They will never again be helpless targets, for the LORD Himself will be their vigilant Shepherd.
They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. (v.28)
In this prophetic promise, the LORD through Ezekiel proclaims a coming day when His people will no longer be vulnerable to those who would exploit or devour them. Historically, this vision would have been especially comforting to the exiles who were carried away to Babylon around 597 BC. Ezekiel, ministering to the displaced Israelites during the years spanning roughly 593-571 BC, delivered God’s assurance that He would rescue His flock from malicious “shepherds,” a metaphor that signified self-serving leaders who had once oppressed God’s people (Ezekiel 34:2-4).
The words, they will live securely, highlight the LORD’s desire for His people to dwell without fear of physical danger or spiritual threat. This promise fits within the broader theme of Ezekiel 34, where God rebukes the corrupt shepherds of Israel, pledges to gather back His scattered sheep, and shepherd them Himself. It anticipates the hope of restoration and renewal: the exiles would be restored to their land, under the watchful care of a true Shepherd—the ultimate future fulfillment of which Christians see in Christ as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
By stating, no one will make them afraid, God emphasizes that His watchfulness and protective presence will override all hostile forces. This points to the LORD’s heart as a shepherd who actively defends His flock. The reference to not being a “prey to the nations” signals the reversal of earlier judgments—where foreign powers were allowed to conquer Israel—now replaced with a promise of protection. Such a promise reassured God’s people that their covenant relationship with Him would not be broken forever, but rather restored and revitalized under His righteous leadership.
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Ezekiel 34:28 meaning
They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. (v.28)
In this prophetic promise, the LORD through Ezekiel proclaims a coming day when His people will no longer be vulnerable to those who would exploit or devour them. Historically, this vision would have been especially comforting to the exiles who were carried away to Babylon around 597 BC. Ezekiel, ministering to the displaced Israelites during the years spanning roughly 593-571 BC, delivered God’s assurance that He would rescue His flock from malicious “shepherds,” a metaphor that signified self-serving leaders who had once oppressed God’s people (Ezekiel 34:2-4).
The words, they will live securely, highlight the LORD’s desire for His people to dwell without fear of physical danger or spiritual threat. This promise fits within the broader theme of Ezekiel 34, where God rebukes the corrupt shepherds of Israel, pledges to gather back His scattered sheep, and shepherd them Himself. It anticipates the hope of restoration and renewal: the exiles would be restored to their land, under the watchful care of a true Shepherd—the ultimate future fulfillment of which Christians see in Christ as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
By stating, no one will make them afraid, God emphasizes that His watchfulness and protective presence will override all hostile forces. This points to the LORD’s heart as a shepherd who actively defends His flock. The reference to not being a “prey to the nations” signals the reversal of earlier judgments—where foreign powers were allowed to conquer Israel—now replaced with a promise of protection. Such a promise reassured God’s people that their covenant relationship with Him would not be broken forever, but rather restored and revitalized under His righteous leadership.