Ezekiel 34:4
New International Version
You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

New Living Translation
You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.

English Standard Version
The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.

Berean Standard Bible
You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

King James Bible
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

New King James Version
The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.

New American Standard Bible
Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you searched for the lost; but with force and with violence you have dominated them.

NASB 1995
“Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.

NASB 1977
“Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, and the diseased you have not healed, and the broken you have not bound up, and the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you searched for the lost; but with strength and with severity you have dominated them.

Amplified Bible
You have not strengthened those who are weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bandaged the crippled, you have not brought back those gone astray, you have not looked for the lost; but you have ruled them with force and violence.

Christian Standard Bible
You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

American Standard Version
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought back that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor have ye ruled over them.

Contemporary English Version
You have never protected the weak ones or healed the sick ones or bandaged those that get hurt. You let them wander off and never look for those that get lost. You are cruel and mean to my sheep.

English Revised Version
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigour have ye ruled over them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently.

Good News Translation
You have not taken care of the weak ones, healed the ones that are sick, bandaged the ones that are hurt, brought back the ones that wandered off, or looked for the ones that were lost. Instead, you treated them cruelly.

International Standard Version
You haven't strengthened the weak, treated the sick, set broken bones, regathered the scattered, or looked for the lost. Instead, you've dominated them with brutal force and ruthlessness.

Majority Standard Bible
You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

NET Bible
You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled over them.

New Heart English Bible
You haven't strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor you have ruled over them.

Webster's Bible Translation
The diseased ye have not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

World English Bible
You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t brought back that which was driven away. You haven’t sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You have not strengthened the weak, "" And you have not healed the sick one, "" And you have not bound up the broken, "" And have not brought back the driven away, "" And you have not sought the lost, "" And you have ruled them with might and with rigor.

Young's Literal Translation
The weak ye have not strengthened, And the sick one ye have not healed, And the broken ye have not bound up, And the driven away have not brought back, And the lost ye have not sought, And with might ye have ruled them and with rigour.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye strengthened not the sickly, and the diseased ye healed not, and the broken ye bound not up, and the thrust away ye turned not back, and the lost ye sought not; and with force and with oppression ye ruled them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The weak you have not strengthened, and that which was sick you have not healed, that which was broken you have not bound up, and that which was driven away you have not brought again, neither have you sought that which was lost: but you ruled over them with rigour, and with a high hand.

Catholic Public Domain Version
What was weak, you have not strengthened, and what was sick, you have not healed. What was broken, you have not bound, and what was cast aside, you have not led back again, and what was lost, you have not sought. Instead, you ruled over them with severity and with power.

New American Bible
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the stray or seek the lost but ruled them harshly and brutally.

New Revised Standard Version
You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The weak you have not strengthened, and that which was sick you have not healed, and that which was injured you have not bound up, and that which had gone astray you have not brought back, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with violence and with cruelty you have ruled them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Those who are weak you have not strengthened, and those who are sick you have not healed, and that which was broken you have not bound up, and that which strayed you have not returned, and that which is lost you have not searched for, but by violence you have enslaved them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The weak have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought back that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force have ye ruled over them and with rigour.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The weak one ye have not strengthened, and the sick ye have not cherished, and the bruised ye have not bound up, and the stray one ye have not turned back, and the lost ye have not sought; and the strong ye have wearied with labour.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Prophecy Against Israel's Shepherds
3You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. 5They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 23:1-2
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. / Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.

Zechariah 11:16-17
For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will neither care for the lost, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the choice sheep and tear off their hooves. / Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered and his right eye utterly blinded!”

Matthew 23:4
They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Isaiah 56:10-11
Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. / Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:

Jeremiah 50:6
My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.

John 10:12-13
The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. / The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.

Matthew 9:36
When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jeremiah 10:21
For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

1 Peter 5:2-3
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; / not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Zechariah 10:2
For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.

Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. / It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, / and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave— ...

Luke 15:4-6
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? / And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, / comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’

Micah 3:1-3
Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? / You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”

Acts 20:28-30
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. / I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.


