Easter · The Third Sunday of Easter (Misericordias Domini)
Ezekiel 34:11-16
Shepherds and Sheep
April 19, 2026

Overview & Insights
“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel 34:15)
Ezekiel’s Message of Hope and Restoration: Ezekiel 34–48, the second major part of this book, is concerned with a message of hope for the exiles and with the promise of Israel’s future restoration. That message has broken through in a muted sense in chapters 1–33 (11:14–21; 16:53–63; 20:33–44; 28:25–26), but it now becomes the central theme. These fifteen chapters fall into three sections. The first, chapters 34–37, is a series of seven oracles dealing with the restoration of Israel. The second section describes the rise and fall of Gog of Magog, Israel’s last great enemy (chs. 38–39). Finally, chapters 40–48 express a message of hope for Israel’s present and future, grounded in the presence of the Lord. These chapters present Ezekiel’s third great vision of the Glory of the Lord (see chs. 1–3 and 8–11) entering the perfect temple of the prophet’s vision just as it had departed the corrupted temple in Jerusalem.
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Commentary
Commentary on Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 (Working Preacher) Working Preacher
Lutheran commentary on God the seeking shepherd, the RCL Christ the King text that contains verses 11 through 16.
Ezekiel 34 Commentary: Of Shepherds and Sheep Enduring Word · David Guzik
Verse-by-verse evangelical commentary on the LORD who searches for and gathers his scattered flock.
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 (Center for Excellence in Preaching) Center for Excellence in Preaching
Reformed preaching commentary on divine shepherding, justice, and care held together.
Ezekiel 34:11 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentators gathered verse by verse on I myself will search for my sheep.
Background & Word Study
Ezekiel 34 (Sefaria) Sefaria
Hebrew text with JPS translation and Jewish commentary on the shepherd oracle.
Ezekiel 34:11 Interlinear BibleHub
Hebrew text with parsing and Strong's numbers for the seeking-shepherd promise.
Book of Ezekiel Overview Video (Part 1) BibleProject
Animated overview of Ezekiel's structure, visions, and oracles.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
How does Ezekiel picture God as king?
Against Israel’s failed shepherds, God promises to be the true shepherd who seeks the lost, binds up the injured, and judges between sheep and sheep, setting over them “my servant David” (Ezekiel 34:11–24), a royal-shepherd image fulfilled in Christ the King.
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