For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Parallel translations
- WEB For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.
- BSB For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.
- NKJV ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.
- NASB For the Lord God says this: “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them.
- NLT “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God announces that He Himself will search for His sheep and seek them out. Where human shepherds failed, the divine Shepherd takes up the task personally.
Overview
The emphatic 'I myself, even I' marks the great turning point of the chapter. God does not merely appoint better shepherds; He comes in person to seek His scattered flock. This is the heart of the gospel: the seeking God who pursues the lost. It is realized when God comes in the flesh in Jesus, who declares, 'I am the good shepherd' (John 10:11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- John 10:16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
- Luke 19:10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- Isa 40:10–11Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
- Jer 23:3And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
- Jer 31:8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
- Isa 56:8The Lord GOD, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
- Isa 45:12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
- Ps 80:1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
- Matt 13:11–12He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
- Isa 51:12I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
- Ps 23:1–3The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- Deut 32:39See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
- Ps 119:176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
- Ezek 5:8Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.
- Isa 48:15I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
- Hos 5:14For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
- Lev 26:28Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
- Gen 6:17And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
- Ezek 6:3And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 34:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.