Jeremia 6:3

3 Aber es werden die Hirten über sie kommen mit ihren Herden, die werden Gezelte rings um sie her aufschlagen und weiden ein jeglicher an seinem Ort und sprechen:

Jeremia 6:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 6:3

The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her
Kings and their armies, as the Targum paraphrases it; kings and generals are compared to shepherds, and their armies to flocks, who are under their command and direction; here they design Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with his generals and armies, who should come up against Jerusalem, as to a good pasture: they shall pitch their tents against her round about;
their military tents, in allusion to pastoral ones. The phrase is expressive of the Chaldean army surrounding and besieging Jerusalem: they shall feed everyone in his place;
where he is ordered and fixed by his head general: or, "everyone shall feed his hand" F16: the sheep of his hand; see ( Psalms 95:7 ) , "them that are under his hand", as the Vulgate Latin version renders it; who are committed to his care and charge. The meaning is, he shall direct the company or companies of soldiers under him, where to be, and what part to take in the siege; or "with his hand", as the Septuagint, with the skilfulness of his hands, ( Psalms 78:72 ) , or with might and power; or "at his hand", as the Arabic version; what is at hand, what is nearest to him; or according to his will and pleasure. The Targum is,

``everyone shall help his neighbour.''
The sense, according to Kimchi, is, one king or general shall lay siege against a city, or against cities, and so another, until they have consumed and subdued the whole land.
FOOTNOTES:

F16 (wdy ta vya wer) "paverunt unusquisque manum suam", Montanus; "eos qui sub manu sua sunt", V. L.

Jeremia 6:3 In-Context

1 Fliehet, ihr Kinder Benjamin, aus Jerusalem und blaset die Drommete auf der Warte Thekoa und werft auf ein Panier über der Warte Beth-Cherem! denn es geht daher ein Unglück von Mitternacht und ein großer Jammer.
2 Die Tochter Zion ist wie eine schöne und lustige Aue.
3 Aber es werden die Hirten über sie kommen mit ihren Herden, die werden Gezelte rings um sie her aufschlagen und weiden ein jeglicher an seinem Ort und sprechen:
4 "Rüstet euch zum Krieg wider sie! Wohlauf, laßt uns hinaufziehen, weil es noch hoch Tag ist! Ei, es will Abend werden, und die Schatten werden groß!
5 Wohlan, so laßt uns auf sein, und sollten wir bei Nacht hinaufziehen und ihre Paläste verderben!"
The Luther Bible is in the public domain.