The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:21 Explained

Ezekiel 34:21

KJV: Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;

YLT: Because with side and with shoulder ye thrust away, And with your horns push all the diseased, Till ye have scattered them to the out-place,

Darby: Because ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the weak ones with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad,

ASV: Because ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because ye have thrust  with side  and with shoulder,  and pushed  all the diseased  with your horns,  till ye have scattered  them abroad; 

What does Ezekiel 34:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 34:17-31 - "showers Of Blessing"
Though God now often seems to make no difference between the oppressors and the oppressed, the time is fast coming when He will make momentous and lasting distinctions, Matthew 25:32-33. No wrong shall then be unredressed. Note the designation of our Lord as "the One Shepherd," peerless and matchless in dignity and authority. Once He died to save His flock from the wolf, but He is destined to reign forever as their Great Shepherd in the midst of them, Ezekiel 34:24. They shall be everlastingly exempted from hunger, harm, and reproach. Jesus has been raised up from the dead to be our plant of renown. Planted in the grave of death, He has become with His faithful people a Vine, whose shadow covers the hills, and enriches the hearts and lives of men with luscious fruit. And because He lives, we shall live also. His resurrection implies and guarantees our own. [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 34:21 mean?

Because with side and shoulder you have pushed and with your horns butted all the weak ones until that and scattered them to abroad
יַ֗עַן בְּצַ֤ד וּבְכָתֵף֙ תֶּהְדֹּ֔פוּ וּבְקַרְנֵיכֶ֥ם תְּנַגְּח֖וּ כָּל־ הַנַּחְל֑וֹת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֲפִיצוֹתֶ֛ם אוֹתָ֖נָה אֶל־ הַחֽוּצָה

יַ֗עַן  Because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
בְּצַ֤ד  with  side 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צַד 
Sense: side.
וּבְכָתֵף֙  and  shoulder 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּתֵף  
Sense: shoulder, shoulder-blade, side, slope.
תֶּהְדֹּ֔פוּ  you  have  pushed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָדַף  
Sense: to thrust, push, drive, cast away, cast out, expel, thrust away.
וּבְקַרְנֵיכֶ֥ם  and  with  your  horns 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, second person masculine plural
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.
תְּנַגְּח֖וּ  butted 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָגַח  
Sense: to push, thrust, gore.
הַנַּחְל֑וֹת  the  weak  ones 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
עַ֣ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֲפִיצוֹתֶ֛ם  and  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
הַחֽוּצָה  abroad 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.