Ezekiel 34: God the Good Shepherd

God told Ezekiel to prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, the leaders who fed themselves instead of the flock. They ate the fat and wore the wool but did not strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strays, or seek the lost. So the sheep were scattered with no shepherd. God said he would rescue his flock from those shepherds. Then God said: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. He would gather them from the countries, bring them to good pasture on the mountains of Israel, and make them lie down. He would seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the injured, and strengthen the sick. God would also judge between sheep and sheep, because some strong sheep pushed the weak aside. God promised to set up one shepherd, his servant David, over them, to make a covenant of peace, and to send showers of blessing in their season.

Go to worksheets ↓

Bible:

Read Ezekiel 34

World English Bible · 31 verses

¹ Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t brought back that which was driven away. You haven’t sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear Yahweh’s word:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ “As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds didn’t search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ therefore, you shepherds, hear Yahweh’s word!”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against the shepherds. I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. The shepherds won’t feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ “‘For the Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ I will feed them with good pasture, and their fold will be on the mountains of the height of Israel. There they will lie down in a good fold. They will feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down,” says the Lord Yahweh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
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 I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them in justice.”’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ “As for you, O my flock, the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ Does it seem a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? And to have drunk of the clear waters, but must you foul the residue with your feet?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ “Therefore the Lord Yahweh says to them: ‘Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ Because you thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² therefore I will save my flock, and they will no more be a prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ I, Yahweh, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them. I, Yahweh, have spoken it.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ “‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁶ I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There will be showers of blessing.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁷ The tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁸ They will no more be a prey to the nations, neither will the animals of the earth devour them; but they will dwell securely, and no one will make them afraid.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁹ I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they will no more be consumed with famine in the land, and not bear the shame of the nations any more.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁰ They will know that I, Yahweh, their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord Yahweh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³¹ You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God,’ says the Lord Yahweh.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

1Pick a grade below
2Look over the worksheet
3Tap Print worksheet. Print the answer key separately.

Pick a grade:

Answer key (print separately)More print options ↓

Open Preschool on its own page

Ezekiel 34 · Preschool

I Will Be the Shepherd

Name Date

Color the shepherd and his sheep. God takes care of you!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down,” says the Lord Yahweh.

Ezekiel 34:15 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: God said He would be the Shepherd of His sheep. A good shepherd finds lost sheep and takes care of them. God takes care of you like that! Let's thank God for being our Good Shepherd.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Ezekiel 34 · Grade 4

Showers of Blessing

Name Date

Read and Think

God told Ezekiel to prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, the kings and leaders. They ate the fat and wore the wool, but they did not feed the flock. They did not strengthen the weak, heal the sick, or search for the lost. So the sheep were scattered.

God said, Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. He would gather them from every land and feed them on the mountains of Israel. He would seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the injured, and strengthen the sick.

God would also judge between strong sheep that pushed the weak and the weak sheep that were pushed. He promised one shepherd, his servant David, and a covenant of peace. He would send showers of blessing in their season.

Show What You Know

Who were the shepherds of Israel?
What did the bad shepherds fail to do?
What would God do for the lost?
What would God send in their season?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

shepherdsfeedmountainssheepGod

God told Ezekiel to prophesy against the of Israel, the kings and leaders.
They ate the fat and wore the wool, but they did not the flock.
So the were scattered.
said, Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.
He would gather them from every land and feed them on the of Israel.

Think About It

God promised to search for His lost sheep. How does it feel to know God looks for people who are lost?
Some sheep pushed the weak ones aside. How can you help someone who is weak or left out?

Memory Verse

“I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There will be showers of blessing.”

Ezekiel 34:26 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being my Good Shepherd. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

What good gifts has God given you?
How can you care for others when you lead?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Ezekiel 34 · Grade 5

The Shepherd Who Seeks

Name Date

Read and Think

In the ancient Near East, kings were commonly called shepherds of their people. Ezekiel 34 indicts Israel's rulers for shepherding themselves. They ate the fat, clothed themselves with the wool, and killed the fatlings, but did not feed the sheep. They ruled with force and cruelty. The result was a scattered flock with no one to search or seek. God declared himself against the shepherds and said he would rescue his sheep from their mouth.

Then comes one of the great promises of Scripture. God would personally search for his sheep, as a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day of clouds and thick darkness. He would gather them, feed them, and make them lie down. He would seek the lost, bring back the driven away, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick. He would also judge the strong sheep that trampled the pasture and pushed the weak with their horns.

God promised to set up one shepherd, his servant David, a future king from David's line. He would make a covenant of peace, send showers of blessing, and let his people live securely. The chapter ends with God's tender words that they are his sheep, the sheep of his pasture, and he is their God. In the New Testament, John 10:11 says: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Show What You Know

Why were kings called shepherds?
What did the bad shepherds do with the flock?
Who is the one shepherd God promised?
Which New Testament verse speaks of the good shepherd?

Crossword

Across

I will feed them with good ____
The shepherds won’t ____ themselves any more

Down

Until you have ____ them abroad
I will set up one ____ over them
Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the ____

Think About It

God judged the strong sheep that pushed the weak. How does this apply to how people treat one another today?
God promises to seek the lost. How does knowing God as a seeking Shepherd shape the way you think about Him?

Memory Verse

“I will set up one shepherd over them, and he will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be their shepherd.”

Ezekiel 34:23 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being my Good Shepherd. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How can we help someone left out?
How does John 10:11 connect to Ezekiel 34?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

More print options

Student sheets have no answers on them. The answer key is a separate document for teachers and parents.

This gradeOnly the Preschool sheet

Whole chapterEvery verse of the chapter, in the translation you pickOpen & print

All student sheetsEvery grade, preschool to grade 5Open & print

Answer keyAll grades in one, each grade labeledOpen & print

‹ All Ezekiel chapters · All books

Ezekiel 34: God the Good Shepherd

Read Ezekiel 34

Worksheets

I Will Be the Shepherd

Prayer

Take It Home

My Shepherd

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

God Finds His Sheep

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

God the Good Shepherd

Prayer

Take It Home

God Looks for Lost Sheep

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

I Will Seek Them Out

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

God the Good Shepherd

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Showers of Blessing

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

The Shepherd Who Seeks

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options