Ezekiel 34:16

Hebrew Names Version

I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.

King James Version
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

English Standard Version
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

New American Standard Bible
"I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will eliminate. I will feed them with judgment.

New Century Version
I will search for the lost, bring back those that strayed away, put bandages on those that were hurt, and make the weak strong. But I will destroy those sheep that are fat and strong. I will tend the sheep with fairness.

Amplified Bible
"I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bandage the crippled, and strengthen the weak and the sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong [who have become hard-hearted and perverse]. I will feed them with judgment and punishment.

Geneva Bible (1587)
I will seeke that which was lost, and bring againe that which was driue away, and will binde vp that which was broken, and will strengthen the weake but I wil destroy the fat & the strong, and I will feede them with iudgement.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.

Legacy Standard Bible
"I will search for the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with judgment.

Berean Standard Bible
I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.'

Contemporary English Version
to look for those that are lost and bring back the ones that wander off, to bandage those that are hurt and protect the ones that are weak. I will also slaughter those that are fat and strong, because I always do right.

Complete Jewish Bible
"I will seek the lost, bring back the outcasts, bandage the broken, and strengthen the sick. But the fat and the strong I will destroy — I will feed them with judgment."

Darby Translation
I will seek the lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up the broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong: I will feed them with judgment.

Easy-to-Read Version
"I will search for the lost sheep. I will bring back the sheep that were scattered and put bandages on the sheep that were hurt. I will make the weak sheep strong, but I will destroy the fat and powerful shepherds. I will feed them the punishment they deserve."

George Lamsa Translation
I will seek that which was lost and bring back that which was gone astray and bind up that which was injured and strengthen that which was sick; and I will protect the fat and the strong; and I will feed them with justice.

Good News Translation
"I will look for those that are lost, bring back those that wander off, bandage those that are hurt, and heal those that are sick; but those that are fat and strong I will destroy, because I am a shepherd who does what is right.

Lexham English Bible
"I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the scattered, and I will bind up the one hurt, and I will strengthen the sick; and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed her with justice."

Literal Translation
I will seek the lost, and I will return the banished. And I will bind up the broken, and I will make the weak strong. But I will destroy the fat and the strong, I will feed them with judgment.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Soch as be lost, will I seke: soch as go astraye, wil I brynge agayne: soch as be wouded, will I bynde vp: soch as be weake, will I make stronge: soch as be fat and well lykinge, those will I preserue, and fede them with ye thinge that is laufull.

American Standard Version
I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.

Bible in Basic English
I will go in search of that which had gone wandering from the way, and will get back that which had been sent in flight, and will put bands on that which was broken, and give strength to that which was ill: but the fat and the strong I will give up to destruction; I will give them for their food the punishment which is theirs by right.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; and the fat and the strong I will destroy, I will feed them in justice.

King James Version (1611)
I will seeke that which was lost, and bring againe that which was driuen away, and will bind vp that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sicke: but I will destroy the fat and the strong, I will feed them with iudgement.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Such as be lost, wyll I seeke: such as are driuen away, wyll I bring againe: such as be broken, wyl I binde vp: such as be weake, wyll I make strong: such as be fat and strong, those wyll I roote out, and feede them with iudgement.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I will seek that which is lost, and I will recover the stray one, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen the fainting, and will guard the strong, and will feed them with judgment.

English Revised Version
I will seek that which was lost, and will bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: and the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in judgment.

World English Bible
I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
I schal seke that that perischide, and Y schal brynge ayen that that was cast awei; and Y schal bynde that that was brokun, and Y schal make sad that that was sijk; and Y schal kepe that that was fat and strong; and Y schal feede hem in doom;

Update Bible Version
I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.

Webster's Bible Translation
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up [that which was] broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

New English Translation
I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them—with judgment!

New King James Version
"I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment."

New Living Translation
I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!

New Life Bible
"I will look for the lost, bring back those that have gone away, help those who have been hurt, and give strength to the sick. But I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them with punishment.

New Revised Standard
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
That which is straying, will I seek out. And that which hath been driven away, will I bring back, And that width is tern, will I bind up, And the weak, will I strengthen,- But the fat and the strong, will I watch I will feed them with justice.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I will seek that which was lost: and that which was driven away, I will bring again: and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was weak, and that which was fat and strong I will preserve, and I will feed them in judgment.

Revised Standard Version
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.

Young's Literal Translation
The lost I seek, and the driven away bring back, And the broken I bind up, and the sick I strengthen, And the fat and the strong I destroy, I feed it with judgment.

Contextual Overview

⁷ Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ⁸ As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn't fed my sheep; ⁹ therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ¹⁰ Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them. ¹¹ For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. ¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. ¹³ I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Yisra'el, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴ I will feed them with good pasture; and on the mountains of the height of Yisra'el shall their fold be: there shall they lie down in a good fold; and on fat pasture shall they feed on the mountains of Yisra'el. ¹⁵ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁶ I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

seek that: Ezekiel 34:4, Ezekiel 34:11, Isaiah 40:11, Isaiah 61:1-3, Micah 4:6, Micah 4:7, Matthew 15:24, Matthew 18:11-14, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31, Luke 5:32, Luke 15:4-7, Luke 19:10

but I: Ezekiel 39:18, Deuteronomy 32:15, Isaiah 5:17, Isaiah 10:16, Jeremiah 50:11, Amos 4:1-3

