The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:12 Explained

Ezekiel 34:12

KJV: As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

YLT: As a shepherd's searching of his drove, In the day of his being in the midst of his scattered flock, so I do seek My flock, And have delivered them out of all places, Whither they have been scattered, In a day of cloud and thick darkness.

Darby: As a shepherd tendeth his flock in the day that he is among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

ASV: As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As a shepherd  seeketh out  his flock  in the day  that he is among  his sheep  [that are] scattered;  so will I seek out  my sheep,  and will deliver  them out of all places  where they have been scattered  in the cloudy  and dark  day. 

What does Ezekiel 34:12 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 34:12 mean?

As seeks out a shepherd his flock on the day he is among his sheep scattered so will I seek out - My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered there on a day cloudy and dark
כְּבַקָּרַת֩ רֹעֶ֨ה עֶדְר֜וֹ בְּיוֹם־ הֱיוֹת֤וֹ בְתוֹךְ־ צֹאנוֹ֙ נִפְרָשׁ֔וֹת כֵּ֖ן אֲבַקֵּ֣ר אֶת־ צֹאנִ֑י וְהִצַּלְתִּ֣י אֶתְהֶ֗ם מִכָּל־ הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפֹ֣צוּ שָׁ֔ם בְּי֥וֹם עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל

כְּבַקָּרַת֩  As  seeks  out 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּקָּרָה  
Sense: a seeking, a care, concern.
רֹעֶ֨ה  a  shepherd 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
עֶדְר֜וֹ  his  flock 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵדֶר  
Sense: flock, herd.
בְּיוֹם־  on  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הֱיוֹת֤וֹ  he  is 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
צֹאנוֹ֙  his  sheep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
נִפְרָשׁ֔וֹת  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: פָּרַשׁ 
Sense: to make distinct, declare, distinguish, separate.
כֵּ֖ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
אֲבַקֵּ֣ר  will  I  seek  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּקַר  
Sense: to seek, enquire, consider.
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.
צֹאנִ֑י  My  sheep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וְהִצַּלְתִּ֣י  and  deliver 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
מִכָּל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙  the  places 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָפֹ֣צוּ  they  were  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
בְּי֥וֹם  on  a  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
עָנָ֖ן  cloudy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָנָן  
Sense: cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass.
וַעֲרָפֶֽל  and  dark 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲרָפֶל  
Sense: cloud, heavy or dark cloud, darkness, gross darkness, thick darkness.