The Meaning of Ezekiel 34:18 Explained

Ezekiel 34:18

KJV: Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?

YLT: Is it a little thing for you -- the good pasture ye enjoy, And the remnant of your pasture ye tread down with your feet, And a depth of waters ye do drink, And the remainder with your feet ye trample,

Darby: Is it too small a thing unto you to have eaten up the good pastures, but ye must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures; and to have drunk of the settled waters, but ye must foul the rest with your feet?

ASV: Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have fed upon the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? and to have drunk of the clear waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Seemeth it] a small thing  unto you to have eaten up  the good  pasture,  but ye must tread down  with your feet  the residue  of your pastures?  and to have drunk  of the deep  waters,  but ye must foul  the residue  with your feet? 

What does Ezekiel 34:18 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 34:18 mean?

[Is] [it] too little for you the pasture good to have eaten up that the residue of your pasture you must tread down with your feet and the clear waters to have drunk of that the residue with your feet you must foul
הַמְעַ֣ט מִכֶּ֗ם הַמִּרְעֶ֤ה הַטּוֹב֙ תִּרְע֔וּ וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ ؟ מִרְעֵיכֶ֔ם תִּרְמְס֖וּ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וּמִשְׁקַע־ מַ֣יִם תִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וְאֵת֙ הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם ؟ תִּרְפֹּשֽׂוּן

הַמְעַ֣ט  [Is]  [it]  too  little 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
מִכֶּ֗ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַמִּרְעֶ֤ה  the  pasture 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִרְעֶה  
Sense: pasture, pasturage.
הַטּוֹב֙  good 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
תִּרְע֔וּ  to  have  eaten  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
וְיֶ֙תֶר֙  that  the  residue 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
؟ מִרְעֵיכֶ֔ם  of  your  pasture 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מִרְעֶה  
Sense: pasture, pasturage.
תִּרְמְס֖וּ  you  must  tread  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָמַס  
Sense: to trample.
בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם  with  your  feet 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, second person masculine plural
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
וּמִשְׁקַע־  and  the  clear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁקָע  
Sense: what is settled or clarified, clear.
מַ֣יִם  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
תִּשְׁתּ֔וּ  to  have  drunk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וְאֵת֙  of  that 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַנּ֣וֹתָרִ֔ים  the  residue 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם  with  your  feet 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, second person masculine plural
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
؟ תִּרְפֹּשֽׂוּן  you  must  foul 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: רָפַשׂ  
Sense: to stamp, tread, foul by stamping or treading.