Jeremiah 23:2 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:2 nkjv
Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: "You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:2 niv
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.
Jeremiah 23:2 esv
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:2 nlt
Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: "Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.
Jeremiah 23 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 23:1 | "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the Lord. | Accountability for poor leaders |
| Ezekiel 34:2 | "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the shepherds: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?" | Parallel prophecy against false shepherds |
| John 10:11 | "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." | Contrast: Jesus as the good shepherd |
| John 10:12 | "The hired hand is not the shepherd and whose own the sheep are not. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and flees. And the wolf, and scatters them." | Parallel with hired hands who abandon sheep |
| Zechariah 11:16 | "For I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing sheep, nor seek the lost, nor heal the broken, nor nourish the healthy, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear their hooves in pieces." | Further prophecy of negligent shepherds |
| 1 Peter 5:2 | "Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care—serving as overseers, not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be. Don’t pursue dishonest gain, but be eager to serve." | Exhortation to faithful shepherding |
| Matthew 9:36 | "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." | Jesus' compassion for the lost sheep |
| Acts 20:28 | "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." | Call to pastoral oversight |
| Psalm 23:1 | "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." | God as the ultimate shepherd |
| Isaiah 40:11 | "He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young." | God's tender care for His flock |
| Numbers 27:17 | "...who may go out before them and come in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the people of the Lord may not be like sheep without a shepherd." | Moses praying for a successor leader |
| 1 Kings 22:17 | "And he said, 'I saw all Israel scattered on the hills, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘Behold, I have put these things into his mouth.'" | Israel scattered like sheep |
| Micah 5:4 | "And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth." | The coming Messianic shepherd |
| Hebrews 13:20 | "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep..." | Jesus as the great shepherd |
| Lamentations 2:9 | "Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has no strength to unbar them. Her kings and princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets have no vision from the Lord." | Consequence of leadership failure |
| Psalm 78:71 | "...to take him from following the ewes that are heavy with young, to be a shepherd over Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance." | David appointed as shepherd |
| Isaiah 56:10-11 | "His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all like mute dogs that cannot bark, they see visions all is wrong, they are greedy dogs which never have enough; they are shepherds who have no understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeking his own gain." | Description of false shepherds |
| Hosea 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priests to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." | Destruction due to lack of spiritual guidance |
| John 21:15-17 | After their meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Then Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." "Shepherd my sheep," "Tend my sheep." | Jesus' commission to Peter |
| Galatians 6:1 | "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." | Pastoral responsibility to restore |
| Philippians 2:4 | "Let each of you look not to his own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others." | Principle of selfless care |
Jeremiah 23 verses
Jeremiah 23 2 Meaning
This verse speaks of the devastating consequences for shepherds who fail to care for their flocks. Instead of tending and feeding the sheep, these shepherds scatter them, leading to their destruction and ruin. God declares that He will hold these false shepherds accountable for their neglect and the resulting loss of His sheep.
Jeremiah 23 2 Context
Jeremiah 23:1-8 addresses the failing leadership within Judah. The nation has been plagued by corrupt and self-serving kings and religious leaders who have neglected their responsibilities towards the people. These "shepherds" have not cared for the flock (the people of God) but have instead exploited and scattered them. The consequence, as declared by God in this passage, is divine judgment upon these leaders and a promise of a future righteous shepherd. This prophecy is delivered during a period of severe crisis for Judah, likely before or during the Babylonian exile, a time when the failure of leadership had devastating consequences.
Jeremiah 23 2 Word Analysis
- "Woe": A cry of lamentation or distress, indicating severe misfortune or calamity.
- "to": Indicates the object of the "woe."
- "the shepherds": Refers to the leaders of Israel – kings, priests, and prophets – who were responsible for guiding and caring for God's people, metaphorically seen as a flock.
- "that": Introduces a relative clause describing the shepherds.
- "destroy": (Hebrew: māšḥîṯīm) To ruin, corrupt, pervert, or cause to perish.
- "and": Connects two verbs of action.
- "scatter": (Hebrew: nĕp̱aṣū) To drive away, disperse, or spread abroad.
- "the sheep": Represents the people of Israel.
- "of my pasture": Signifies the people belonging to God, His flock that He has placed under the care of these leaders.
- "declares": (Hebrew: nāʾum) A formula indicating divine pronouncement, confirming the authority of the statement.
- "the Lord": Refers to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel.
Words/Groups Analysis:
- "Shepherds that destroy and scatter": This phrase vividly describes the failure of leadership. Instead of nurturing and protecting, these leaders actively caused harm and disunity, leading the people to ruin and away from God's intended care.
- "Sheep of My pasture": This emphasizes God's ownership and intimate connection with His people. He entrusted them to the leaders, but they ultimately belong to Him, and their mistreatment is an offense against God Himself.
Jeremiah 23 2 Bonus Section
The concept of the shepherd was deeply ingrained in ancient Near Eastern culture, and kings often adopted this imagery for themselves, portraying themselves as benevolent protectors of their people. However, God here exposes the stark reality: Judah's leaders were not like the ideal shepherd. This imagery is also a profound foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, the "Good Shepherd" (John 10:11), who perfectly fulfills the role that human leaders failed to execute. Unlike the unfaithful shepherds who scattered their sheep, Jesus lays down His life for His sheep, seeking and saving the lost. This contrast underscores the deficiency of earthly leadership and the sufficiency of Christ's divine shepherding. The scattering of the sheep by failing shepherds often represented the scattering of God's people into exile due to sin and unfaithfulness, a direct consequence of the leadership's failure to uphold God's law and guide the people in righteousness.
Jeremiah 23 2 Commentary
Jeremiah 23:1 condemns the spiritual and political leaders of Israel for their dereliction of duty. They are called "shepherds" because they were meant to care for God's people, the "sheep." However, these leaders have not fulfilled their role. They have not provided guidance, protection, or nourishment. Instead, their actions have led to the destruction and dispersion of the flock. This is a serious accusation because the well-being of God's people was entrusted to their care. God identifies these people as "my pasture," highlighting His ownership and concern. The term "woe" signals the severe judgment that will come upon these faithless leaders. Their failure is not a minor oversight but a profound betrayal that incurs God's wrath and judgment, a theme echoed throughout scripture concerning responsible leadership.