Ezekiel 34:4

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ezekiel delivers this oracle to the corrupt shepherds of Israel, condemning their neglect while the flock scatters and becomes prey.

The words — חִזַּקְתֶּם (chizaktem) literally means "you have strengthened," and רִפֵּאתֶם (ripe'etem) means "you have healed," both preceded by לֹא (lo') to negate the leaders' duty.

The thread — The text’s failure to care for the weak and lost is reversed in Ezekiel 34:16, where God promises to perform these exact acts, and echoed in Matthew 18:12 and Matthew 9:36 as the pattern of true shepherd care.

Why it lands — The passage demands accountability from those in authority by contrasting their violent rule with the concrete duties of protection and restoration.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אֶֽת־'et-<obj.>הַנַּחְלוֹת֩ha./nach.lOtthe/ weak [ones]לֹ֨אlo'not חִזַּקְתֶּ֜םchi.zak.Temyou have strengthened וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַחוֹלָ֣הha./cho.Lahthe/ sick [one]לֹֽא־lo'-not רִפֵּאתֶ֗םri.pe.Temyou have healed וְלַנִּשְׁבֶּ֙רֶת֙ve./la./nish.Be.retand/ <to> the/ broken [one]לֹ֣אlo'not חֲבַשְׁתֶּ֔םcha.vash.Temyou have bound up וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַנִּדַּ֙חַת֙ha./ni.Da.chatthe/ strayed [one]לֹ֣אlo'not הֲשֵׁבֹתֶ֔םha.she.vo.Temyou have brought back וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הָאֹבֶ֖דֶתha./'o.Ve.detthe/ lost [one]לֹ֣אlo'not בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֑םvi.kash.Temyou have sought וּבְחָזְקָ֛הu./ve./cha.ze.Kahand/ with/ force רְדִיתֶ֥םre.di.Temyou have ruled אֹתָ֖ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them וּבְפָֽרֶךְ׃u./ve./Fa.rekhand/ with/ harshness

King James 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 cruelty have ye ruled them.

Cross-references

Matthew 18:12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?
Ezekiel 34:16 I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
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.
Matthew 10:6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
Zechariah 11:15 And the LORD said to me: “Take up once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
1 Peter 5:2 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;
Exodus 1:13 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
Hebrews 12:12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.