Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword [shall be] upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
Ver. 17. Woe to the idol shepherd] The Vulgate hath, O pastor et idolum, O thou shepherd and idol; thou that hast the show only and semblance of a shepherd, the name, but not the thing; thou that art the ape of a shepherd, non verus sed vanus, non virus sed pictus et fictus pastor, that art cleped a shepherd, as an idol is a god; but shouldest be called rather a dumb dog, a greedy dog; a shepherd that cannot understand, Isaiah 56:10,11, a foolish shepherd, as Zechariah 11:15, an ουτιδανος, one that hath nothing in him of any true worth, but art vain and vile, and of no value, as this word is rendered, Job 13:4; Job 11:17 (אליל Per agnominationem alludit ad through an alteriteration with אכול Zec 11:15). Vae, vae, vae, tibi. Alas, alas, alas to you, Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, will surely pull off thy vizor, wash off thy varnish with rivers of brimstone, brand thee for a hireling,
that leaveth the flock] to shift as it can, among thieves and wolves, John 10:13. See Trap on " Joh 10:13 "
The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye] i.e. The curse of God shall light upon his power and policy, both which shall be blasted.
His arm shall be clean dried up] As a keck, or stick.
And his right eye shall be utterly darkened] Or, shrivelled up, wrinkled and dusk; as in old bisons. The idle and evil servant had his talent taken from him, and worthily, Matthew 25:28. The barren fig tree was cut down from cumbering, Luke 13:7. God will recover his gifts from those that misuse or but disuse them, Hosea 2:9. Away they go, as strength went from Samson, wisdom from Solomon: they cry unto God under our abuse, who thereupon gives them the wings of an eagle, and lays aside their owner, as so many broken vessels; causing them to be even forgotten as dead men out of mind, Psalms 31:12. This is now especially fulfilled among the Jews, who for a long season have been "without God, without a teaching priest, and without law," 2 Chronicles 15:3 .