Jeremiah 23:1

The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch

1 "¹Woe to the shepherds who are ²destroying and scattering the ³sheep of My pasture!" 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 "Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!" declares the LORD .

2 Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds," declares the LORD .

3 "Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply.

4 "I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD

5 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD , "When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land.

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 13:3; Ezekiel 34:2; Zechariah 11:17
• 2. Isaiah 56:9-12; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 50:6
• 3. Ezekiel 34:31