Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 34 · Verses 1-6
Verſ. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
And the Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying,
Son of man, propheſie againſt the ſhepherds of Iſrael, propheſie and ſay unto them, Thus ſaith the Lord God unto the Shepherds, Wo be to the Shepherds of Iſrael, that do feed themſelves: ſhould not the Shepherds feed the flock?
Ye eat the fat, and ye cloath you with the Wool, ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not the flock.
The diſeaſed have ye not ſtrengthned, neither have ye healed that which was ſick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye ſought that which was loſt; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
And they were ſcattered becauſe there is no Shepherd: and they became meat to all the beaſts of the field, when they were ſcattered.
My ſheep wandred through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was ſcattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did ſearch or ſeek after them.
EZekiel having reproved and threatned the judgements of God againſt the people for their ſins, he comes in this Chapter to deal with the Governours and Rulers of them, through whoſe default they became ſo wicked, and ſuffered the Babyloniſh yoke. In this Chapter are theſe things conſiderable.
1. A reproof of the Shepherds, and judgement threatned againſt them, in the firſt 10 verſes.
2. Gods care of, and comfortable proviſion for his flock, from the 10. verſ. to the 23.
3. A ſweet Propheſie of Chriſt and his Kingdom, under the figure of David, from the 23. verſ. to the end.
Verſ. 1. The Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying.
Theſe words we have often had; by them the Prophet declares himſelf to be a true Prophet: falſe ones ſpake of their own heads, they had no word from God, they deluded the people with lying words; but Ezekiel had a word from God, and that word he commended to the people.
Verſ. 2. Propheſie againſt the Shepherds of Iſrael.
The Shepherds of Iſrael were the chief Rulers, both Political and Eccleſiaſtical, Princes, Magiſtrates, Prophets, Prieſts, and Levites. Iſa. 44.28. Cyrus is call'd a Shepherd; & Zech: 11.17. thoſe in the Church are call'd Shepherds, Jer: 25.34. Howl ye Shepherds and cry, wallow your ſelves in aſhes ye principal of the flock; that is, as the flock is conſidered Politically and Eccleſiaſtically, ye are the Shepherds, the principal thereof; howl ye, &c. They are call'd Shepherds becauſe they are to govern, protect, provide for, and to feed them.
Wo be to the Shepherds of Iſrael.
Herein generall judgement is threatned againſt theſe Shepherds, Wo be to them. This word is a Comprehenſive word, and includes variety of evils in it, not ſome one, but divers ſad judgements ſhould come upon them. The word for Shepherds is foreign Rohe, from foreign Rahah to feed, and metaphorically to govern, teach, and ſo to feed men.
That do feed themſelves, ſhoold not the Shepherds feed the flock?
Here was their ſin, they fed themſelves, not the flock; thoſe are Shepherds in State or Church, are ſet up for the good of the people, to benefit and advantage them, not to ſeek themſelves, to draw from the people what they can to make themſelves great; they ſhould be content with their allowance, and lay out themſelves fully and wholly for the good of them that are committed to their truſt. This interrogation, Should not the Shepherds feed the flock? Sets out the hainouſneſs of their ſin, and the indignation of God againſt it; What you Shepherds, and not feed the flock? you pervert the courſe of nature, and violate the order which God hath ſet, and that is intollerable, he will viſit ſeverely for it.
The word for Flock, is Tzon, which ſignifies a multitude of Sheep or Goats. The Septuagint render it foreign, Sheep, and in a metaphoricall ſenſe its put for the people, Zech: 9.16. Micah 7.14. People are reſembled unto Sheep.
Firſt, Sheep are fooliſh, ſilly creatures, not like Foxes, Lyons, Lybards, which are ſubtle and crafty; ſo are people for the generality of them. Jerem: 5.21. Hear now this, O fooliſh people, and without underſtanding, which have eyes and ſee not, which have ears and hear not. They had no ears to hearken unto the word of God, no eyes to ſee the hand of God, no underſtanding to diſcern the mind and dealings of God; ſo Deut: 32.28. They are a Nation void of counſell, neither is there any underſtanding in them; they act like fooliſh ſilly people that know nothing of God.
Secondly, Sheep are apt to go aſtray, 1 Sam: 1.7.20. David left the Sheep with a Keeper; he knew they would wander, had they not a Keeper: ſo people are apt to ſtray from that that is juſt and equall, to turn aſide from the wayes of God. Iſa: 53.6. All we like Sheep are gone aſtray; & Jerem: 2.13. My people have forſaken me the fountain of living waters; that is, They have forſaken me their Shepherd, who provided all good things for them.
