Ezekiel 34:19 — Word Study
WLCוְצֹאנִ֑י מִרְמַ֤ס רַגְלֵיכֶם֙ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה וּמִרְפַּ֥שׂ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם תִּשְׁתֶּֽינָה׃ ס
BSAWhy must My flocktsôʼn [sheep, the people of God] feed onrâʻâh▸ what your feetregel [trampling, oppressive] have trampledmirmâç [trodden down, crushed] and drinkshâthâh▸ what your feetregel [causing pollution, fouling] have muddiedmirpâs△ [made dirty, polluted with mirpash, foul water]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְצֹאנִ֑י | and flock my | Conjunction, noun common both singular construct, suffix |
| מִרְמַ֤ס | [the] trampling place of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| רַגְלֵיכֶם֙ | feet your | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה | they will graze | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine plural |
| וּמִרְפַּ֥שׂ | and [the] befouled thing of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם | feet your | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| תִּשְׁתֶּֽינָה׃ ס | they will drink | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Why must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?’ |
| KJV | And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. |
| ASV | And as for my sheep, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. |
| YLT | And My flock the trodden thing of your feet consumeth, And the trampled thing of your feet drinketh? |
| WEB | As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.’ |
| BBE | And as for my sheep, their food is the grass which has been stamped on by your feet, and their drink the water which has been made dirty by your feet. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of מִרְמַ֤ס — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of two main clauses connected by 'and', each with a subject and an object, emphasizing the actions taken against the flock.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָעָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 34:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Judgment on the Shepherdsgenerated
Ezekiel 34:19 presents a scene where God rebukes the shepherds of Israel for their failure to care for the flock. God emphasizes the injustice of His people having to eat and drink from what has been spoiled by those in power. This verse illustrates the consequences of neglect and oppression, reflecting a broader theme of accountability in leadership.
Cross References
The Key Word — צֹאן, ve.tzo.Nigenerated
The word צֹאן (tzo'n) refers to a flock of sheep or goats, often used metaphorically for the people of God. It highlights the collective nature of the flock, emphasizing the care and protection that should be afforded to them.
In this context, the flock symbolizes the vulnerable people who are being mistreated by their leaders, illustrating the deep connection between the shepherd and the sheep in biblical imagery.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה (they will graze) and תִּשְׁתֶּֽינָה (they will drink) govern the actions of the flock, with two noun phrases describing what they are consuming. The structure emphasizes the relationship between the flock and the actions of their oppressors.
The sentence structure highlights the consequences of the shepherds' actions on the flock, with the verbs positioned prominently to underscore the ongoing actions of the sheep.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint renders צֹאן as μου, indicating possession and reinforcing the idea that the flock belongs to God. This choice reflects the relationship between God and His people, emphasizing His care and concern for them.
The word מִרְמַ֤ס does not appear directly in the Septuagint, which may suggest a different emphasis in the Greek translation, focusing on the broader implications of oppression rather than the specific act of trampling.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 34:19 shows God questioning why His flock must eat and drink from what has been trampled and muddied by their leaders. This verse highlights the neglect and oppression faced by the people, illustrating the consequences of poor leadership.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that the people of God are suffering from the actions of their leaders, who have mistreated and neglected them.
These actions symbolize the basic needs of the flock, representing their dependence on proper care and nourishment from their shepherds.
Trampling conveys oppression and abuse, indicating that the leaders are causing harm to the flock rather than providing for them.
It serves as a warning to leaders about their responsibility to care for those they lead, emphasizing accountability for their actions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I ensure that I am caring for those I lead or influence?
- How can I recognize and address oppression in my community?
- What steps can I take to provide nourishment and support to those who are vulnerable?
- How does this verse challenge my understanding of leadership and responsibility?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 34:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet,.... They are forced to do it, not being able to come at any thing else; being as sheep without a shepherd, or worse: and they
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 34 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySeemeth 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?
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 34 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 34:19 And [as for] my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.Ver. 19. And as for my flock, they eat.] The poor, misled, and muzzled people are glad to eat such as they can catch. They are fed with traditions, legendary fables, indulgences, vowed pilgrimages, penances, &c. If Luther had not come in our way, say they, we could have persuaded the people to have eaten grass.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 34 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17-22. The divine Shepherd will not permit the strong, proud rams and the fat he goats (the priests, the prophets, and the rulers) to drive away or take advantage of their weaker companions.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 34 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Why must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?’
As for my sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.’
Why must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?’
As for my sheep, they must eat what you trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet!
Tyndale line
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
And as for my sheep, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
And as for my sheep, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
And my sheepe eate that which yee haue troden with your feete, and drinke that which ye haue troubled with your feete.
Strictly literal
And my sheep have to eat that which ye have trodden with your feet, and to drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
And My flock the trodden thing of your feet consumeth, And the trampled thing of your feet drinketh?
And My flock consumes the trodden thing of your feet, || And drinks the trampled thing of your feet?
And as for my flock, what ye have trodden with your feet must they eat; and what ye have made muddy with your feet must they drink.
Must my sheep eat what you have trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
From the Latin
And my sheep were fed with that which you had trodden with your feet: and they drank what your feet had troubled.
Simplified
Why does my flock have to feed on what your feet have trampled down, and drink the water that your feet have muddied?
And as for my sheep, their food is the grass which has been stamped on by your feet, and their drink the water which has been made dirty by your feet.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six out of seven words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the verse's message across different textual traditions.
וְצֹאנִ֑י מִרְמַ֤ס רַגְלֵיכֶם֙ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה וּמִרְפַּ֥שׂ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם תִּשְׁתֶּֽינָה׃ ס
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 34:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
צֹאן (tso'n) refers to small cattle, specifically sheep and goats, and is used to denote a flock or flocks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a multitude. The term appears in contexts such as Psalm 144:13, where it emphasizes the collective nature of these animals.
