Jeremiah 50:6 kjv
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
Jeremiah 50:6 nkjv
"My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place.
Jeremiah 50:6 niv
"My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.
Jeremiah 50:6 esv
"My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold.
Jeremiah 50:6 nlt
"My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray
and turned them loose in the mountains.
They have lost their way
and can't remember how to get back to the sheepfold.
Jeremiah 50 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 50:17 | Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away. | Echoes the shepherdless sheep theme |
| Ezekiel 34:5 | "So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd..." | Highlights consequence of bad leaders |
| Ezekiel 34:6 | "My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth..." | Reinforces the scattered sheep image |
| Jeremiah 23:1 | "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" | Condemnation of corrupt leaders |
| Jeremiah 10:21 | "For the shepherds have been foolish and have not sought the LORD..." | Implies leaders' ignorance of God |
| Psalm 23:1 | "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." | Contrasting good shepherd |
| Matthew 9:36 | "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." | Jesus' compassion for the lost |
| Luke 15:4 | "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?" | Parable of the lost sheep |
| John 10:11 | "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." | Jesus as the ultimate shepherd |
| Isaiah 40:11 | "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms..." | God's tender care for His people |
| Jeremiah 3:15 | "And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." | Promise of true leadership |
| Hosea 4:16 | "For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD give them pasture in the wilderness?" | Stubbornness leading to scattering |
| 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..." | Prophecy of a future shepherd |
| Zechariah 10:2 | "...for the shepherds have been foolish and have not consulted the LORD..." | Leaders' failure to seek God |
| Acts 20:28 | "...to feed the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." | New Testament application of care |
| 1 Peter 5:2 | "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight..." | Instruction to church leaders |
| Psalm 79:13 | "Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever..." | Identity of God's people |
| Jeremiah 23:2 | "Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: ‘You have scattered my flock and driven them away and you have not attended to them..." | Direct accusation against false shepherds |
| Isaiah 53:6 | "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." | Universal human straying |
| Hebrews 13:20 | "Now may the God of peace who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, from the dead our Lord Jesus..." | Jesus as the great shepherd |
Jeremiah 50 verses
Jeremiah 50 6 Meaning
This verse describes the people of God as sheep that have gone astray, having been led away by their shepherds (leaders). They have forgotten their true resting place and true pasture.
Jeremiah 50 6 Context
Jeremiah 50 is a powerful prophecy directed against Babylon, condemning its sin and predicting its utter destruction. This chapter is part of a larger section (chapters 50-51) detailing God's judgment on the nations, with Babylon being the primary focus due to its role in the exile of Israel. In this specific verse, the prophecy shifts to the condition of God's own people, Israel, in relation to their oppressors and their spiritual state. The preceding verses speak of the nations' participation in Babylon's judgment, and this verse introduces the consequences of Babylon's actions on Israel's spiritual welfare, portraying them as lost and misled sheep.
Jeremiah 50 6 Word Analysis
- “My”: Refers to God, asserting His possession and care over His people.
- “sheep”: Symbolizes the Israelites, known for their reliance on guidance and their vulnerability without it. This metaphor emphasizes their need for true spiritual leadership.
- “have gone astray”: Indicates deviation from the right path, loss of direction, and abandonment of God's will. It signifies a state of being lost.
- “from”: Denotes separation or departure.
- “me”: Refers back to God as the source of true guidance and safety.
- “they”: The pronoun refers to God’s people, Israel.
- “are gone”: Expresses their present state of being lost and separated.
- “one to his”: Highlights the individual turning away from God’s collective guidance and pursuing personal ways. This implies a breakdown of order and submission.
- “own way”: Refers to personal desires, self-will, and independent paths that deviate from God's prescribed way. This suggests a rebellion against divine authority and leading.
- “and the shepherds”: Refers to the religious and political leaders of Israel who were entrusted with guiding the people.
- “have made them”: Attributes the responsibility of the people's straying to these leaders.
- “blind”: Suggests a lack of spiritual discernment and an inability to perceive God’s truth or recognize danger. This reflects ignorance and failure in leadership.
Words-Group Analysis
- "My sheep... have gone astray": This group of words establishes the core metaphor. It immediately points to God’s people (sheep) being in a state of lostness and deviation, indicating a failure in protection and guidance. This connects to God's fatherly relationship with His people, emphasizing that their wandering is a loss of belonging to Him.
- "one to his own way": This phrase captures the essence of individual sin and disobedience. It’s not just collective error but personal turning away, a rejection of unified adherence to God’s commands and guidance, implying a failure of leadership to maintain communal righteousness.
- "the shepherds... have made them blind": This is a critical indictment. It places the blame squarely on the leaders for the spiritual and physical plight of the people. Their failure is characterized by an inability to see, or rather, an inability to help others see the path, resulting in the nation’s perishing because of a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).
Jeremiah 50 6 Bonus Section
The imagery of shepherds and sheep is pervasive throughout the Old Testament, deeply connected to the pastoral culture of ancient Israel. God Himself is often portrayed as the ultimate shepherd of Israel (Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11). Conversely, corrupt leaders are consistently denounced for abandoning or mistreating the flock. This verse fits into a continuum of prophetic criticism against leadership failures, emphasizing that the state of the people is often a direct reflection of the quality of their leaders. The mention of leaders making the people "blind" directly links to the theme that lack of true knowledge and understanding from God’s word is a primary cause of spiritual downfall. This lack of divine insight, facilitated by ignorant leaders, leads to their "own ways" of sin and destruction, which the subsequent prophecy against Babylon also foretells for oppressors.
Jeremiah 50 6 Commentary
This verse presents a somber picture of God's people, Israel, who have become spiritually lost and misguided. The core of their affliction lies in the failure of their shepherds—the leaders appointed to guide them. These leaders, by their actions or lack thereof, have effectively blinded the people, causing them to stray from God’s pasture and His provision. This straying is not merely accidental; it’s depicted as a turning "one to his own way," signifying individual sin and a departure from collective obedience. The people’s condition serves as a consequence of inadequate and unfaithful leadership, highlighting the vital role leaders play in the spiritual health of the community. The ultimate sorrow is that they have lost their way from God Himself, their true source of safety and sustenance.