The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:6 Explained

Ezekiel 34:6

KJV: My sheep wandered 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.

YLT: Go astray do My flock on all the mountains, And on every high hill, And on all the face of the land have My flock been scattered, And there is none inquiring, and none seeking.

Darby: My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill, and my sheep have been scattered upon all the face of the earth, and there was none that searched, or that sought for them.

ASV: My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and there was none that did search or seek after them .

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My sheep  wandered  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]. 

What does Ezekiel 34:6 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 34:6 mean?

Wandered My sheep through all the mountains and on every hill high and yes over whole the face of the earth was scattered My flock and no one was seeking or searching [for] [them]
יִשְׁגּ֤וּ צֹאנִי֙ בְּכָל־ הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־ גִּבְעָ֣ה רָמָ֑ה וְעַ֨ל כָּל־ פְּנֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ נָפֹ֣צוּ צֹאנִ֔י וְאֵ֥ין דּוֹרֵ֖שׁ וְאֵ֥ין מְבַקֵּֽשׁ

יִשְׁגּ֤וּ  Wandered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁגָה  
Sense: to go astray, stray, err.
צֹאנִי֙  My  sheep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
בְּכָל־  through  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
וְעַ֖ל  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
גִּבְעָ֣ה  hill 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
רָמָ֑ה  high 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
וְעַ֨ל  and  yes  over 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כָּל־  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
פְּנֵ֤י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
נָפֹ֣צוּ  was  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
צֹאנִ֔י  My  flock 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
דּוֹרֵ֖שׁ  was  seeking 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
מְבַקֵּֽשׁ  searching  [for]  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.