Thirdly, When one Sheep goes out of the way, many follow, run after that one; ſo it is with the multitude. 2 Sam: 20.1, 2. One Sheba the ſon of Bichri, a Benjamite, blew a Trumpet, ſaying, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the ſon of Jeſſe; every man to his Tents O Iſrael. So every man of Iſrael went up from after David, and followed Sheba the ſon of Bichri. Here was a Ram led all Iſrael into rebellion. So Theudas ſtept out of the way, and preſently 400 others joyn'd themſelves unto him; And Judas of Galilee drew much people after him, Acts 5.36, 37.
Omnino ſeſe praebent proedam hominibus & beſtiu.Fourthly, Sheep are expoſed to much danger, they are a prey to Dogs, Lyons, Wolves, Foxes, Bears, and ſuch wilde Beaſts; ſo are the people expoſed to ſpoyl, and to be prey'd upon by the great Ones: Zeph: 3.3. Jeruſalems Princes within her are roaring Lyons, her Judges are evening Wolves; they prey'd upon the poor people: Jerem: 50.17. Iſrael is a ſcattered Sheep, the Lyons have driven him away: firſt the King of Aſſyria hath devoured him, and laſt this Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon hath broken his bones.
Fifthly, They are ſubject to many diſeaſes, and apt to infect one another. Its obſerved that of all creatures a man, an Horſe, and a Sheep are ſubject unto moſt diſeaſes, and quickly doth one Sheep communicate his infection unto another; ſo people are ſubject to many diſtempers, ſeditions, inſurrections, rebellions, errors, hereſies, ſuperſtition, idolatry, and what not? Ezek: 2.3. The children of Iſrael are a rebellious Nation; Jer: 6.28. They are all grievous revolters, they walk with ſlanders; they are braſſe and iron, they are all corrupters; one infected another. Jer: 5.23. This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart: The diſeaſe was come to their hearts. Iſa. 1.4. Ah ſinfull Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a ſeed of evill-doers, children that are corrupters; They corrupted one another with evill opinions and practices.
Verſ. 3. Ye eat the fat, ye cloath you with the Wool.
The Septuagint, Vulgar, and French have it, Ye eat the milk: The Hebrew word is Chelef, which ſignifies fat, becauſe its made of Milkine fatneſs; what they feed upon hath a fatty milkineſs in it which turns to fat. The word for Milk is Chalof, and that for fat Chalef, which alſo notes the principal of every thing. By theſe expreſſions of eating the fat, and cloathing themſelves with the Wool, the Prophet taxeth the covetouſneſs of the Princes, Prieſts, and falſe Prophets, who pretended the publique good, but were intent upon their own profit and pleaſure; they were not content with what ſtipends were allowed them, but deviſed wayes and means to draw the wealth of the people into their own Coffers, which is here call'd the fat and the wool. The word for wool is Tzemer, which notes all ſorts of wool, even Cotten wool which grows upon Trees; Had they any wool upon their backs (as our Proverb is) theſe Governours would fleece them of it.
Ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock.
The Hebrew for the firſt words is ye Sacrifice the thick; Haberiah is from Bara, to create, and foreign Bari, is far, fleſh, becauſe a Sheep becomes fat and fleſhy by a kind of creation, there is the power of God put forth in it; and when men grow wealthy it is by the power of God; Deut: 8.17, 18. Its not mens power, and the might of their hands, that gives them their wealth, but it is the Lord gives power to get wealth. The falſe Prophets kill'd their ſouls with lyes, with corrupt doctrines; and the Magiſtrates found out wayes to cut off them, were rich for their eſtates: thus they ſought themſelves, but fed not the flock. The Princes and Rulers did not maintain juſtice, preſerve the innocent, relieve the oppreſſed, nor the Prieſts and Prophets teach them ſound and wholeſome doctrine.
Verſ. 4. The diſeaſed have ye not ſtrengthned.
Here be five particulars in this verſe, concerning the Sheep which the Shepherds ſhould have minded, but neglecting them all are ſeverely taxed for them. The firſt is, they were diſeaſed; Sheep are liable to various diſeaſes, faintings, weakneſſes. Montanus renders the word Hannocheloth, languentes, thoſe languiſh and are feeble; thoſe languiſhed in their eſtates or ſpirits, were not ſtrengthned, thoſe wanted bread for their bodies, and for their ſouls, were not looked after. The Septuagint is foreign, The weak ye have not ſtrengthned; and the French is Vous n'anet point Comforte' celle quieſtoit affloiblie, You have not comforted that which was made feeble.
