Ezekiel 34:17

“And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God, &c.] Having done with the shepherds, and the complaint against them, the Lord proceeds to take notice of the flock, or the people themselves, and the evils that were among them; for in the Lord’s own flock, in the nation and church of Israel, as now in the visible congregated churches of Christ, there were two sorts of persons, some good, others bad; some that behaved well, and others ill; some were sheep, and others goats: behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats: between the smaller and weaker cattle, the sheep and the lambs; and the larger and stronger cattle, the rams and he goats; by which latter…”

“you, . . . my flock--passing from the rulers to the people. cattle and cattle--rather, "sheep and sheep"; Margin, "small cattle," or "flocks of lambs and kids," that is, I judge between one class of citizens and another, so as to award what is right to each. He then defines the class about to be punitively "judged," namely, "the rams and he-goats," or "great he-goats" (compare Isa 14:9, Margin; Zac 10:3; Mat 25:32-33). They answer to "the fat and strong," as opposed to the "sick" (Eze 34:16). The rich and ungodly of the people are meant, who imitated the bad rulers in oppressing their poorer brethren, as if it enhanced their own joys to trample on others' rights (Eze 34:18).”

“I judge - Between men and men, between the smaller and weaker, and the greater and stronger, as their different state requires I will do. The rams - Rulers, who also shalt be dealt with according to their behaviour. Ezekiel 34:18”

“34:17-19 The goats were the powerful, unrighteous members of the community.”

“I judge: Eze 34:20-22, Eze 20:37, Eze 20:38; Zac 10:3; Mat 25:32, Mat 25:33 cattle and cattle: Heb. small cattle of lambs and kids he goats: Heb. great he goats Ezekiel 34:18”