Ezekiel 34:2

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, &c.] Or, “concerning”f587 them; the governors of them, as the Targum and Jarchi; their political governors, their kings, princes, and civil magistrates of every order and degree; so Kimchi interprets it of kings; and it was common with the eastern nations, and with the Greeks, to call kings shepherds; and one and the same word; in the Greek language, signifies to feed sheep, and to govern people; (see <197872>Psalm 78:72 <234428>Isaiah 44:28), also their ecclesiastical governors are intended, prophets, priests, Levites, scribes, and Pharisees; these were bad shepherds, or they would not have been prophesied against; and though they were…”

“Shepherds - Not priests or prophets, but rulers and kings (see the Jeremiah 2:8 note). The most ancient title for “ruler” is a monogram which occurs on the oldest monuments discovered in the cuneiform character. In the Assyrian language it became riu (compare Hebrew רעה râ‛âh =shepherd). In the traditions of Berosus we find that Alorus, the first king in the world, received from the Divinity the title of Shepherd. The title, as well as the monogram, was preserved to the latest times of the Assyrian monarchy. While the distress and misery of the people daily in creased, the last kings of Judah exacted more and more from their subjects and lavished more and more on personal luxury and show.…”

“The shepherds - The rulers of the people kings, magistrates, and princes; as also priests, and prophets. Of Israel - The two tribes, and the few out of the ten that adhere to the house of David. That feed - Contrive their own ease, advantage, and honour. Ezekiel 34:3”

“34:2-6 What sorrow awaits you shepherds: Israel’s leaders had not taken care of the weak or gone looking for those who had wandered away and were lost. They had pursued their own interests, feeding themselves at their flock’s expense. They ruled the sheep with harshness and cruelty, recalling how the Egyptians treated the Israelites in Moses’ time (Exod 1:13-14). The neglect and abuse of these cruel shepherds had scattered the Lord’s flock across the face of the earth.”

“the shepherds: The shepherds of Israel, signify their kings and princes, priests and prophets; the flock, the whole of the people; the fat and wool, the tithes and offerings, taxes and imposts: these they exacted with great rigour, and even oppressed and destroyed the people to enrich themselves; but they bestowed no pains to provide for the welfare of the state, or for the souls of those entrusted to them. They knew nothing about their flock. it might be diseased, infirm, bruised, maimed, strayed, or lost, for they watched not over them. Eze 33:24; Jer 2:8, Jer 3:15, Jer 10:21, Jer 12:10; Joh 10:1, Joh 10:2, Joh 10:12 Woe: Eze 34:8-10, Eze 13:19; Jer 23:1; Mic 3:1-3, Mic 3:11, Mic 3:12; Zep…”