Jeremiah 10:21

21 For the shepherds did follily, and sought not the Lord (For the shepherds of the people did foolishly, and did not seek the Lord); therefore they understood not, and all the flock of them is scattered.

Jeremiah 10:21 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 10:21

For the pastors are become brutish
The "kings" of Judah, so the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, as Jehoiakim and Zedekiah; though it need not be restrained to these only, but may include all inferior civil magistrates, and even all ecclesiastical rulers, who were the shepherds of the people; but these being like the brute beasts, and without understanding of civil and religious things, and not knowing how to govern the people either in a political or ecclesiastical way, were the cause of their ruin. And have not sought the Lord;
this is an instance of their brutishness and stupidity, and opens the source of all their mistakes and misfortunes; they did not seek the Lord for counsel, by whom kings reign well, and princes decree justice; nor doctrine from the Lord, as the Targum, as the priests and prophets should have done, in order to instruct the people, and feed them with knowledge and understanding; nor did either of them seek the glory of God in what they did, but their own interest, worldly advantage, or applause: therefore they shall not prosper;
in their kingdom, and in the several offices and stations in which they were. Some render the words, "therefore they do not act prudently" ^F2; not consulting the Lord, nor warning the people, nor giving them notice of approaching danger: and all their flocks shall be scattered;
the people of the Jews that were under their government, civil or ecclesiastical, should be dispersed in several nations, and especially in Chaldee; wherefore it follows:

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (wlykvh al) "non egerunt prudenter", Vatablus, Tigurine version; "non intellexerunt", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 10:21 In-Context

19 Woe to me on my sorrow, my wound is full evil; forsooth I said, Plainly this is my sickness, and I shall bear it. (Woe to me for my sorrow, my wound is very bad; but I said, Truly this is my plight, and I shall bear it.)

20 My tabernacle is destroyed, all my ropes be broken; my sons went out from me, and be not; none is that shall stretch forth more my tent, and shall raise [up] my skins. (My tent is destroyed, all my ropes be broken; my sons and daughters went out from me, and now be not; there is no longer anyone who shall stretch forth my tent, and shall raise up my curtains.)

21 For the shepherds did follily, and sought not the Lord (For the shepherds of the people did foolishly, and did not seek the Lord); therefore they understood not, and all the flock of them is scattered.

22 Lo! the voice of hearing cometh, and a great moving together from the land of the north, that it set the cities of Judah into wilderness, and a dwelling place of dragons. (Lo! tidings come, and then a great tumult from the land of the north, that shall turn the cities of Judah into a wilderness, and into a dwelling place for dragons, or for jackals.)

23 Lord, I know, that the way of a man is not of him(self), neither it is of a man that he go, and (ad)dress his steps. (Lord, I know, that the way of a person is not their own choosing, nor is it for anyone that they can go, and direct their own steps.)