“‘I will set up
Over them
One shepherd,
My servant David.
He shall feed them.
He shall feed them.
He shall be
Their shepherd.
I,
Yahweh,
Will be their God.
My servant David
Shall be the prince
Among them.’
I,
Yahweh,
Have spoken.”
Yahweh’s solution to this problem of the good and bad Israelite sheep was a new shepherd, who is also the old King David (1010-970 BCE). This may be an allusion to a new monarchy in Israel. The new shepherd king would also feed them like Yahweh’s servant David had done for his people. There would be a new prince among the Israelites, like David, the shepherd king. Yahweh, their God, via Ezekiel, had spoken.