As the shepherd visiteth his flock in the day when he shall be in the midst of his sheep that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep, and will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
כְּבַקָּרַת֩ רֹעֶ֨ה עֶדְר֜וֹ בְּיוֹם־הֱיוֹת֤וֹ בְתוֹךְ־צֹאנוֹ֙ נִפְרָשׁ֔וֹת כֵּ֖ן אֲבַקֵּ֣ר אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וְהִצַּלְתִּ֣י אֶתְהֶ֗ם מִכָּל־הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפֹ֣צוּ שָׁ֔ם בְּי֥וֹם עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
When He locates the sheep, He approaches them in their frailty and exhaustion, scattered due to the negligence of the shepherds. He will rescue them from all locations amid the day shrouded in darkness and despair, which Joel also prophesies, declaring: The day of the Lord is coming; it is near—a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness (Joel 2:1-2).
In this context, he refers to the darkness of ignorance that enveloped the world prior to the arrival of our God and Savior in human form. Thus, he compares it to a devoted shepherd who, noticing a fog that threatens his flock and aids predators, assures, “I will tend to my sheep; I will gather the scattered and create one united flock, which constitutes the Church formed from both Jews and Gentiles.” Following this, he prophesies profoundly; the tangible experiences belong solely to the Jewish people, yet what remains mysterious and concealed pertains to all humanity. Furthermore, the experiences of the Jews serve as a foreshadowing of what has been fulfilled in us. Just as their liberation from captivity and return to Judea parallels our restoration from the grips of the devil to God and our freedom from this distressing bondage.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS