Ezekiel 34:2 nasb — "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "W…

NASB

""Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?"

— Ezekiel 34:2, NASB

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Ezekiel 34:2 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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?”

  • ASV

    “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, even to the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the sheep? ”

  • WEB

    “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?”

  • NET

    ““Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them– to the shepherds:‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not shepherds feed the flock?”

  • DRB

    “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?”

  • BBE

    “Son of man, be a prophet against the keepers of the flock of Israel, and say to them, O keepers of the sheep! this is the word of the Lord: A curse is on the keepers of the flock of Israel who take the food for themselves! is it not right for the keepers to give the food to the sheep?”

  • KJVA

    “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?”

Ezekiel 34 — Context

1

Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,

2

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?

3

"You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.

4

"Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.

5

"They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.

Ezekiel 34:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ezekiel 34:2 say?
Ezekiel 34:2 in the NASB reads: “"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?”
Where is Ezekiel 34:2 in the Bible?
Ezekiel 34:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 34, verse 2.
Who wrote Ezekiel?
Ezekiel is traditionally attributed to Ezekiel the priest. It was written c. 593–571 BC.
What is the book of Ezekiel about?
Ezekiel ministers among the exiles in Babylon with vivid visions, sign-acts, and oracles. He sees God's glory depart from a defiled temple, then promises dry bones brought to life, a new heart, and a restored temple — pictures of resurrection and the new covenant fulfilled in Christ.
What are the major themes of Ezekiel?
Ezekiel explores themes including Glory of God, Judgment, New Heart, Resurrection, New Temple. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ezekiel 34:2.
What translation should I read Ezekiel 34:2 in?
Ezekiel 34:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ezekiel 34:2?
Ezekiel 34:2 reads (NASB): “"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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