The conjunction Therefore introduces the result of the bad actions of the strong and powerful sheep (that is, the leaders). God will punish them but protect the other sheep (that is, his people).

Thus says the Lord GOD to them: For this traditional prophetic formula, which emphasizes the divine authority of the message, see Ezek 34.2. The pronoun them refers to the strong sheep.

Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep: For the emphatic Hebrew expression rendered Behold, I, I myself, see verse 11. The fat sheep are the “strong” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) ones, those that are well-fed. The lean sheep are the “weak” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) ones, those that are “scrawny” (New Living Translation), “skinny” (New International Reader’s Version), or “thin” (New Century Version). The Hebrew word for sheep refers to the individual members of the community (see the comments on Ezek 34.2). A good model of this clause that keeps the strong emphasis is “Look, I myself, I am going to be the one who judges between you strong sheep and the weak sheep.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .