9-10. So I, the Lord, will punish you! I will rescue my sheep from you and never let you be their shepherd again or butcher them for food. I, the Lord, have spoken.
11. The Lord God then said:I will look for my sheep and take care of them myself,
12. just as a shepherd looks for lost sheep. My sheep have been lost since that dark and miserable day when they were scattered throughout the nations. But I will rescue them
13. and bring them back from the foreign nations where they now live. I will be their shepherd and will let them graze on Israel's mountains and in the valleys and fertile fields.
14. They will be safe as they feed on grassy meadows and green hills.
15. I promise to take care of them and keep them safe,
16. to look for those that are lost and bring back the ones that wander off, to bandage those that are hurt and protect the ones that are weak. I will also slaughter those that are fat and strong, because I always do right.
17. The Lord God said to his sheep, the people of Israel:I will carefully watch each one of you to decide which ones are the strong sheep and which ones are weak.
18. Some of you eat the greenest grass, then trample down what's left when you finish. Others drink clean water, then step in the water to make the rest of it muddy.