Lectionary Calendar
Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Ezekiel 34:5

The sheep were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for every wild animal.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Levites;   Minister, Christian;   The Topic Concordance - Israel/jews;   Shepherds/pastors;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Shepherd;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Destroy, Destruction;   Lamb, Lamb of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Micaiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Flock;   Pastor;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ezekiel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Shepherd;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Pastor;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Sheep;   Shepherd;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They were scattered for lack of a shepherd; they became food for all the wild animals when they were scattered.
Hebrew Names Version
They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.
King James Version
And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
English Standard Version
So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered;
New American Standard Bible
"They scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every animal of the field and scattered.
Amplified Bible
"They were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the predators of the field.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they were scattered without a shepherde: and when they were dispersed, they were deuoured of all the beastes of the fielde.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.
Legacy Standard Bible
They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.
Berean Standard Bible
They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the wild beasts.
Contemporary English Version
They strayed in every direction, and because there was no shepherd to watch them, they were attacked and eaten by wild animals.
Complete Jewish Bible
So they were scattered, without a shepherd, and became food for every wild animal — they were scattered.
Darby Translation
And they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
Easy-to-Read Version
"‘And now the sheep are scattered because there was no shepherd. They became food for every wild animal, so they were scattered.
George Lamsa Translation
And my sheep were scattered because they had no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts of the field.
Good News Translation
Because the sheep had no shepherd, they were scattered, and wild animals killed and ate them.
Lexham English Bible
And they were scattered without a shepherd, and they were as food for all the animals of the field when they were scattered.
Literal Translation
And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd. And they became food to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus are they scatred here and there without a shepherde: yee all the beastes off the felde deuoure them, and they go astraye.
American Standard Version
And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
Bible in Basic English
And they were wandering in every direction because there was no keeper: and they became food for all the beasts of the field.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So were they scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
King James Version (1611)
And they were scattered because there is no shepheard: and they became meate to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They are scattered without a shephearde, yea all the beastes of the fielde deuour them, and they go astray.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And my sheep were scattered, because there were no shepherds: and they became meat to all the wild beasts of the field.
English Revised Version
And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
World English Bible
They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And my scheep weren scaterid, for no sheepherde was; and thei weren maad in to deuouryng of alle beestis of the feeld, and thei weren scaterid.
Update Bible Version
And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
Webster's Bible Translation
And they were scattered, because [there is] no shepherd: and they became food to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
New English Translation
They were scattered because they had no shepherd, and they became food for every wild beast.
New King James Version
So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.
New Living Translation
So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal.
New Life Bible
They went everywhere because they had no shepherd. And they became food for every animal of the field.
New Revised Standard
So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; And they became food for every wild beast of the field. So were they scattered.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And my sheep were scattered, because there was no shepherd and they became the prey of all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.
Revised Standard Version
So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts.
Young's Literal Translation
And they are scattered from want of a shepherd, And are for food to every beast of the field, Yea, they are scattered.

Contextual Overview

1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: 2 "Human, prophesy against the leaders of Israel, who are like shepherds. Prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who feed only themselves! Why don't the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the milk curds, and you clothe yourselves with the wool. You kill the fat sheep, but you do not feed the flock. 4 You have not made the weak strong. You have not healed the sick or put bandages on those that were hurt. You have not brought back those who strayed away or searched for the lost. But you have ruled the sheep with cruel force. 5 The sheep were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for every wild animal. 6 My flock wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered all over the face of the earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they were: Ezekiel 34:6, Ezekiel 33:21, Ezekiel 33:28, 1 Kings 22:17, 2 Chronicles 18:16, Jeremiah 23:2, Jeremiah 50:6, Jeremiah 50:17, Zechariah 13:7, Matthew 9:36

because there is no shepherd: or, without a shepherd, and so Ezekiel 34:8, Zechariah 10:2, Zechariah 10:3

and they became: Ezekiel 34:8, Isaiah 56:9, Jeremiah 12:9-12, John 10:2, Acts 20:29-31

Reciprocal: Numbers 27:17 - as sheep Jeremiah 10:21 - their Matthew 15:24 - I am not Matthew 26:31 - and the

Cross-References

Genesis 30:35
But that day Laban took away all the male goats that had streaks or spots, all the speckled and spotted female goats (all those that had white on them), and all the black sheep. He told his sons to watch over them.
Genesis 34:13
Jacob's sons answered Shechem and his father with lies, because Shechem had disgraced their sister Dinah.
Genesis 34:14
The brothers said to them, "We cannot allow you to marry our sister, because you are not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us.
Leviticus 10:3
Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord was speaking about when he said, ‘I must be respected as holy by those who come near me; before all the people I must be given honor.'" So Aaron did not say anything about the death of his sons.
1 Samuel 10:27
But some troublemakers said, "How can this man save us?" They disapproved of Saul and refused to bring gifts to him. But Saul kept quiet.
1 Samuel 16:11
Then he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" Jesse answered, "I still have the youngest son. He is out taking care of the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him. We will not sit down to eat until he arrives."
1 Samuel 17:15
but David went back and forth from Saul to Bethlehem, where he took care of his father's sheep.
2 Samuel 13:22
Absalom did not say a word, good or bad, to Amnon. But he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.
Psalms 39:9
I am quiet; I do not open my mouth, because you are the one who has done this.
Luke 15:25
"The older son was in the field, and as he came closer to the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they were scattered because there is no shepherd,.... No good one; there were shepherds, but they were idol shepherds, good for nothing, and it was all one as if there were none: so, in Christ's time, there were the Scribes and Pharisees; yet, since these did not feed the people with wholesome doctrine, they are said to be as sheep without a shepherd, and scattered abroad, as here from the fold, and from one another; dispersed here and there, seeking food, and none, which moved his compassion, Matthew 9:36, in the political sense it may refer to their captivity, and their dispersion among the nations, having no king: So the Targum,

"and they were scattered without a governor.''

And they became meat to all beasts of the field when they were scattered; the Targum is,

"and they were delivered to all the kingdoms of the people to be consumed;''

such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Ammonites, Moabites, and others; and may be applied to false teachers, those grievous wolves, which spare not the flock, into whose hands members of churches, professors of religion, fall, when neglected by their shepherds.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 34:5. And they were scattered — There was no discipline kept up; and the flock, the Church, became disorganized, and separated from each other, both in affection and fellowship. And the consequence was, the grievous wolves, false and worldly interested teachers, seized on and made a prey of them. Of the communion of saints such shepherds know nothing, farther than that it makes a part of the common creed.


 
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