²⁴ “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’^{(A) 25} There is a conspiracy^(B) of her princes^[a] within her like a roaring lion^(C) tearing its prey; they devour people,^(D) take treasures and precious things and make many widows^(E) within her. ²⁶ Her priests do violence to my law^(F) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;^(G) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;^(H) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned^(I) among them.^{(J) 27} Her officials^(K) within her are like wolves^(L) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people^(M) to make unjust gain.^{(N) 28} Her prophets whitewash^(O) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.^(P) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.^(Q)

⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered^(A) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(B) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(C) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(D) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue^(E) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(F)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(G) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(H) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(I) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(J) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(K) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(L) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(M) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(N) on the mountains of Israel.^{(O) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(P) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(Q) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(R) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(S) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(T) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(U)

²⁸ They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety,^(A) and no one will make them afraid.^(B)