David: The Other Shepherd
(34,23-24)
In MT Ezekiel’s most explicit
messianic oracle occurs at the end of an extended thematic chapter devoted to
Israel’s political leaders described as shepherds (chap. 34). After a harsh
critique of the shepherd-leaders of the past and the present (vv. 1-15) and the
promise that in future times he himself will tend his flock and do justice to
each individual sheep (16-22), the Lord announces: “I will set up over them one
shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be
their shepherd.” He then continues “And I the Lord will be their God, and my
servant David shall be a leader among them; I the Lord have spoken” (23-24).
The chapter ends with a description of the new age that will follow, marked by
a “covenant of peace”. Remarkably, the harbinger of peace at this juncture is
said to be the Lord himself David, the messianic shepherd-leader does not
feature in this final section. Thus, although this chapter clearly contains a
Davidic messianic promise, its main focus is the Lord as the good shepherd of
his people.
With a few exceptions, LXX renders
the Hebrew word for word. Some minor divergences nevertheless draw our
attention. In 34,23 the Old Greek reads: “And I will raise up over them another
shepherd, and he shall feed them: my servant David . . . “The adjective “another”
– ετερον is
found in p967 A-‘ LaW, rendering אחד; most Mss, including B, prefer ενα, in agreement with MT אחד “one”; the notion of “one” leader
announces the end of the split between the two monarchies Israel and Judah, a
theme developed in Ez 37,15-24 and out of context here in 34,23: “another” fits
better, it refers to the bad shepherds of the past in vv. 1-16 and announces a
different kind of leadership.
In 34,25 the Old Greek has “Then I
will promise to David a promise of peace” whereas MT reads “I will make
with them a promise of peace”. Here again, the Greek may have preserved
an earlier text form. The chapter as a whole deals first of all with the leaders
of the people. In this context it is to be expected that the promise is given
to the new ideal leader David. The variant in MT may be inspired by 37,26 where
both LXX and MT have “a promise of peace with them”. In chap. 37 this
better fits the context which deals with the unification of the two nations.
In the final verse of the chapter
(v. 31), LXX reads “My sheep, the sheep of my pasture are you, and I am the
Lord your God, says the Lord”. MT has a puzzling plus: “ . . . the sheep of my
pasture are you, you are Adam” or “ . . . you are human”. A similar phenomenon
occurs at the end of chapter 36 and will be discussed later.
David the One Shepherd (37,21-25)
The second clear reference to a
Davidic messiah occurs in the second part of chap. 37, in the interpretation of
a sign-act. Ezekiel is instructed to bring together two pieces of wood on which
are inscribed the names Judah and Joseph in a gesture symbolising the
unification of the divided kingdom. The explanation in vv. 21-25 focuses on the
role of David focuses on the role of David in the reunification. We read in v.
22: “I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, the
one king shall be the king over them all. Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms”, and in v. 24: “My
servant David shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd”,
and then v. 25: “My servant David shall be their prince forever.” As in chap.
34, the concluding verses of chap. 37 (vv. 26-28) focus on the Lord who makes a
“covenant of peace” with his people. A new element in this section is the
solemnly repeated announcement that the Lord will set his sanctuary among them
(vv. 25.26.27). Again, this is a clear royal messianic promise. However, the emphasis
seems to be on the reunification rather than on the royal figure. Moreover, the
central actor is the Lord, not the king, and the final focus is on his new
temple, not on the expected intervention of a new king.
As in chap. 34, LXX translates for
the most part word for word. The divergences with MT are, however, more
numerous, partly due to difficulties in the Hebrew text, and partly to the fact
that the translator probably used a Vorlage differing from MT in several
instances. The most striking divergences, relevant for our topic, are the
following. 1. After the messianic announcement of the unification of the
kingdom under David and of the erection of the Lord’s sanctuary in chap 37, MT
unexpectedly continues with a description of the eschatological battle against
God (38-39). More fittingly, the Old Greek represented by p967 and Codex
Wirceburgensis goes on with a long visionary description of the new temple
and of the renewed nation (40-48). 2. Where MT refers to the king (mêlêk,
מלך), LXX reads αρχων. The royal title given to Israel’s
leader in MT is exceptional. When speaking about Israel’s king in a positive
sense, Ezekiel avoids the term מלך and prefers נשׂיא. The reason probably is
that, in his eyes, the Lord is the only king over Israel (20,33). (Johan Lust, “Messianism
in LXX-Ezekiel: Towards a Synthesis,” in M.A. Knibb, ed., The Septuagint and
Messianism [Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium 195; Leuven:
Leuven University Press, 2006], 420-22)
