Ezekiel 34:23-31 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

In the coming days, while Yahweh will indeed be chief Shepherd, there will still be an earthly shepherd, to correspond to the old order of evil shepherds: in plain words, the monarchy will continue, but the monarch will have a real shepherd heart. His title, my servant David, by no means implies the resurrection of the dead king of the olden times, but only a succession (or the first of a succession) of rulers continuing the Davidic line, or possibly even only one who will rule in the spirit and power of David. Instead of the divided kingdom, whose component parts (Israel and Judah) had run their parallel and sometimes hostile course for centuries, will be the united kingdom, under one shepherd, i.e. one king. Then will come the glorious Messianic days, the covenant of peace or welfare, whose leading features will be the fertility of the land, the extirpation of its wild beasts, the security of its people from native and foreign oppressors. (Ezekiel 34:26. My hill = Zion. But perhaps we should read, I will give showers of rain in their season.)

Ezekiel 34:23-31

23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.

29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown,c and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.

30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.

31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.