Amplified Bible
Jeremiah 23:1
1“Woe to the shepherds (civil leaders, rulers) who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 23:1
“Woe to the shepherds (civil leaders, rulers) who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, in regard to the shepherds who care for and feed My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; hear this, I am about to visit and attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” says the Lord. 3“Then I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries to which I have driven them and bring them back to their folds and pastures; and they will be fruitful and multiply.
Read all of Jeremiah 23Jeremiah 23:1 word by word
ה֣וֹי רֹעִ֗ים מְאַבְּדִ֧ים וּמְפִצִ֛ים אֶת־צֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתִ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Jeremiah 23:1
- Jeremiah 2:8[Even] the priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who deal with the law [given to Moses] did not know Me. The rulers and shepherds also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by [the authority and in the name of] Baal And walked after [idolatrous] things that did not benefit [them].
- Ezekiel 13:3Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit [claiming to have seen things] but have [in fact] seen nothing.
- Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the [spiritual] shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?
- Zechariah 11:17Woe (judgment is coming) to the worthless and foolish shepherd Who deserts the flock! The sword will strike his arm And his right eye! His arm shall be totally withered And his right eye completely blinded.”
- Matthew 23:13“But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so.
- Luke 11:42“But woe (judgment is coming) to you Pharisees, because you [self-righteously] tithe mint and rue and every [little] garden herb [tending to all the minutiae], and yet disregard and neglect justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done, without neglecting the others.
- Jeremiah 23:2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, in regard to the shepherds who care for and feed My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; hear this, I am about to visit and attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 10:21For the shepherds [of the people] have become [like brutes,] irrational and stupid, And have not searched for the Lord or asked about Him or realized their need for Him; Therefore they have not been wise and have not prospered, And all their flocks are scattered.
- Jeremiah 12:10Many shepherds (invaders) have destroyed My vineyard (Judah), They have trampled My field underfoot; They have made My pleasant field A desolate wilderness.
- Jeremiah 22:22The wind [of adversity] will carry away all your shepherds (rulers, statesmen), And your lovers (allies) will go into exile. Surely then you will be ashamed and humiliated and disgraced Because of all your wickedness.
- Jeremiah 25:34Wail, you shepherds, and cry; And roll in ashes, you masters of the flock. For the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions have come in full, And you will fall and be broken into pieces like a choice vessel.
- Jeremiah 50:6“My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside [to the seductive places of idolatry] on the mountains. They have gone along [from one sin to another] from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their [own] resting place.
- Isaiah 56:9All you beasts of the field, All you beasts (hostile nations) in the forest, Come to eat.
- Ezekiel 22:25There is a conspiracy of her [false] prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured [human] life; they have taken [in their greed] treasure and precious things; they have made many widows among her.
- Micah 3:11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Is not the Lord among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us.”
- Zephaniah 3:3Her officials within her are roaring lions; Her judges are [as hungry as] the wolves at evening, They leave nothing for the morning.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 23:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Wo be unto the pastors - There shall a curse fall on the kings, princes, priests, and prophets; who, by their vicious conduct and example, have brought desolation upon the people.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The pastors - shepherds, i. e., civil rulers Jeremiah 2:8. The sheep of My pasture - literally, of My pasturing, the sheep of whom I am shepherd. The people do not belong to the rulers but to God.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The restoration of the Jews to their own land. (Jr 23:1-8) The wickedness of the priests and prophets of Judah, The people exhorted not to listen to false promises. (Jr 23:9-22) The pretenders to inspiration threatened. (Jr 23:23-32) Also the scoffers at true prophecy. (Jr 23:33-40) Verses 1-8 Woe be to those who are set to feed God's people, but take no concern to do them good! Here is a word of comfort to the neglected sheep. Though only a remnant of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1In the ancient Near East, people often called kings shepherds. Good shepherds protected and cared for their people. However, Judah's kings scattered their people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-40This forms the epilogue to the denunciations of the four kings, in Jr 21:1-22:30. 1. pastors--Shallum, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah (Eze 34:2).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 23:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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