Neithea have ye healed that which was ſick.
A Sheep may be diſeaſed, yet not be ſick; that is ſick, Cui totum corpus dolet, when the whole body is pained, ſaith Lavater; the whole body is ſo diſtempered that the members of it cannot perform their Offices. There were many among the Jews who were ſick in their eſtates and ſpirits, and could not perform the duties of their generall or particular callings, who had none to heal them. This was the ſecond thing.
Neither have ye bound up that which was broken.
The third thing is brokenneſs; ſome Sheep had their fleſh torn by Dogs, or Buſhes, their leggs and other bones about them, broken, or put out of joynt; divers amongſt them had broken eſtates, broken ſpirits, and none bound them up. The word Chabaſh ſignifies binding as men are bound in priſon, binding as men bind packs to horſes, binding as men are bound by laws to obey or ſuffer, binding of ornaments to the head, and binding up of wounds to cure and heal them, as here.
Neither have ye brought again that which was driven away.
Here is the fourth thing, concerns the Sheep, ſome were driven away. Storms, Dogs, Wolves, and other wild beaſts oft times cauſe the Sheep to run this way, and that way, to fall into ditches and pits, which if looked after, might be preſerved and reduced. The warres and other evills forced many Jews to flye into other Countries, and none in Place did think of them, that they might be brought back.
Neither have ye ſought that which was loſt.
Sheep being wandring creatures are oftentimes loſt, Luke 15.4. Among the Jews there were ſome had ſtragled from the reſt, and were loſt, loſt through corrupt opinions and practices; they left the wayes of God, and wandred in by-paths which led to utter deſtruction; ſuch a loſing the word foreign ſignifies. They were not ſought after, they did not make diligent enquiry, & ſearch after them foreign, ſay the Septuagint, Non ſummo ſtudio quaerebant, they did not ſeek earneſtly after them.
But with force and cruelty have they ruled them.
They dealt not as Patres patriae, Fathers of their Country, but as Tyrants which are Peſtes humani generis, the very plagues of the earth, they dealt not as Shepherds with their Sheep, but as cruel Task-maſters over Servants. The word for ruling is foreign Radah which notes ſuch ruling as a Maſter doth exerciſe over a Servant, rigorous ruling, therefore the Jews were forbid to rule over a poor brother; Levit: 25.43. Thou ſhalt not rule over him with rigour. Here they ruled with rigour, they put forth their power to the breaking and ruine of the people, they were rough and cruell in their government. The Septuagint is foreign, ye weary, wear out, yea, murther the ſtrong with vexation and labour.
Verſ. 5. And they were ſcattered, becauſe there is no Shepherd.
The Shepherds being either negligent or tyrannical, the Sheep were ſcattered; through default of their Political Shepherds they were ſcattered into waſte places, into the open fields, into forts and caves, Chap. 33.27. and into other Countries. Had Zedekiah and the Nobles been faithfull to God, to Nebuchadnezzar and the People, ruling as he and they ſhould have done, the People had not been ſo ſcattered; and through default of their Eccleſiaſtical Shepherds, they fell into errours, ſuperſtitions and idolatrous practices; Juſtice, Laws and Religion being laid aſide, there was nothing remain'd but confuſion, diſorder and diſperſion. The Hebrew is, They were ſcattered without a Shepherd; which may be taken thus, Being ſcattered they had no Shepherd; or thus, they were ſcattered becauſe, or for that they had no Shepherd; that is, no faithfull Shepherd; this is the better ſence, and ſo the Septuagint ſpeaks, foreign, for that they had no Shepherds, that is, no ſuch ſhepherds as cared for their good civilly or ſpiritually.
And they became meat to all the beaſts of the field, when they were ſcattered.
When the Sheep are ſcattered into Caves, Woods, upon Mountains and Hills, they become a prey to Dogs, Swine, Wild Beaſts; ſo the Jews being ſcattered into ſeverall parts of the world, were expoſed to the injuries of ſtrangers, and a prey unto them.
Verſ. 6. My ſheep wandred through all the Mountains, and upon every high Hill.
