יחזקאל, פרק ל״ד, פסוק י׳

When those entrusted with power abuse their positions, God steps in directly to dismantle their authority and protect the vulnerable. A divine reckoning awaits corrupt leaders who view their subjects as resources to be exploited rather than a flock to be nurtured.

God announces a direct confrontation with these failing leaders, arriving to pay them back for their actions [מצודת דוד]. Because the people belong entirely to God, He demands a strict accounting from the leaders for everything the nation has endured [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This demand is a declaration of punishment and retribution [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that God will severely punish these shepherds for neglecting their duties and abandoning the flock to plunder and predators [מלבי״ם, רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

The immediate consequence of their failure is a complete loss of position. God actively intervenes to remove them from office [ביאור שטיינזלץ], permanently stripping away their kingship, authority, and power [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד]. This removal is absolute, preventing them from ever holding sway over the people again [מצודת ציון].

Once removed, the nature of their downfall carries a dual meaning. On a basic level, they simply will no longer rule over the nation [רד״ק]. However, a prominent approach among commentators suggests a deeper irony: the leaders will no longer be able to sustain themselves [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Stripped of their power, they can no longer maintain their lavish lifestyles at the public expense, grow fat off the nation's resources, or enjoy wealth stolen from the poor [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

Ultimately, this dramatic shift in power serves one core purpose. God acts to rescue His people from the mouths of those who exploited them, ensuring that the flock will never again be consumed by its own leaders [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].