Jeremiah 23:1

1 Woe to the shepherds, that scatter and draw the flock of my pasture, saith the Lord. (Woe to the shepherds of the people, who scatter and draw away the flock of my pasture, saith 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 Woe to the shepherds, that scatter and draw the flock of my pasture, saith the Lord. (Woe to the shepherds of the people, who scatter and draw away the flock of my pasture, saith the Lord.)

2 Therefore the Lord God of Israel saith these things to the shepherds that feed my people, Ye have scattered my flock, and have cast them out, and have not visited them; lo! I shall visit on you the malice of your studies, saith the Lord. (And so the Lord God of Israel saith these things to the shepherds who feed my people, Ye have scattered my flock, and have cast them out, and have not cared for them/and have not watched over them; lo! I shall punish you for the malice of your deeds, saith the Lord.)

3 And I shall gather together the remnants of my flock from all lands, to which I shall cast them out thither; and I shall turn them (again) to their fields (and I shall return them to their fields), and they shall increase, and shall be multiplied.

4 And I shall raise up shepherds on them, and they shall feed them; they shall no more dread, and shall not be afeared (and they shall no longer have fear, and shall not be afraid); and none shall be sought of the number (of them), saith the Lord

5 Lo! days come, saith the Lord, and I shall raise a just burgeoning, either seed, to David; and he shall reign a king, and he shall be wise, and he shall make doom and rightfulness in earth. (Lo! days come, saith the Lord, and I shall raise up a just Burgeoning, or a descendant, of David; and he shall reign a King, and he shall be wise, and he shall make judgement and righteousness in all the land/and he shall make Law and justice in all the land.)