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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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New Living Translation

Ezekiel 34:20

"Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Minister, Christian;   The Topic Concordance - Following;   God;   Jesus Christ;   Shepherds/pastors;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, prophet;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Hospitality;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Fatlings, Fatted;   Flock;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Messiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Shepherd;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Cattle;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Pastor;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
King James Version
Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
English Standard Version
"Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
New American Standard Bible
Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says to them: "Behold, I, I Myself will also judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
New Century Version
"‘So this is what the Lord God says to them: I, myself, will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep.
Amplified Bible
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them, "Behold, I Myself will judge between the [well-fed] fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore thus sayth the Lorde God vnto them, behold, I, euen I wil iudge betweene the fat sheepe and the leane sheepe.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them, "Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh to them, "Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says to them: 'Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Contemporary English Version
So I, the Lord God, will separate you strong sheep from the weak.
Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore here is what Adonai Elohim says to them: ‘I will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep.
Darby Translation
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto them: Behold, [it is] I, and I will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Easy-to-Read Version
So the Lord God says to them: "I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep!
George Lamsa Translation
Therefore thus says the LORD God to them: Behold, I myself will judge between the fat ewe and the lean ewe.
Good News Translation
"So now, I, the Sovereign Lord , tell you that I will judge between you strong sheep and the weak sheep.
Lexham English Bible
"‘Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh to them: "Look! I, even I will judge between fat sheep and between lean sheep,
Literal Translation
So the Lord Jehovah says this to them: Behold, I, even I, will even judge between the fat lamb and the lean lamb.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore, thus sayeth the LORDE God vnto them: Beholde, I will seuer the fat shepe from the leane:
American Standard Version
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Bible in Basic English
For this reason the Lord has said to them, Truly, I, even I, will be judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and the lean cattle.
King James Version (1611)
Therefore thus saith the Lord God vnto them, Behold, I, euen I will iudge betweene the fat cattell, and betweene the leane cattell.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therefore thus saith the Lorde God vnto them: Beholde I [euen] I wyll iudge betweene the fat cattaile and the leane cattaile,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will separate between the strong sheep and the weak sheep.
English Revised Version
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them: Behold, I, even I, judge between the fat cattle and the lean cattle.
World English Bible
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh to them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the Lord God seith these thingis to you, Lo! Y my silf deme bitwixe a fat beeste and a leene beeste.
Update Bible Version
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh to them: Look, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD to them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
New English Translation
"‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says to them: Look, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
New King James Version
"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: "Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep.
New Life Bible
So the Lord God says to them, "I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the weak sheep.
New Revised Standard
Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Therefore Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, unto them: Here am I myself. Therefore will I judge between fat sheep and lean sheep,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore thus saith the Lord God to you: Behold, I myself will judge between the fat cattle and the lean.
Revised Standard Version
"Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah to them: Lo, I -- even I, have judged between fat sheep and lean sheep.
THE MESSAGE
"‘Therefore, God , the Master, says: I myself am stepping in and making things right between the plump sheep and the skinny sheep. Because you forced your way with shoulder and rump and butted at all the weaker animals with your horns till you scattered them all over the hills, I'll come in and save my dear flock, no longer let them be pushed around. I'll step in and set things right between one sheep and another.

Contextual Overview

17 "And as for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to his people: I will judge between one animal of the flock and another, separating the sheep from the goats. 18 Isn't it enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Isn't it enough for you to drink clear water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Why must my flock eat what you have trampled down and drink water you have fouled? 20 "Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep. 21 For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands. 22 So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused. I will judge between one animal of the flock and another. 23 And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them. 24 And I, the Lord , will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord , have spoken! 25 "I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear. 26 I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Behold: Ezekiel 34:10, Ezekiel 34:17, Psalms 22:12-16, Matthew 25:31-46

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:17 - behold Exodus 14:17 - behold Numbers 18:6 - And I Deuteronomy 31:20 - waxen fat Judges 3:17 - a very fat Isaiah 17:4 - the fatness Jeremiah 23:39 - even I Jeremiah 25:34 - ye principal Ezekiel 7:3 - will judge Ezekiel 18:30 - I will Ezekiel 20:38 - I will purge Ezekiel 24:5 - the choice Zechariah 10:3 - and I Malachi 3:5 - I will come

Cross-References

Genesis 22:17
I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies.
Genesis 23:10
Ephron was sitting there among the others, and he answered Abraham as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town.
Deuteronomy 17:5
then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death.
Ruth 4:1
Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, "Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you." So they sat down together.
2 Samuel 15:2
He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.
Job 29:7
"Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders.
Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.
Amos 5:10
How you hate honest judges! How you despise people who tell the truth!
Amos 5:12
For I know the vast number of your sins and the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
Amos 5:15
Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven's Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them,.... To the rams and he goats of the flock, that use the pastures and defile the waters after this manner, and make them unfit for the lesser cattle; or that use the poor people of God after this sort:

behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. The Targum is,

"between the rich man and the poor man;''

this is repeated, and in very strong terms, for the confirmation of it: this the Lord promised to do, and he has done it by his son, to whom he committed all judgment; and who, in the days of his flesh, made a difference between those who were full of themselves, self-righteous persons; who were self-sufficient, and needed not repentance, nor any other righteousness but their own; who trusted in themselves, and despised others: and may be meant by the "fat cattle": and between those who were low and mean in their own eyes, humble and meek, weary and heavy laden, hungering and thirsting after the righteousness of another: now for judgment did Christ come, that they which see not might see, and those who saw might be made blind; he called the one, and not the other, to repentance; made known the things of the Gospel to babes, and hid them from the wise and prudent; rejected the one, and had compassion on the other; see John 5:22, and when he comes a second time, he will judge between these, and separate them; and set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left, Matthew 25:31.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yahweh having promised to be a Ruler of His people, the administration of the divine kingdom is now described, as carried on by One King, the representative of David, whose dominion should fulfill all the promises originally made to the man after God’s own heart. Ezekiel does not so much add to, as explain and develope, the original promise; and as the complete fulfillment of the spiritual blessings, which the prophets were guided to proclaim, was manifestly never realized in any temporal prosperity of the Jews, and never could and never can be realized in any earthly kingdom, we recognize throughout the Sacred Volume the one subject of all prophecy - the Righteous King, the Anointed Prince, the Son and the Lord of David.

Ezekiel 34:23

One shepherd - One, as ruling over an undivided people, the distinction between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah having been done away.

My servant David - David was a fit type of the True King because he was a true and faithful servant of Yahweh. That which David was partially and imperfectly, Christ is in full perfection (compare Matthew 12:18; John 5:30; Hebrews 10:7.)

Ezekiel 34:26

The blessings here foretold are especially those of the old covenant. The wilderness (or, pasture-country) and the woods, the places most exposed to beasts and birds of prey, become places of security. Under the new covenant Sion and the hills around are representative of God’s Church; and temporal blessings are typical of the blessings showered down upon Christ’s Church by Him who has vanquished the powers of evil.

Ezekiel 34:29

A plant - Equivalent to the “Branch,” under which name Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesy of the Messiah. The contrast in this verse to hunger seems to favor the idea that the “plant” was for food, i. e., spiritual food, and in this sense also, applicable to the Messiah (compare John 6:35.)

The shame of the pagan - The shameful reproaches with which the pagan assail them.

Ezekiel 34:31

Translate “Ye are my flock, the flock of my pasture (compare Jeremiah 23:1); ye are men, and I am your God.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 34:20. I will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. — Between the rich and the poor; those who fare sumptuously every day and those who have not the necessaries of life.


 
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