Jeremiah 10 21

Jeremiah 10:21 kjv

For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

Jeremiah 10:21 nkjv

For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, And have not sought the LORD; Therefore they shall not prosper, And all their flocks shall be scattered.

Jeremiah 10:21 niv

The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the LORD; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered.

Jeremiah 10:21 esv

For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

Jeremiah 10:21 nlt

The shepherds of my people have lost their senses.
They no longer seek wisdom from the LORD.
Therefore, they fail completely,
and their flocks are scattered.

Jeremiah 10 verses

Jeremiah 10 21 Meaning

Jeremiah 10:21 presents a stark indictment of Judah's spiritual and civil leaders, metaphorically referred to as "shepherds." The verse attributes the nation's impending ruin, signified by their scattering and dispersion, to the profound spiritual ignorance of these leaders and their deliberate failure to consult or seek the Lord's guidance. Their decision to lead by their own limited understanding, rather than divine wisdom, rendered them incapable of acting prudently or achieving success, inevitably leading to the devastation of the people under their charge.

Jeremiah 10 21 Context

Jeremiah chapter 10 is situated within a larger prophetic warning against idolatry and a lament over the impending judgment upon Judah. Verses 1-16 specifically condemn the foolishness of pagan idol worship, contrasting lifeless idols with the living and true God, the Creator of all. Following this powerful anti-idolatry polemic, verses 17-25 shift to an immediate lament concerning Judah's destruction and impending exile. Verse 21, specifically, provides the reason for this national calamity: the failures of the nation's leaders. Historically, Judah was rapidly approaching its downfall at the hands of Babylon. Kings like Jehoiakim and Zedekiah proved to be weak, ungodly, and ineffective leaders, often listening to false prophets and pursuing alliances contrary to God's will. The people themselves had largely turned away from the Lord. Jeremiah's message here is a direct indictment of the leadership's spiritual malpractice and neglect, which contributed significantly to the nation's crisis and eventual destruction. It implicitly contrasts God's righteous leadership with the misguided, self-serving actions of human authorities.

Jeremiah 10 21 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - ki): This conjunction introduces the cause or reason for the lament expressed in the preceding verses (Jer 10:19-20), explaining why Judah's destruction is inevitable. It signifies a direct causal link between the leaders' actions and the nation's fate.
• the shepherds (הָרֹעִים - hā-rō-'im): In this prophetic context, "shepherds" is a metaphorical term referring to the civil, political, and often religious leaders of Israel (kings, priests, prophets, elders). This metaphor, common in ancient Near Eastern and biblical literature, denotes rulers who guide, protect, and provide for their people. Their failure as "shepherds" directly correlates to their failure as leaders.
• are become brutish (נִבְעֲרוּ - niv‘ărū): Derived from the Hebrew root ba'ar (בַּעַר), meaning to be dull, stupid, ignorant, or senseless, akin to an animal that acts by instinct rather than reason. It implies a profound spiritual and intellectual dullness, a culpable and willful ignorance of God's ways and wisdom, contrasting sharply with the divine wisdom available to them. This term also carries connotations of foolishness and a lack of understanding as seen in Psa 92:6.
• and have not inquired (וְאֶת-יְהוָה לֹא דָרָשׁוּ - wə-'eṯ-YHWH lō’ ḏā-rā-šū):
  • inquired (דָרָשׁוּ - dā-rā-šū): From darash (דָּרַשׁ), meaning to seek, consult, search, frequent, or to earnestly pursue God's will, instruction (Torah), and presence. This was a fundamental and crucial duty for Israel's leaders.
  • of the LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): Refers to the covenant God of Israel. The leaders' failure was not just a lack of general wisdom, but specifically a neglect of their covenantal relationship with and dependence on YHWH, the ultimate source of all true wisdom and authority for His people.
• therefore (עַל-כֵּן - ‘al-kēn): This phrase indicates a direct consequence or result. Because of their brutishness and failure to inquire of the LORD, specific negative outcomes will inevitably follow.
• they shall not prosper (וְלֹא יַשְׂכִּילוּ - wə-lō’ yaśkîlū):
  • prosper (יַשְׂכִּילוּ - yaśkîlū): From sakal (שָׂכַל), which means to be prudent, wise, to have insight, or to act wisely and consequently succeed or achieve a beneficial outcome. Their lack of divine guidance means they cannot make sound decisions or lead effectively, leading to failure not just for themselves but for the nation.
• and all their flock (וְכָל-מַרְעִיתָם - wə-ḵol-mar‘î-ṯām):
  • flock (מַרְעִיתָם - mar‘î-ṯām): Refers to the pasture or, by extension, the entire body of people whom the shepherds (leaders) were meant to tend and care for. Here, it explicitly denotes the nation of Israel.
• shall be scattered (תָּפוּץ - tā-fūṣ): From naphats (נָפַץ), meaning to break apart, shatter, dash in pieces, or scatter. This term graphically describes dispersion, defeat, and exile, signifying the complete disintegration and forced removal of the nation as a result of the leaders' spiritual failure. It represents the ultimate divine judgment and the tragic outcome for a people whose leaders neglected God's counsel.

Word-group analysis:

• "For the shepherds are become brutish and have not inquired of the LORD": This phrase directly links a profound character flaw (brutishness/ignorance) with a critical leadership failing (neglecting to seek God). It implies that their ignorance prevented them from recognizing the necessity of seeking divine wisdom, or that their stubborn refusal to seek Him led to spiritual dullness. Their rejection of divine input renders them utterly unqualified for leadership, especially in times of crisis for a covenant people.
• "therefore they shall not prosper and all their flock shall be scattered": This section highlights a foundational divine principle of cause and effect: neglecting God's counsel invariably leads to failure, particularly in governance, and ultimately to destructive consequences. The leaders' inability to prosper (act wisely or prudently) has a direct, catastrophic impact on the entire nation ("their flock"), illustrating the heavy responsibility carried by those in authority. The scattering is not solely a result of their poor human leadership, but also God's righteous judgment on a nation that permitted and was complicit in such ungodly governance.

Jeremiah 10 21 Bonus section

The metaphor of the shepherd and flock for ruler and people was prevalent in the ancient Near East, with kings often adopting the title "shepherd" (e.g., Hammurabi of Babylon). Jeremiah, however, applies this familiar imagery within the unique covenantal context of Israel. Unlike pagan rulers who claimed a connection to their deities for their authority, the true source of authority and guidance for Israel's "shepherds" explicitly resided in YHWH, the ultimate Shepherd. Therefore, their failure to "inquire of the LORD" was not merely a lapse in human judgment, but a direct act of rebellion against God's sovereign authority and a profound neglect of their covenantal duties. The judgment of "scattering" further emphasizes this, as it echoes the Mosaic curses outlined in Leviticus and Deuteronomy for covenant disobedience, underscoring that Judah's predicament was not a random misfortune but a divinely ordained consequence of widespread national sin, greatly facilitated by ungodly leaders. This theological understanding also foreshadows the New Testament's presentation of Jesus as the ultimate Good Shepherd, who, in stark contrast to these failing leaders, actively seeks, gathers, and ultimately lays down His life for His flock (John 10).

Jeremiah 10 21 Commentary

Jeremiah 10:21 presents a potent theological argument that the fundamental reason for Judah's impending national catastrophe lay in the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of its leadership. These "shepherds" were "brutish" not out of an inherent lack of intelligence, but from a chosen, culpable spiritual insensitivity and an unwillingness to earnestly engage with the Lord. Their failure to "inquire of the LORD" was not a minor oversight but a severe dereliction of their primary responsibility within the covenant, leading to misguided decisions, spiritual decay among the people, and ultimately the withdrawal of divine favor and protection. Consequently, their efforts were devoid of true "prosperity," which in this context means wise, discerning, and divinely blessed governance. The direct, tragic result of this leadership vacuum and spiritual malpractice was the "scattering" of the nation, illustrating a timeless truth: the well-being and stability of a people are intrinsically tied to the spiritual health, wisdom, and obedience of its leaders to God's revealed will. This verse serves as an enduring prophetic warning that any leadership, when divorced from divine principles and lacking genuine inquiry of God, will inevitably lead its charge towards chaos and ruin.