They went from Mountain to Mountain, and from Hill to Hill, and ſet up Altars, Jer: 2.20. Ʋpon every high Hill, and under every green Tree thou wandereſt, playing the Harlot; ſo Jer: 3.6. Or they were forced to fly to the Mountains and Hills, in the time of war and danger, which their Rulers brought upon them.
Yea, my flock was ſcattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did ſeek or ſearch after them.
The Hebrew is upon all the faces of the earth; every Countrey hath a ſeverall face in a Metaphorical ſence, as one man hath from another; Egypt had one face, Babylon another; the Countries about Judaea their diſtinct faces or ſuperficies, now they were ſcattered abroad upon them all, and none did ſearch or ſeek them. Here be two words ſignifying the ſame thing, Bikkeſh and Dareſh; the firſt ſignifies to ſeek or ſearch, ſummo ſtudio; the ſecond, ſummo judicio.
Firſt, Obſerve;
Thoſe that are ſet over the people in Church or State are Shepherds, and ought to be like unto them towards their flocks.
They ſhould govern them gently, protect them conſtantly, provide for them carefully, and feed them faithfully, and ſeek their good diligently, God who is the great Shepherd doth ſo; Iſa: 40.11. He ſhall feed his flock like a Shepherd: he ſhall gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſome, and ſhall gently lead thoſe that are with young. Iſa: 27.3. Leaſt any hurt it (that is, his Vineyard, his People) I the Lord will keep it night and day; Pſal. 23.1.2. The Lord is my Shepherd, I ſhall not want. He provided green paſtures and ſtill waters for him, and for all his; Jer: 5.7. He fed them to the full. He gave them David for a Shepherd, to feed Jacob his people, and Iſrael his inheritance, and he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, Pſal. 78.71, 72. he ſought their good, Micah 6.5. he turned curſes into bleſſings for them, Deut: 23.5. here was a good Shepherd; Magiſtrates and Miniſters ſhould be like unto God in all theſe.
Secondly, Obſerve;
Few of thoſe that are over Gods flock in Church or State, do prove ſuch as they ought to be.
The Political Rulers were wicked, and the Eccleſiaſtical Rulers were ſuch alſo; They are called Shepherds, but they did not the office or work of Shepherds, they were generally naught; The Shepherds of Iſrael did not feed the flock, Ezek: 22.25, 26, 27, 28. you may ſee what the Prophets, Prieſts, and Princes were, not a true Shepherd amongſt them.
Thirdly, Obſerve;
See here the true Characters of wicked Shepherds in Church or State; and they are three.
Firſt, They feed themſelves; they were covetous, ſelf-ſeekers, they did eat the fat, cloath themſelves with the wool, and kill'd them that were fed, full of fat and fleſh, they made a prey of the rich and wealthy. The politicall Shepherds were ſelfiſh and covetous, Micah 3.1, 2, 3. Hear, O heads of Jacob, and ye Princes of the houſe of Iſrael; is it not for you to know judgement? who hate the good, and love the evill, who pluck off their skin from off them, and their fleſh from off their bones; who alſo eat the fleſh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and they brake their bones and chop them in pieces, as for the pot. Look how Butchers deal with Oxen and Sheep, killing, ſlaying, chopping in pieces, breaking their bones, ſelling ſome, and eating other parts, and whatever they do is for their own intereſt; ſo deal theſe State-Butchers with the people. The Eccleſiaſtical Shepherds were ſelfiſh and covetous; Iſa: 56.11. ſpeaking of the watchmen, he ſaith, They are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are Shepherds that cannot underſtand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Ones gain come from one quarter, a ſeconds from another quarter, a thirds from a third, and their eyes were upon their gain and nothing elſe; Micah 3.11. The Heads of Jeruſalem judge for reward, the Prieſts teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money: Thus all ſought themſelves, and thereby declared what they were.
Secondly, They fed not the flock. A good Shepherds care and delight is to feed his flock, and manifeſt it by ſtrengthning the weak, by healing the ſick, by binding up the broken, by bringing back what is gone aſtray, and by ſeeking up what is loſt; theſe Shepherds did none of theſe things. The State Shepherds neglected the flock, the Church Shepherds did ſo, the weak were not ſtrengthned, &c.
