Ezekiel 34 14

Ezekiel 34:14 kjv

I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel 34:14 nkjv

I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel 34:14 niv

I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel 34:14 esv

I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.

Ezekiel 34:14 nlt

Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.

Ezekiel 34 verses

Ezekiel 34 14 meaning

Ezekiel 34:14 is a divine promise affirming God's direct, benevolent care for His people, Israel, after their corrupt human leaders (shepherds) had failed them. The verse vividly describes God bringing His flock to the lush and elevated land of Israel, where they will find abundant, high-quality sustenance and profound peace. It paints a picture of complete provision and security, highlighting a future restoration of physical well-being and spiritual contentment under God's personal guidance, ensuring His sheep will lack nothing and dwell in safety.

Ezekiel 34 14 Context

Ezekiel chapter 34, delivered during the Babylonian exile, is a pivotal prophetic message that shifts from past judgment to future hope for Israel. It begins with a severe condemnation of Israel's corrupt human "shepherds"—their kings, priests, and civil leaders—who, rather than caring for God's flock, selfishly exploited, neglected, and scattered the people. These false shepherds failed to feed, protect, or strengthen the vulnerable. In response to this egregious failure, the Lord declares that He Himself will personally intervene, acting as the true and faithful Shepherd. Verses 11-13 speak of His active search, rescue, and gathering of His scattered sheep back to their own land. Verse 14 is a powerful continuation of this promise, elaborating on the quality of life and provision His restored flock will experience under His direct, loving care. It sets the stage for the coming "one Shepherd," God's servant David (a prophetic reference to the Messiah, Christ), who will ultimately lead them.

Ezekiel 34 14 Word analysis

• "I will feed them" (וְהִרְעִתִּים - vehir'itim)
  • "I will": The explicit subject is God (from the previous verses, and the verb conjugation indicates a divine first-person actor). This highlights God's personal and direct involvement, taking responsibility that human leaders abdicated.
  • "feed them": From the root רָעָה (ra'ah), meaning "to pasture, tend, shepherd, graze." It encompasses comprehensive care—sustenance, guidance, and protection for the flock.
• "with good pasture" (בְּמִרְעֶה טּוֹב - b'mir'eh tov)
  • "good" (טוֹב - tov): Denotes excellent quality, suitability, abundance, and pleasantness. It implies provision far beyond basic necessity.
  • "pasture" (מִרְעֶה - mir'eh): The grazing land itself; a symbol of sustenance and thriving livelihood.
• "and on the mountain heights of Israel" (וּבְהָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - u'v'harei Yisra'el)
  • "mountain heights" (הָרֵי - hare'ei): The plural of הַר (har), "mountain." These symbolize prominence, security, elevation from lowlands prone to predators or floods, and often closeness to God. For sheep, mountain pastures offer vast and secure grazing.
  • "of Israel": Explicitly connects the blessing to the physical land promised to the covenant people, symbolizing national and spiritual restoration.
• "shall be their grazing land" (יִהְיֶה נְוֵהֶם - yihyeh nevehem)
  • "shall be": Expresses divine certainty and a decree of future reality.
  • "their grazing land" (נְוֵהֶם - nevehem): From נָוֶה (naveh), meaning "habitation, dwelling place, pasture." This term denotes a permanent, secure place of nourishment and rest, more than just a temporary feeding ground.
• "There they shall lie down" (שָׁם יִרְבָּצוּן - sham yir'batzun)
  • "There" (שָׁם - sham): Refers specifically to the mentioned "mountain heights of Israel" and their designated "grazing land."
  • "lie down" (יִרְבָּצוּן - yir'batzun): From רָבַץ (ravatz), meaning "to recline, lie at rest." For sheep, this signifies security, contentment, and absence of fear, which is only possible in the presence of a protective shepherd. It speaks of undisturbed peace.
• "in good grazing land" (בְּמִרְעֶה טּוֹב - b'mir'eh tov)
  • This is a repetition of the earlier phrase "with good pasture." It is a literary device to emphatically stress the exceptional quality and sufficiency of God's provision and the ideal conditions He provides for His flock.
• "and on fat pasture" (וּבְמִרְעֶה דֶשֶׁן - u'v'mir'eh deshen)
  • "fat pasture" (מִרְעֶה דֶשֶׁן - mir'eh deshen): From דֶּשֶׁן (deshen), meaning "fatness, richness, luxuriant, fertile, prosperity." This phrase intensifies "good pasture," implying rich, thriving sustenance that leads to robust health and flourishing.
• "they shall feed" (יִרְעֶוּן - yir'uun)
  • Again from the root רָעָה (ra'ah), meaning "to pasture, graze, feed." It confirms their active enjoyment and full participation in the lavish, comprehensive provision supplied by God.

Words-group analysis

• "I will feed them with good pasture": This foundational statement establishes God's direct, personal role as the benevolent provider, promising not just survival but an abundance of high-quality sustenance. It explicitly counteracts the neglect of the human shepherds.
• "and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land": This phrase designates the specific, secure location for their blessing. The "mountain heights" convey elevation, safety from ground-level threats, and a visible, prominent place for God's restored people within their own land, signifying both physical return and spiritual prominence.
• "There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on fat pasture they shall feed": This powerful pairing describes the comprehensive outcome of God's care. To "lie down" speaks of deep peace, security, and contentment, free from predators or anxiety, enabled by being in the abundantly provided "good grazing land" where they can fully and without fear "feed" on "fat pasture," indicating flourishing health and robust well-being. The double emphasis on "good pasture" and the addition of "fat pasture" conveys extraordinary generosity.

Ezekiel 34 14 Bonus section

• The structure of the verse, repeating "good grazing land" and amplifying it with "fat pasture," employs a powerful Hebrew rhetorical technique called "envelope structure" and "intensification," underscoring the completeness and lavishness of God's provision.
• This divine declaration serves as a stark polemic against the corrupt "shepherds" of Israel. While they fattened themselves, God promises to bring His sheep to fat pasture, reversing the injustice and demonstrating His superior shepherding.
• The imagery has significant implications for understanding the future role of the literal land of Israel in God's redemptive plan, portraying it as a place of genuine and lasting prosperity for His restored people.
• Spiritually, "good" and "fat pasture" also speak to the richness of God's Word and the spiritual sustenance provided through His covenant relationship, leading to profound contentment and peace in Christ.

Ezekiel 34 14 Commentary

Ezekiel 34:14 is a core promise of God's unyielding commitment to His covenant people. Following the severe indictment of Israel's self-serving leaders, this verse powerfully asserts God's direct intervention as the ultimate Shepherd. He will personally gather, guide, and nourish His flock. The "good pasture" and "fat pasture" denote not merely sufficiency, but divine abundance and a luxurious quality of life that ensures physical thriving and spiritual well-being. Locating this prosperity "on the mountain heights of Israel" signifies restoration to the promised land, establishing a secure, elevated dwelling place safe from the previous abuses and external threats. The image of the sheep lying down in such an environment evokes profound peace, security, and contentment—a state where all fear is absent and true rest is found under the vigilant eye of their divine Protector. This verse thus vividly anticipates the holistic restoration and prosperity of God's people in the messianic era, where Christ, the Good Shepherd, ultimately fulfills this promise, leading His flock to eternal springs of life.