*H Son of man, prophesy concerning the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to the shepherds: Thus saith the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, that fed themselves: should not the flocks be fed by the shepherds?
Ver. 2. Shepherds. That is, princes, magistrates, chief priests, and scribes. Ch. — Shepherds may lawfully take milk, (1 Cor. ix. 7.) but the sheep and its wool belong to the master. W. — Excellent instructions are here given for all in authority. C.
* Footnote * Jeremias 23 : 1
Woe to the pastors, that destroy and tear the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord.*H You ate the milk, and you clothed yourselves with the wool, and you killed that which was fat: but my flock you did not feed.
Ver. 3. Fat. Pastors often disguise the truth to flatter the rich, or the more just souls are ruined by their negligence.
*H The weak you have not strengthened, and that which was sick you have not healed, that which was broken you have not bound up, and that which was driven away you have not brought again, neither have you sought that which was lost: but you ruled over them with rigour, and with a high hand.
Ver. 4. Healed. God alone can restore to life. But pastors will not be excused by ignorance if they know not the maladies and the remedies of their flock. — Hand. This was blamed in the Pharisees, and is contrary to the spirit of the gospel. Mat. xxiii. 4. 1 Pet. v. 2.
*H And my sheep were scattered, because there was no shepherd and they became the prey of all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
Ver. 5. Field. The people being neglected, followed false prophets and idols. Their teachers were so far from striving to reclaim them, that they perhaps shewed them the example. C.
*H As I live, saith the Lord God, forasmuch as my flocks have been made a spoil, and my sheep are become a prey to all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd: for my shepherds did not seek after my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flocks:
Ver. 8. No shepherd. Pastors who seek only their temporal advantage, (1 Tim. vi. 5. Tit. i. 7. H.) are hirelings; and if they teach false doctrine, they are wolves. John x. W.
*H Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I myself come upon the shepherds, I will require my flock at their hand, and I will cause them to cease from feeding the flock any more, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more: and I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and it shall no more be meat for them.
Ver. 10. Cease. Both the leaders and the people were led into captivity.
*H As the shepherd visiteth his flock in the day when he shall be in the midst of his sheep that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep, and will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
Ver. 12. Day, in persecution. I will count my sheep, lest any be lost.
*H And I will bring them out from the peoples, and will gather them out of the countries, and will bring them to their own land: and I will feed them in the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the habitations of the land.
Ver. 13. Land. All this cannot be understood of the synagogue alone.
*H I will seek that which was lost: and that which was driven away, I will bring again: and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was weak, and that which was fat and strong I will preserve, and I will feed them in judgment.
Ver. 16. Preserve, (Sept. Syr.) which seems more natural than Heb. and Chal. "destroy." I will not eat them, like bad shepherds. v. 3. C. — God and those whom he sends, will take care of the flock. Eph. iv. W.
*H And as for you, O my flocks, thus saith the Lord God: Behold I judge between cattle and cattle, of rams and of he goats.
Ver. 17. Cattle. The crimes of the pastors do not excuse the flock. In it there are people of different dispositions. The rich often destroy, and these are brought to an account. v. 24. C.
*H 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.
Ver. 23. David; Christ, who is of the house of David. C. — That king had been dead long before, so that no Jew or heretic can deny but that the Messias is here meant, as C. xxxvii. 24. &c. W. — He possessed eminently all the virtues of David, and was of his seed. Zorobabel, &c. cannot be understood, as we have no proof that the governors after the captivity were chosen from the tribe of Juda. C. xxi. 27.
* Footnote * Isaias 40 : 11
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom, and he himself shall carry them that are with young.* Footnote * Osee 3 : 5
And after this the children of Israel shall return and shall seek the Lord, their God, and David, their king: and they shall fear the Lord, and his goodness, in the last days.* Footnote * John 1 : 45
Philip findeth Nathanael and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.* Footnote * John 10 : 11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.* Footnote * John 10 : 14
I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me.*H And I will make a covenant of peace with them, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they that dwell in the wilderness shall sleep secure in the forests.
Ver. 25. Peace. Christ pacifies all. Rom. xv. 33. Mic. v. 5. Eph. vi. 15. — Beasts: those who promote idolatry; or, speaking of Christians, who teach heretical doctrine and persecute the Church. C.
*H And I will make them a blessing round about my hill: and I will send down the rain in its season, there shall be showers of blessing.
Ver. 26. Make. Lit. "place." H. — Sept. read not a blessing, which seems superfluous. C. — Yet Chal. has it, and the idea is more complete. H.
*H And I will raise up for them a bud of renown: and they shall be no more consumed with famine in the land, neither shall they bear any more the reproach of the Gentiles.
Ver. 29. A bud of renown, (germen nominatum.) He speaks of Christ, our Lord, the illustrious bud of the house of David, renowned over all the earth. See Jer. xxxiii. 15. Ch. — Sept. Syr. "a plant of peace." Chal. "established." C.
*H And you my flocks, the flocks of my pasture are men: and I am the Lord your God, saith the Lord God.
Ver. 31. Men. What has been said of sheep (M.) relates to you. — Am the Lord. This is not in Heb. or Prot. H. — But it is found in one Heb. MS. and Sept. as this version is thus frequently confirmed. Kennicott, Dis. ii.