Ezekiel 34:31

And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men
This is observed, to show that all that had been said in this chapter concerning sheep, and a flock of sheep, was to be understood, not in a literal sense, but in a figurative one, of such as were rational and spiritual persons; a set of men whom the Lord had chosen, and separated from others, as his peculiar flock; and whom he took a special care of, and led them to, and fed them in, green pastures of his own providing; they are the souls of men that Christ is the Shepherd and Bishop of, ( 1 Peter 2:25 ) . The Talmudists ^F21 frequently make use of this text, to prove that Israelites are only called men, and not the Gentiles; see ( Matthew 15:26 ) and I am your God, saith the Lord God;
which is often repeated for the certainty of it, because a blessing of the greatest importance, and which includes all others in it; see ( Ezekiel 34:24 Ezekiel 34:30 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 61. 1. Bava Metzia, fol. 114. 2. & Ceritot, fol. 6. 2.