I will feed: Isaiah 49:26, Jeremiah 9:15, Jeremiah 10:24, Jeremiah 23:15, Micah 7:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:13 - the children Deuteronomy 22:1 - Thou shalt Deuteronomy 31:20 - waxen fat Psalms 60:2 - heal Psalms 72:4 - He shall judge Psalms 72:13 - shall save Psalms 119:176 - gone astray Isaiah 42:3 - bruised Jeremiah 25:34 - Howl Jeremiah 30:17 - For I Jeremiah 31:8 - them the Ezekiel 20:34 - General Ezekiel 24:5 - the choice Ezekiel 30:22 - the strong Amos 9:10 - the sinners Zephaniah 3:19 - and I will save Zephaniah 3:20 - even Zechariah 10:3 - and I Zechariah 11:16 - which Matthew 10:6 - lost Matthew 12:20 - bruised Matthew 18:12 - if Luke 15:24 - he Romans 14:1 - weak Galatians 6:1 - restore 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - comfort James 5:19 - and one Revelation 3:2 - watchful

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will seek that which was lost,.... As all men are in Adam, and through his fall, and by their own actual transgressions; and so the elect of God among the rest; who are lost not with respect to God's knowledge of them, love to them, and care for them; but with respect to their knowledge of him, affection for him, and regard to his will, service, and glory; they are lost to themselves, they know not where they are, what is their state and condition, and how to get out of it; they cannot help themselves, nor can any other creature help them; and they see themselves to be in this lost and undone condition, when they are enlightened by the Spirit of God: but they are not irretrievably lost, for they are preserved in Christ Jesus; and he has been sent to seek and to save them; which he has done by redeeming them from sin, Satan, and the law; and, in the effectual calling, he goes after them, he sends his Gospel to them, and his Spirit unto them, and returns them to himself, the Shepherd and Bishop of souls; and whereas after this they go astray like lost sheep, he seeks and looks them up, and restores their souls, Psalms 119:176:

and bring again that which was driven away; through the power and prevalence of unbelief, from holding fast to the head Christ, departing at least partially from the living God; from dealing by faith with his precious person, blood, and righteousness; and from the precious promises, as not belonging to them, and refusing to be comforted by them; but the Lord brings back such again, and causes them to believe: Thomas is a notorious instance of this, John 20:24, such also who are driven away through the force of Satan's temptations from the throne of grace; from the word and ordinances; and from private conversation with the saints, being hypocrites, as he suggests unto them; these the Lord brings back, by rebuking the tempter, and delivering out of his temptations: likewise such as are driven out of the right way of truth, and carried away with the error of the wicked, through the influence of bad pastors or false teachers,

Jeremiah 23:1, these will he restore again; for it is impossible the elect of God should be finally deceived: moreover, such as are driven away by the force of persecution, and scattered abroad, in God's due time have rest, and return to their folds again; see

Jeremiah 50:17:

and will bind up that which was broken; such who have broken hearts, broken with a sense of sin; made truly contrite by the Spirit and grace of God, through the word; which is a hammer to them, that breaks the rocky heart in pieces; to these the Lord has respect; their broken hearts are acceptable to him; he dwells with them, to revive them; he speaks and restores comforts to them; pours in oil and wine into their wounds, like the good Samaritan, and binds them up; see

Psalms 147:3 and such who have broken bones, who have fallen into sin to the breaking of their bones, to the destroying of their peace, joy, and comfort, as David, Peter, and others have done; he sets their broken bones, and restores the joys of his salvation; and causes the bones which were broken to rejoice; at the discoveries of his pardoning grace and mercy, Psalms 51:8:

and will strengthen that which was sick; sick through sin, as all men are; sick of sin, as sensible sinners be; sickly and weak, and ready to die, as fallen professors, backsliders, are; sick of love, through want of the discoveries of it; long after them; cannot be easy without them, as Christ's spouse sometimes is; and sick for want of food, faint and languid for want of spiritual refreshment; as the persons were Christ had compassion on, being as sheep without a shepherd, Matthew 9:36 each of these the Lord strengthens with the discoveries and applications of pardoning grace; with the flagons of his love, and apples of his promises; with the food of the Gospel, which strengthens men's hearts; and with grace out of his fulness, whereby they are strengthened against sin, snares, and temptations, and to exercise grace, and do the will of God:

but I will destroy the fat and the strong; that are full of themselves, lifted up with pride, conceited with their riches or righteousness, and despise others, whom they thrust with side and shoulder, and push with their horns, Ezekiel 34:21. So the Targum interprets it of wicked men,

"and I will consume the ungodly and sinners;''

but the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it, "I will keep the fat and the strong"; in the plight and condition in which they are, and make them still stronger, and more fat and flourishing; so Jerom interprets it of saints and godly persons; and this agrees with the preceding clauses; only the original Hebrew text is against it, which does not admit of a various reading; and this rendering seems to arise in the Septuagint, the others follow, from the mistake of a similar letter: "I will feed them with judgment"; meaning either the whole flock, consisting of fat and lean cattle, making a distinction between them, Ezekiel 34:17, feeding them with discretion, and judging them according to their deserts; or else the fat and the strong ones, by inflicting righteous vengeance on them, feeding them with wormwood and gall; or his own people and sheep only. So the Targum, "I will govern my people with judgment"; in righteousness, goodness, truth, and faithfulness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

With judgment - It is characteristic of Yahweh as a shepherd that He judges between sheep and sheep, rejecting the proud and accepting the penitent and broken-hearted.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 34:16. I will destroy the fat and the strong — I will destroy those cruel and imperious shepherds who abuse their authority, and tyrannize over the flock.