Jeremiah 23:1-8

The Righteous Branch

1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.

2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD.

3 “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.

4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.

5 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David^[a] a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.

7 “So then, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’

8 but they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

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Jeremiah 23:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 23

This chapter contains threatenings to the Jewish governors, and to their priests and prophets, on account of their manifold sins; intermixed with gracious promises to the Lord's people, and particularly with a famous promise of the Messiah. The pastors or governors of Israel are charged with scattering and driving away the Lord's flock, for which they are threatened, Jer 23:1,2; and a promise is made of the gathering of the remnant of them, and of setting up other shepherds over them, under whom they should increase, and be comfortable, Jer 23:3,4; particularly the Messiah is promised; as David's righteous Branch; as a prosperous and righteous King; as the author of righteousness to his people, under whom they should have salvation and safety, Jer 23:5,6; so that in comparison of this salvation, the deliverance out of Egypt should not be spoken of, Jer 23:7,8; and then follows a sad complaint of the priests and prophets; of their profaneness, their adultery, swearing, lying, hypocrisy, and deception of the people; for all which they are severely threatened, Jer 23:9-15; wherefore the people are exhorted not to hearken to them, promising them peace and safety; whereas, by attending to the word of God, it might easily be seen that a storm of wrath was gone forth, and was ready to break, and would fall upon the head of the wicked, to the executing of the thoughts and purposes of God's heart, Jer 23:16-20; and the Lord declares he had not sent these prophets, as might be known from their not turning the people from their evil ways, Jer 23:21,22; whose conduct and behaviour could not be hid from the sight of the Lord, nor their prophecies from his ears, which were no other than dreams, and the deceits of their own hearts; and there was as great a difference between them and the word of the Lord, as between chaff and wheat; seeing his word in his hand is of great virtue and efficacy, whereas there was none in theirs, Jer 23:23-29; wherefore the Lord declares himself to be against these prophets, for stealing his word from their neighbour; for making use of his name, when they were not sent by him; and for causing the people to err by their lies, Jer 23:30-32; and both people, priest, and prophet, are severely threatened for jeering and scoffing at the word of the Lord, calling it the burden of the Lord; which phrase they are forbid to use in a sneering way; and should they persist in it, they are told that God would forsake and forget them, and cast them out, and everlastingly punish them, Jer 23:39,40.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 21

1. Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10; Jeremiah 25:36; Ezekiel 34:1-10; Zechariah 10:2; Zechariah 11:15-17
2. S Isaiah 56:11
3. Psalms 100:3; S Jeremiah 13:17; Ezekiel 34:31
4. John 10:8
5. S Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 13:20
6. Jeremiah 21:12; Ezekiel 34:8-10
7. Isaiah 11:10-12; Jeremiah 32:37; Ezekiel 34:11-16
8. S 1 Kings 8:48
9. S Genesis 48:15; S Isaiah 31:4; Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 31:10; Ezekiel 34:23
10. Jeremiah 30:10; Jeremiah 46:27-28
11. S John 6:39
12. S 2 Kings 19:26; S Isaiah 4:2; Ezekiel 17:22
13. S Matthew 2:2
14. Isaiah 9:7; S Matthew 1:1
15. S Genesis 18:19; Isaiah 11:1; Zechariah 6:12
16. S Leviticus 25:18; S Deuteronomy 32:8; Hosea 2:18
17. Exodus 23:21; Jeremiah 33:16; Matthew 1:21-23
18. S Ezra 9:15; S Isaiah 42:6; Romans 3:21-22; S 1 Corinthians 1:30
19. Jeremiah 30:3
20. S Deuteronomy 15:15; Jeremiah 16:14
21. S Isaiah 14:1; S Isaiah 43:5-6; Jeremiah 30:10; Ezekiel 20:42; Ezekiel 34:13; Amos 9:14-15

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or "up from David’s line"