The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:10 Explained

Ezekiel 34:10

KJV: Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

YLT: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am against the shepherds, And have required My flock from their hand, And caused them to cease from feeding the flock, And no more do the shepherds feed themselves, And I have delivered My flock from their mouth, And they are not to them for food.

Darby: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock: that the shepherds may feed themselves no more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.

ASV: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  Behold, I [am] against the shepherds;  and I will require  my flock  at their hand,  and cause them to cease  from feeding  the flock;  neither shall the shepherds  feed  themselves any more; for I will deliver  my flock  from their mouth,  that they may not be meat  for them. 

What does Ezekiel 34:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 34:1-16 - Selfish Shepherds
The shepherds of this chapter were not the religious leaders of the people, but rulers who sought in their government not the good of the people but their own selfish ends. But the statements made by the prophet may be rightly applied to rapacious priests who care more for the fleece than for the flock. Pastors are required to lead the flock of God not for filthy lucre but as examples for the sheep, 1 Peter 5:2-3. It is their duty, also, to strengthen the spiritually diseased, heal the sick, bind up the broken in heart, and seek the lost.
Notice the tender manner in which the Lord Jesus Himself supplies the deficiencies of His unfaithful servants. In beautiful contrast to their selfish cruelty and rapacity, He sets Himself in cloudy and dark days to gather and tend His people, though they had been as scattered sheep, each taking his own way. When the ministers of His Church fail in their duty, the Lord hastens to supply their lack. Without doubt these gracious promises refer primarily to the Lord's Second Advent, when He will seek out and deliver His Chosen People, and bring them to their own land. But surely we must not limit the reference thus. We are His sheep, by purchase and by choice. He knows us, as we know Him. He has sought and saved us. He feds us and causes us to lie down beside the waters of rest. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 34

1  A reproof of the shepherds
7  God's judgment against them
11  His providence over his flock
20  The kingdom of Christ

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 34:10 mean?

thus says the Lord GOD behold I [am] against the shepherds and I will require - My flock at their hand and I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep and no shall feed more the shepherds themselves and for I will deliver My flock from their mouths that no longer they may be for them food -
כֹּה־ אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנְנִ֨י אֶֽל־ הָרֹעִ֜ים וְֽדָרַשְׁתִּ֧י אֶת־ צֹאנִ֣י מִיָּדָ֗ם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּים֙ מֵרְע֣וֹת צֹ֔אן וְלֹא־ יִרְע֥וּ ע֛וֹד הָרֹעִ֖ים אוֹתָ֑ם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֤י צֹאנִי֙ מִפִּיהֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־ תִהְיֶ֥יןָ לָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה ס

כֹּה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֞ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲדֹנָ֣י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יְהוִ֗ה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הִנְנִ֨י  behold  I  [am] 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
אֶֽל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָרֹעִ֜ים  the  shepherds 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
וְֽדָרַשְׁתִּ֧י  and  I  will  require 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צֹאנִ֣י  My  flock 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
מִיָּדָ֗ם  at  their  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּים֙  and  I  will  cause  them  to  cease 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
מֵרְע֣וֹת  feeding 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
צֹ֔אן  the  sheep 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וְלֹא־  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִרְע֥וּ  shall  feed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
ע֛וֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
הָרֹעִ֖ים  the  shepherds 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
אוֹתָ֑ם  themselves 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וְהִצַּלְתִּ֤י  and  for  I  will  deliver 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
צֹאנִי֙  My  flock 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
מִפִּיהֶ֔ם  from  their  mouths 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
וְלֹֽא־  that  no  longer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִהְיֶ֥יןָ  they  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָהֶ֖ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
לְאָכְלָֽה  food 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָכְלָה  
Sense: food.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation