Ezekiel 34:6

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill,.... As sheep do, when gone astray, go from mountain to hill; so the people of Israel fled from place to place, through the

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. My sheep wandered.

My sheep: these shepherds forgot the flock was not their property, but God will not lose his property in them, nor shall shepherds find at last they were more than God’ s stewards, and accountable. Through all the mountains; when endangered, affrighted, pursued, they got upon the mountains by their own choice, or carried away by enemies; or it may refer to their wandering after idols worshipped in high places, or perhaps to kingdoms and states and great cities, compared to mountains, that there they might find what they could not at home, quiet and safety. Upon every high hill; the same thing in like words. My flock; they were, if any among the Jews could be called so, my flock that were so used; not the swine, and goats, and unclean beasts, that by whole herds rested undisturbed. It was Baruch and Jeremiah were fain to hide. Scattered upon all the face of the earth; they were dispersed through maladministration to all parts of the known world; it is a hyperbole that speaks a mighty scattering. None did search; the shepherds were contented, nay, glad they were rid of them, neither principal officers searched nor inferior sought after them.

Ezekiel 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek [after them].Ver. 6. My sheep wandered.] Through the shepherd’ s supine negligence, or bloody truculence. Surely, as the herd of deer forsake and push away the wounded deer from them, so did these cruel shepherds, being non pastores sed impostores, non episcopi sed aposcopi, non praelati sed Pilati, as Bernard wittily; sheep biters rather than shepherds; "greedy dogs"; "grievous wolves." And none did search or seek after them.] Nec erat qui quaereret aut requireret.

(6) My sheep wandered.—In the pronouns, my sheep and my flock, God again claims the people for His own. Without proper guides, they have indeed strayed far away from Him, and there has been none to inquire after or seek them out in their lost condition. The two words search and seek refer, the former to asking or inquiring, the latter to searching after. In such a state of things, plainly the first act of mercy to the flock must be the removal of the unfaithful shepherds. This is promised (Ezekiel 34:7-10), but, after Ezekiel’s manner, with reiterated declaration of the unfaithfulness of the shepherds.

Verse 6. My sheep wandered through all the mountains] They all became idolaters, and lost the knowledge of the true God. And could it be otherwise while they had such pastors? "Himself a wanderer from the narrow way; His silly sheep, no wonder that they stray!" Reader, if thou be a minister, a preacher, or a person in holy orders, or pretended holy orders, or art one pretending to holy orders, look at the qualifications of a good shepherd as laid down by the prophet. 1. He professes to be a shepherd, and to be qualified for the office. 2. In consequence he undertakes the care of a flock. This supposes that he believes the great Bishop of souls has called him to the pastoral office; and that office implies that he is to give all diligence to save the souls of them that hear him. HIS QUALIFICATIONS 1. He is skilful; he knows the disease of sin and its consequences; for the Eternal Spirit, by whom he is called, has convinced him of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. 2. He knows well the great remedy for this disease, the passion and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. He is skilful, and knows how to apply this remedy. 4. The flock over which he watches is, in its individuals, either, - 1. Healthy and sound. 2. Or, in a state of convalescence, returning to health. 3. Or, still under the whole power of the general disease. 4. Or, some are dying in a state of spiritual weakness. 5. Or, some are fallen into sin, and sorely bruised and broken in their souls by that fall. 6. Or, some have been driven away by some sore temptation or cruel usage. 7. Or, some have wandered from the flock, are got into strange pastures, and are perverted by erroneous doctrines. Or, 8. Some wolf has got among them, and scattered the whole flock. Now, the true shepherd, the pastor of God's choosing, knows- 1. How to keep the healthy in health; and cause them to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 2. How to nourish, feed, and care for the convalescent, that they may be brought into a state of spiritual soundness. 3. How to reprove, instruct, and awaken those who are still under the full power of the disease of sin. 4. How to find out and remove the cause of all that spiritual weakness of which he sees some slowly dying. 5. How to deal with those who have fallen into some scandalous sin, and restore them from their fall. 6. How to find out and turn aside the sore temptation or cruel usage by which some have been driven away. 7. How to seek and bring back to the fold those who have strayed into strange pastures, and have had their souls perverted by erroneous doctrines; and knows also how, by a godly discipline, to preserve him in the flock, and keep the flock honourably together. 8.

1-10. The shepherds of the people, instead of feeding the flock, were feeding upon the flock, eating the fat (LXX., milk), and living in ease and luxury, while “my sheep” (Ezekiel 34:5, LXX.) were