Treasury of Scripture

The diseased have you not strengthened, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have you ruled them.

diseased

Ezekiel 34:16
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

Isaiah 56:10
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

sought

Matthew 10:6
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 18:12,13
How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? …

Luke 15:4-6
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? …

but with

Exodus 1:13,14
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: …

Jeremiah 22:13
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;

Matthew 21:35
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Jump to Previous
Bound Broken Crippled Cruelty Diseased Driven Force Harshness Healed Injured Lost Rigor Rigour Ruled Scattered Searched Severity Sick Sickly Sought Strayed Strays Strengthened
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Bound Broken Crippled Cruelty Diseased Driven Force Harshness Healed Injured Lost Rigor Rigour Ruled Scattered Searched Severity Sick Sickly Sought Strayed Strays Strengthened
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














You have not strengthened the weak
The Hebrew word for "strengthened" is "chazaq," which means to make strong, encourage, or fortify. In the context of shepherding, it implies providing support and reinforcement to those who are frail or lacking in strength. Historically, shepherds were responsible for the well-being of their flock, ensuring that the weak were given special attention. Spiritually, this phrase calls leaders to empower and uplift those who are spiritually or morally weak, reflecting God's compassion and care.

healed the sick
The term "healed" comes from the Hebrew "rapha," meaning to restore to health or make whole. In ancient Israel, shepherds would tend to the physical ailments of their sheep, symbolizing the need for spiritual leaders to address the spiritual and emotional wounds of their people. This phrase emphasizes the role of leaders as healers, tasked with bringing restoration and wholeness to those under their care.

bound up the injured
"Bound up" translates from the Hebrew "chabash," which means to bandage or wrap up. This action signifies the care and attention required to mend those who are hurt. In a broader sense, it represents the responsibility of leaders to provide comfort and aid to those who are suffering, ensuring that their wounds are tended to with compassion and diligence.

brought back the strays
The phrase "brought back" is derived from the Hebrew "shub," meaning to return or restore. Shepherds were expected to seek out and retrieve sheep that had wandered away, symbolizing the duty of spiritual leaders to guide those who have strayed from the path of righteousness back to the fold. This reflects God's desire for repentance and reconciliation, highlighting the importance of seeking out the lost and guiding them back to truth.

searched for the lost
"Searched" comes from the Hebrew "baqash," which means to seek or inquire. This implies an active and diligent pursuit of those who are lost. In the biblical context, it underscores the proactive nature of God's love, as He seeks out those who are spiritually lost. Leaders are called to emulate this divine pursuit, demonstrating a relentless commitment to finding and restoring those who have gone astray.

Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty
The word "ruled" is from the Hebrew "radah," meaning to have dominion or govern. The use of "violence" and "cruelty" (Hebrew "perek" and "achzari") indicates a harsh and oppressive leadership style, contrary to the nurturing role expected of shepherds. This serves as a stern warning against the abuse of power and authority, reminding leaders of their duty to lead with gentleness and justice, reflecting the character of God who is both just and merciful.

Verse 4. - The diseased have ye not strengthened. The verbs indicate the difference between the "diseased," i.e. the weak sheep (comp. Isaiah 40:11; Psalm 78:71) and the sick, that were suffering from more definite maladies. So the broken are the sheep that have fallen from a rock and thus maimed themselves. Each case required its appropriate treatment, and none had met with it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You have not
לֹ֨א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

strengthened
חִזַּקְתֶּ֜ם (ḥiz·zaq·tem)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

the weak,
הַנַּחְלוֹת֩ (han·naḥ·lō·wṯ)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick

healed
רִפֵּאתֶ֗ם (rip·pê·ṯem)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7495: To mend, to cure

the sick,
הַחוֹלָ֣ה (ha·ḥō·w·lāh)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick

bound up
חֲבַשְׁתֶּ֔ם (ḥă·ḇaš·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2280: To wrap firmly, to stop, to rule

the injured,
וְלַנִּשְׁבֶּ֙רֶת֙ (wə·lan·niš·be·reṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

brought back
הֲשֵׁבֹתֶ֔ם (hă·šê·ḇō·ṯem)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

the strays,
הַנִּדַּ֙חַת֙ (han·nid·da·ḥaṯ)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5080: To impel, thrust, banish

or searched for
בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֑ם (ḇiq·qaš·tem)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

the lost.
הָאֹבֶ֖דֶת (hā·’ō·ḇe·ḏeṯ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

Instead,
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

you have ruled
רְדִיתֶ֥ם (rə·ḏî·ṯem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7287: To tread down, subjugate, to crumble off

them with violence
וּבְחָזְקָ֛ה (ū·ḇə·ḥā·zə·qāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2394: Strength, force, violence

and cruelty.
וּבְפָֽרֶךְ׃ (ū·ḇə·p̄ā·reḵ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6531: Harshness, severity


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 34:4 You haven't strengthened the diseased neither have (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 34:3
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