צֹאן 273 n.coll.f. small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
base
H6629 צֹאן small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
6629 tso'n tsone
or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root
meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or
goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock
(+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).
צֹאן (tson) — flock.
1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats)
1b) of multitude (simile)
1c) of multitude (metaphor)
צֹאן (tson) — Sheep (Gate).
This name means sheep and goats
Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)
Conj | N-cs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common both singular construct · suffixHC/Ncbsc/Sp1bs
מִרְמָס (mirmas) refers to a place of trampling or the act of trampling itself. It is derived from the root meaning to tread down or be trodden underfoot. The entries consistently highlight its association with abasement and trampling.
מִרְמָס n.[m.] trampling-place, trampling
base
H4823 מִרְמָס trampling-place, trampling
4823 mirmac meer-mawce'
from 7429; abasement (the act or the thing):--tread
(down)-ing, (to be) trodden (down) under foot.
see HEBREW for 07429
מִרְמָס (mir.mas) — trampling.
1) trampling place, trampling
1a) trampling place
1b) trampling
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.
רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot
foot
three times (feet, paces)
base
H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot
. three times (feet, paces)
7272 regel reh'-gel
from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a
step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X
according as, X after, X coming, X follow,
((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X
journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.
see HEBREW for 07270
רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.
1) foot
1a) foot, leg
1b) of God (anthropomorphic)
1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table
1d) according to the pace of (with prep)
1e) three times (feet, paces)
Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp2mp
The Hebrew word רָעָה (*ra'ah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to tend or pasture a flock. It covers a range of meanings including to graze, rule, associate with, and befriend. The term appears in contexts related to shepherding and companionship, with a specific mention of the 'binding-house of shepherds' in 2 Kings 10:12.
בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים perh. n.pr.loc. (binding-house of the shepherds) 2 K 10:12
base
רָעָה 167 vb. pasture, tend, graze
Qal
trans.
intrans.
Niph. poss.
Hiph. v.
base
[רָעָה] vb. prob. associate with
Qal cherish faithfulness
Hithp. do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man
base
[רָעָה] vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend;—Ju 14:20
ref
H7462a בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים binding-house of shepherds H7462b רָעָה pasture, tend, graze H7462c רָעָה prob. associate with H7462d רָעָה vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend
7462 ra`ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it;
intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively);
generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a
friend):--X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat
up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with,
herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house,
shepherd, wander, waste.
בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים (bet-e.qed ha.ro.im) — House of Shepherds.
Ra'ah = "pasturing"
perh. "binding-house of the shepherds"
רָעָה (ra.ah) — to pasture.
1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to tend, pasture
1a1a) to shepherd
1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig)
1a1c) of people as flock (fig)
1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst)
1a2) to feed, graze
1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal)
1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig)
1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess
Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)
רָעָה (ra.ah) — to accompany.
1) to associate with, be a friend of (meaning probable)
1a) (Qal) to associate with
1b) (Hithpael) to be companions
רָעָה (ra.ah) — to befriend.
(Piel) to be a special friend
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine pluralHVqi3fp
מַרְפֵּשׂ (mirpas) refers to muddied or befouled water, specifically that which has been contaminated by trampling. The term is noted in the context of Ezekiel 34:19, where it describes water that has been fouled.
[מַרְפֵּשׂ ?] n.[m.] (water) befouled ( by trampling);—cstr. Ez 34:19.
ref
H4833 מַרְפֵּשׂ, מִרְפָּשׂ
4833 mirpas meer-paws'
from 7515; muddled water:--that which...have fouled.
see HEBREW for 07515
מַרְפֵּשׂ (mir.pa.s) — mud.
befouled, thing befouled
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.
רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot
foot
three times (feet, paces)
base
H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot
. three times (feet, paces)
7272 regel reh'-gel
from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a
step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X
according as, X after, X coming, X follow,
((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X
journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.
see HEBREW for 07270
רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.
1) foot
1a) foot, leg
1b) of God (anthropomorphic)
1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table
1d) according to the pace of (with prep)
1e) three times (feet, paces)
Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp2mp
שָׁתָה (shathah) means 'to drink' and can refer to both literal drinking and figurative uses, such as feasting or experiencing God's wrath. It is a primitive root that appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like drinking and being drunk. The lexicons note its connection to the Aramaic equivalent שְׁתָה (she.tah), but do not present significant disagreements.
שָׁתָה 217 vb. drink
Qal 216
Niph. all which is (may be) drunk
base
H8354 שָׁתָה drink
8354 shathah shaw-thaw'
a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X
assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk
(X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)
see HEBREW for 08248
שָׁתָה (sha.tah) — to drink.
1) to drink
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to drink
1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig)
1a2) to feast
1b) (Niphal) to be drunk
Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355)
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine pluralHVqi3fp
See FOOD; DRINK, STRONG.
Drink
The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, “strong drink,” and vinegar. Their drinking vessels were the cup, goblet or “basin,” the “cruse” or pitcher, and the saucer.
To drink water by measure (Ezek. 4:11), and to buy water to drink (Lam. 5:4), denote great scarcity. To drink blood means to be satiated with slaughter.
The Jews carefully strained their drinks through a sieve, through fear of violating the law of Lev. 11:20, 23, 41, 42. (See Matt. 23:24. “Strain at” should be “strain out.”)
→ INTOXICATING
See ABSTINENCE, TOTAL
→ See DRUNKARD
→ See DRUNKENNESS
→ See WINE