Rulers past and future (Ch. 34). 

        For the correct understanding of this chapter it must be remembered that metaphorically the shepherd always means the king, whether it is used of God or man. Our under­standing of this has been obscured by the religious connotation given to “pastor” in the Christian Church. Elders in the Church are under-shepherds, for they bear rule as the Spirit-appointed delegates of Jesus Christ, “the Chief Shepherd,” and “the good Shepherd,” the Ruler and King of the Church (I Pet. 5:1-4). What the implications of true rule are, this chapter shows (vers. 11-22).

        Ezekiel clearly implies that the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile do not mark a merely temporary interruption in the rule of the Davidic house. For an indeterminate period Israel is to have no other king than Jehovah Himself (ver. 11. seq.). Only then will the Davidic line be restored in the person of the Messianic king (ver. 23). In contrast to chs. 12:10; 19:1; 21:25 no stress may be laid on the fact that he is called “prince” (nasi, ver. 24), for in 37:24 he is called king. Rather the title is used to underline that the return to the Davidic kingship will not obscure the kingship of Jehovah.

        Ver. 17 should be rendered: “Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, even the rams and the he-goats.” The rams and the he-goats explain the second “sheep.” They are the rich and the strong who took advantage of bad and selfish kingship to oppress the poor and weak.