The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:23 Explained

Ezekiel 34:23

KJV: And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

YLT: And have raised up over them one shepherd, And he hath fed them -- my servant David, He doth feed them, and he is their shepherd,

Darby: And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David: he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

ASV: And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will set up  one  shepherd  over them, and he shall feed  them, [even] my servant  David;  he shall feed  them, and he shall be their shepherd. 

What does Ezekiel 34:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 34:17-31 - "showers Of Blessing"
Though God now often seems to make no difference between the oppressors and the oppressed, the time is fast coming when He will make momentous and lasting distinctions, Matthew 25:32-33. No wrong shall then be unredressed. Note the designation of our Lord as "the One Shepherd," peerless and matchless in dignity and authority. Once He died to save His flock from the wolf, but He is destined to reign forever as their Great Shepherd in the midst of them, Ezekiel 34:24. They shall be everlastingly exempted from hunger, harm, and reproach. Jesus has been raised up from the dead to be our plant of renown. Planted in the grave of death, He has become with His faithful people a Vine, whose shadow covers the hills, and enriches the hearts and lives of men with luscious fruit. And because He lives, we shall live also. His resurrection implies and guarantees our own. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 34

1  A reproof of the shepherds
7  God's judgment against them
11  His providence over his flock
20  The kingdom of Christ

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 34:23 mean?

And I will establish over them shepherd one and he shall feed them - My servant David He shall feed them and he shall be their shepherd
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רֹעֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וְרָעָ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ן אֵ֖ת עַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֑יד ה֚וּא יִרְעֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם וְהֽוּא־ יִהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ן לְרֹעֶֽה

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י  And  I  will  establish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם  over  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רֹעֶ֤ה  shepherd 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
אֶחָד֙  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וְרָעָ֣ה  and  he  shall  feed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַבְדִּ֣י  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
דָוִ֑יד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
יִרְעֶ֣ה  shall  feed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
וְהֽוּא־  and  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יִהְיֶ֥ה  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְרֹעֶֽה  shepherd 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.