we are in the flttest state for receiving His blessings. *
10.3; Matthew 25. .32, 33). They answer to "the fat and strong," as opposed to the "sick" (u. 16). The rich and ungodly of tlie people afe meant, who Imitated the bad rulers in oppressing their poorer brethren, as if it enhanced their own joys to trample on others' rights {v. 18). 18, 19. Not content with appropriating to their own use the goods of others, they from mere wantonness spoiled what they did not use, so as to be of no use to the owners, deep waters i. e., limpid, as deep waters are generally
clear. Grotius explains the image as referring to the usuries witli whicli the rich ground the poor (ch. 22. 12; Isaiah 24.2). they eat—scantily, they drink -sorrow-