Thirdly, Harſh and cruel uſage of the flock; With force and cruelty have ye ruled them. Theſe Shepherds did not diſtinguiſh between the weak and ſtrong, the ſound and ſick, and ſo rule them wiſely, gently, compaſſionately, but they were rough, rigid, bitter and cruel unto them. The politicall Shepherds ſhut up the doors of the Temple, and would not let them come in to ſacrifice or worſhip there, 2 Chron: 28.24. They compelled the people to ſerve idols, 2 Kings 21.11. They revolted from under Nebuchadnezzar, and ſo brought wars and heavy taxes upon the people, Ezek: 17.15. The Princes in the midſt of Jeruſalem were like Wolves ravening the prey, to ſhed bloud, and to deſtroy ſouls, to get diſhonest gain, Ezek: 22.27. The Eccleſiaſtical Shepherds alſo ruled after their own wills; the Prophets were roaring Lyons ravening the prey, they devoured ſouls, they took the treaſure and precious things, they made many widdows in the midſt of Jeruſalem; the Prieſts violated the Law of God, and ſo wronged the people, Ezek: 22.25, 26. The Prophets and Prieſts conſpired together to tyrannize over the people, who were ſo accuſtomed to it, that they were content to have it ſo, Jerem: 5.31. The Prophets propheſie falſely, and the Prieſts bare rule by their means, and my people love to have it ſo. The word for bearing rule is i jrdu, which imports rigorous dealing; they took too much upon them, which you may ſee Jerem: 26.8. The Prieſts and the Prophets took Jeremy, ſaying, thou ſhalt ſurely dye: They were bitter enemies to Jeremy, and thoſe believed his propheſies. Jer: 50.6. My people hath been loſt ſheep, their Shepherds have cauſed them to go aſtray, &c.
Fourthly, Obſerve;
Such is the condition of Gods flock here, that it hath need of Shepherds to look after it.
There be in it ſome diſeaſed or infirm, ſome ſick, ſome broken, ſome driven away, ſome ſtragling and in danger of looſing. Gods ſheep are ſubject to many evills, diſtempers and dangers, to vain cuſtomes, Jer: 10.3. to bruiſing and breaking, Jer. 6.14. to hunting like wilde beaſts, Ezek: 13.18. to beating and grinding to pieces, Iſa: 3.15. to devouring, Pſal. 14.4. to errors, hereſies, corrupt opinions and practices, Matth. 24.5. 2 Pet. 2.2. to backſliding, Jer: 8.5. to miſtakes and all ſorts of evills, Iſa: 5.20. Its mercy, yea great mercy, that God hath appointed Shepherds for his flock, Civill and Spiritual, to provide for the weakneſſes, maladies, and dangers of the ſoul, as well as of the body.—Where theſe be wicked, it goes ill with the flock; if they be ſelfiſh, negligent, rigid in ruling, the flock will ſuffer much: O pray unto God earneſtly, that he would give us good Shepherds. There is a choice promiſe or two in Jer: 23.4. I will ſet up ſhepherds over them which ſhall feed them, and they ſhall fear no more, nor be diſmayed, neither ſhall they be lacking. And Jer: 3.15. I will give you Paſtors according to mine heart, which ſhall feed you according to knowledge and underſtanding. Theſe promiſes ſpeaks of good Shepherds for State and Church: Let us improve them, and preſſe God for the fulfilling of them.
Fifthly, Obſerve;
That wicked Magiſtrates and Miniſters, in Gods account, are as no Magiſtrates, no Miniſters.
They were ſcattered becauſe there is no ſhepherd. There were many Shepherds in the State, and many in the Church, yet all theſe were as none, becauſe they were wicked, ſought themſelves, fed not the flock, but ruled with cruelty; when Shepherds degenerate ſo far, as to be contrary to what they ſhould be, then they are as none before God. Such, in Zech. 11.17. are called idoll ſhepherds; idols are nothing, 1 Cor: 8.4. and ſo were they as nothing in the ſight of God, and when it is ſo, then the ſheep are ſcattered.
Sixthly, Obſerve;
That as God eyes the great ones in State or Church, ſo he deals impartially with them being wicked.
He obſerved what Magiſtrates and Miniſters did in their places, and ſeeing them ſelfiſh, negligent, cruell, he threatens them all; Wo to the Shepherds of Iſrael; he ſaw they were all guilty of grievous ſins, amended not after his long-forbearing them, and therefore without reſpect denounces judgement againſt them. God is greater then the greateſt, and fears not the faces of Princes or Prophets; let them have what pretences they will to colour their wayes, the Lord diſcernes them; let them be never ſo terrible unto men, the Lord will be a terrour unto them; let them continue in their wickedneſs never ſo long, at laſt God will be avenged on them.