Jeremiah 23:1

1 "How horrible it will be for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep in my care," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:1 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:1

Woe be unto the pastors
Or, "O ye shepherds" or "governors", as the Targum; the civil rulers and magistrates, kings and princes of the land of Israel; since ecclesiastical rulers, the priests and prophets, are mentioned as distinct from them in ( Jeremiah 23:9 ) ; whose business it was to rule and guide, protect and defend, the people: but, instead of that, they were such that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord God;
set them bad examples, led them into idolatry and other sins, which were the cause of their ruin, and of their being carried captive, and scattered in other countries; and their sin was the more aggravated, inasmuch as these people were the Lord's pasture sheep, whom he had an interest in, and a regard unto, and had committed them to the care and charge of these pastors or governors, to be particularly taken care of.

Jeremiah 23:1 In-Context

1 "How horrible it will be for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep in my care," declares the LORD.

2 "This is what I, the LORD God of Israel, said to the shepherds who take care of my people: You have scattered my sheep and chased them away. You have not taken care of them, so now I will take care of you by punishing you for the evil you have done," declares the LORD.

3 "Then I will gather the remaining part of my flock from all the countries where I chased them. I will bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fertile and increase in number.

4 I will put shepherds over them. Those shepherds will take care of them. My sheep will no longer be afraid or terrified, and not one of them will be missing," declares the LORD.

5 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will grow a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who will rule wisely. He will do what is fair and right in the land.