Eze 34:17 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD will also repay the injustice that has taken place in the midst of the sheep of His flock ( ). There is, on the one hand, the weak “sheep” and, on the other hand, there are the strong “rams” and “male goats”. The rams and the male goats are those who helped the leaders oppress the sheep, their weak fellow sheep, the vulnerable. The LORD will judge the rams and the male goats. They deserve that judgment doubly because they are guilty in two respects with respect to the sheep. First, they themselves feed in the good pasture ( ). The weak sheep have to settle for second best. However, it does not stop with the feeding in the good pastures. Whatever remains as second choice is trodden down by the rams and the male goats with their feet, so that it becomes spoiled and unconsumable. This applies to both food and water ( ). Thus, the leaders and their followers are always working to benefit themselves at the expense of the weak and poor, while leaving nothing for them. The LORD will stand up for the weak and poor ( ). The weak are pushed away from their safe environment by the strong ( ). In the flock, the law of the strongest applies. In addition to destroying what is edible, the strong also push the weak out of the flock. Any security and safety is taken away from them. They are prey to the wild beasts, which are the hostile nations ( ; ). But the LORD will put a stop to that behavior. He will stand up for His sheep and deliver them and protect them. He judges “between one sheep and another”, which means that He judges completely justly and indiscriminately. And only His judgment counts.

‏ Ezekiel 34:17

The LORD Judges

The LORD will also repay the injustice that has taken place in the midst of the sheep of His flock (Eze 34:17). There is, on the one hand, the weak “sheep” and, on the other hand, there are the strong “rams” and “male goats”. The rams and the male goats are those who helped the leaders oppress the sheep, their weak fellow sheep, the vulnerable. The LORD will judge the rams and the male goats. They deserve that judgment doubly because they are guilty in two respects with respect to the sheep. First, they themselves feed in the good pasture (Eze 34:18). The weak sheep have to settle for second best.

However, it does not stop with the feeding in the good pastures. Whatever remains as second choice is trodden down by the rams and the male goats with their feet, so that it becomes spoiled and unconsumable. This applies to both food and water (Eze 34:19). Thus, the leaders and their followers are always working to benefit themselves at the expense of the weak and poor, while leaving nothing for them.

The LORD will stand up for the weak and poor (Eze 34:20). The weak are pushed away from their safe environment by the strong (Eze 34:21). In the flock, the law of the strongest applies. In addition to destroying what is edible, the strong also push the weak out of the flock. Any security and safety is taken away from them. They are prey to the wild beasts, which are the hostile nations (Eze 34:22; Eze 34:28).

But the LORD will put a stop to that behavior. He will stand up for His sheep and deliver them and protect them. He judges “between one sheep and another”, which means that He judges completely justly and indiscriminately. And only His judgment counts.