Thus says the Lord GOD: See Ezek 34.2. This traditional prophetic formula further emphasizes the message and gives it yet more authority.
Behold, I am against the shepherds: Behold renders the emphatic Hebrew word hinneh. Here it highlights the following message. I am against is a common expression in Ezekiel when God is about to punish somebody (see the comments on 5.8). Once again the Hebrew changes from second person to third person to refer to the shepherds, but translators may find the text flows more smoothly to retain the second person from the previous verse, as Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have done. Good News Translation renders this clause as “I am your enemy,” and Contemporary English Version has “I … will punish you!”
And I will require my sheep at their hand: The Hebrew verb rendered require is the same one translated “search” in verses 6 and 8, so this clause sets up a marked contrast between the actions of the bad shepherds and what God intends to do. Some translations take it to mean that God will come looking for his sheep to take them away from the shepherds; for example, Good News Translation says “I will take my sheep away from you,” Moffatt has “I will demand my flock back from them,” and New Jerusalem Bible translates “I shall take my flock out of their charge.” However, this clause may also mean God will hold the shepherds accountable for the way they have treated the sheep; for example, New Living Translation says “and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock,” Revised English Bible has “and [I] shall demand from them an account of my sheep,” and New Century Version translates “I will blame them for what has happened to my sheep.” Most commentators think the second sense is more likely here, and we recommend that translators follow that interpretation.
And put a stop to their feeding the sheep means God will not allow the bad shepherds to care for his sheep again. New Century Version says “and [I] will not let them tend the flock anymore,” and Contemporary English Version has “and [I will] never let you be their shepherd again.”
No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves: When the bad shepherds are no longer responsible for the sheep, they will not be able to use the sheep to make themselves rich (in contrast to verse 2). This clause may be rendered “I will stop you from feeding yourselves.”
I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them: Although verse 3 refers to the bad shepherds killing and eating the sheep, here they are pictured as wild animals eating and destroying the whole flock of sheep. Good News Translation loses the force of this picture. To rescue people means to “save” (New International Reader’s Version) them from being in grave danger. One way to translate this sentence is “I will save my sheep from the danger of you eating them. I will not let them be food for you.”
Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .