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Isaiah 56:11

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Greedy dogs - Insatiably feeding themselves with the fat, and clothing themselves with the wool, while the flock is scattered, ravaged, and starved! O what an abundance of these dumb and greedy dogs are there found hanging on and prowling about the flock of Christ! How can any careless, avaricious, hireling minister read this without agitation and dismay?

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Yea, they are greedy dogs - Margin, ‹Strong of appetite.‘ Literally, ‹Strong of soul‘ (עזי־נפשׁ ‛azēy -nephesh Jerome renders it, Canes impudentissimi. So the Septuagint, Κύνες ἀναιδεῖς τῇ ψυχῇ Kunes anaideis tē psuchē - ‹Dogs impudent in soul.‘ They were greedy and insatiable in that which the soul or the appetite demands. The idea here is, that the prophets to whom reference is here made were sensual, and disposed to gorge themselves; living only for carnal indulgence, insensible to the rights of others, and never satisfied.

And they are shepherds that cannot understand - Who are ignorant of the needs of the people, and who cannot be made to comprehend what is needed by them (see Isaiah 56:10).

They all look to their own way - That is, they are all selfish. The ministers of religion are set apart not to promote their own interests bug the welfare and salavation of others.

Every one for his gain - For his own private ends and emoluments.

From his quarter - Lowth, ‹From the highest to the lowest.‘ So Rosenmuller. Septuagint, Κατὰ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ Kata to heautou - ‹Each one according to his own purpose.‘ The Hebrew is literally, ‹From his end,‘ or extremity. Genesis 19:4: ‹From every quarter‘ (מקצה mı̂qqâtseh ) that is, from one end to the other; one and all, the whole. This seems to be the idea here, that one and all were given to selfishness, to covetousness, and to indulgence in luxury and sensuality.

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
Desolating judgments are called for; and this severe rebuke of the rulers and teachers of the Jewish church, is applicable to other ages and places. It is bad with a people when their shepherds slumber, and are eager after the world. Let us pray the Great Shepherd to send us pastors after his own heart, who will feed us with knowledge, that we may rejoice in his holy name, and that believers may be daily added to the church.