Ezekiel 34:20

Eze 34:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, [even] I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.

Ver. 20. I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle.] These are, saith Augustine, those that presume of their own strength, and boast of their own righteousness, being proud, insolent, and void of charity.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34:20-22 the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep: Those with power and influence in society had taken all the good things for themselves and had left others without resources. God would judge between them and set things right.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

fat . . . lean--the rich oppressors . . . the humble poor.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 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.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder,.... As the stronger cattle do the lesser:

and pushed all the diseased with your horns; as horned cattle do those they dislike, and bear an antipathy to; which to do to the diseased is great cruelty: sheep, it is said, will take some care of those that are diseased among them, and bring them to places of sunshine and shelter; but here the horned part of the flock, and in health, are represented as acting a barbarous part to the weak and diseased: this may denote such as are in power and authority, using it to the hurt and detriment of those that are under them, and whom they should relieve and protect: it may be applied to the anathemas and excommunications of the Jews, who pronounced those an accursed and ignorant people that believed in Christ, and expelled such out of their synagogues that professed his name; and to their persecutions of the apostles and first Christians:

till he have scattered them abroad; or "without" (s); that is, without the land. The Targum is,

"through the provinces;''

obliged them to quit their country, and go unto other parts, as the first preachers of the word did; who, upon the persecution at the death of Stephen, were scattered abroad everywhere, Act 8:1.

(s) "foras", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus, Cocceius, Starckius,

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Eze 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 Mat 12:18; Joh 5:30; Heb 10:7.)

Eze 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.

Eze 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 Joh 6:35.)

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

Eze 34:31

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

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

I, even I: see Eze 34:11,17. I am judge by office and I will vindicate and right the poor by judgment.

The fat cattle; the rich, voluptuous, and wanton ones.

The lean cattle; the poor and indigent, that are despised, oppressed, and injured; thus the Chaldee paraphrase, between the rich man and the poor man.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

I will judge - I will vindicate the poor. The fat cattle - The rich. The lean - The poor.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking of the people of Israel as if they were a flock of sheep and of himself as their shepherd. (See: Metaphor)

the Lord Yahweh says this

This can be stated in first person. AT: "this is what I, the Lord Yahweh, say" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

to them

"to my flock"

Behold!

The word "Behold" here adds emphasis to what follows. AT: "Indeed!"

I myself

The word "myself" emphasizes that it is Yahweh who will judge. (See: Reflexive Pronouns)

will judge between the fat sheep and the thin ones

"will make sure that the fat sheep and goats and the skinny sheep and goats are treating each other fairly"

the fat sheep and the thin ones

The leaders and strong people in Israel are spoken of as if they were fat and strong animals in the flock. The poor and weak people in Israel are spoken of as if they were the thin and weak animals in the flock. (See: Metaphor)

for you

The word "you" refers to the sheep and goats that were not treating other sheep and goats well.

with your sides

"with the sides of your body"

have gored

Possible meanings are 1) "have pushed" or "have shoved" 2) "have stabbed" or "have pierced"

scattered them

"made them go in many different directions"

away from the land

"away from the land of Israel"

translationWords

judge

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

a strong lamb [Heb. בְרִיָה,] strong.

lean [Heb. רָזָה,] maigre in French.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.