# within the midst of his scattered flock "with his scattered flock" # they were scattered It is is implied that the animals in the flock scattered because they did not have a shepherd to care for them or protect them. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "they scattered because they did not have a shepherd to care for them" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) # on the day of clouds and darkness "on the cloudy and dark day." Disasters are spoken of as if they were a day of darkness. Alternate translation: "when terrible disasters happened to them" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])