New English Translation
Jeremiah 23:2
2So the Lord God of Israel has this to say about the leaders who are ruling over his people: “You have caused my people to be dispersed and driven into exile. You have not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil that you have done. I, the Lord, affirm it!
Jeremiah 23:2 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.
- English Standard Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
Context of Jeremiah 23:2
1The Lord says, “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered. So the Lord God of Israel has this to say about the leaders who are ruling over his people: “You have caused my people to be dispersed and driven into exile. You have not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil that you have done. I, the Lord, affirm it! 3Then I myself will regather those of my people who are still alive from all the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their homeland. They will greatly increase in number. 4I will install rulers over them who will care for them. Then they will no longer need to fear or be terrified. None of them will turn up missing. I, the Lord, promise it!
Read all of Jeremiah 23Jeremiah 23:2 word by word
לָ֠כֵן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל עַֽל־הָרֹעִים֮ הָרֹעִ֣ים אֶת־עַמִּי֒ אַתֶּ֞ם הֲפִצֹתֶ֤ם אֶת־צֹאנִי֙ וַתַּדִּח֔וּם וְלֹ֥א פְקַדְתֶּ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם הִנְנִ֨י פֹקֵ֧ד עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם אֶת־רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- against the pastorsרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Ye have scatteredפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
- my flockצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- and driven them awayנָדַחnâdach · to banishH5080
- and have not visitedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
- upon you the evilרֹעַrôa‛ · evilH7455
- of your doingsמַעֲלָלma‛ălâl · deedH4611
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
Cross-references for Jeremiah 23:2
- Matthew 25:36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
- James 1:27Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
- Jeremiah 23:34I will punish any prophet, priest, or other person who says “The Lord’s message is burdensome.” I will punish both that person and his whole family.’”
- Jeremiah 5:9I will surely punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord. “I will surely bring retribution on such a nation as this!”
- Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed because they have done such disgusting things? No, they are not at all ashamed! They do not even know how to blush! So they will die just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them, says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 11:22So the Lord who rules over all said, “I will surely punish them! Their young men will be killed in battle. Their sons and daughters will die of starvation.
- Jeremiah 13:21What will you say when the Lord appoints as rulers over you those allies that you, yourself, had actually prepared as such? Then anguish and agony will grip you like that of a woman giving birth to a baby.
- Exodus 32:34So now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. See, my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish, I will indeed punish them for their sin.”
- Hosea 2:13“I will punish her for the festival days when she burned incense to the Baal idols; she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but she forgot me!” says the Lord.
- Micah 7:4The best of them is like a thorn; the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen – your appointed time of punishment – is on the way, and then you will experience confusion.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 23:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Ye have scattered my flock - The bad government both in Church and State was a principal cause of the people's profligacy.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2They had scattered them first spiritually by leading them into idolatry; and secondly, many had literally been taken to Egypt with Jehoahaz, many in Jehoiakim‘s time had fled there, while others fell away to the Chaldaeans: and finally the best of the land had been carried to Babylon with Jeconiah. Driven away - i. e., made them outcasts. In the East, shepherds never drive their flocks, but go ahead of them John 10:4-5. Have not visited them - i. e., have…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8The Lord criticized the three kings (Jeremiah 22) and compared them to the good leader he would appoint for his people after the Exile.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Ye have not ... visited them ... I will visit upon you--just retribution. Play upon the double sense of "visit." "Visit upon," namely, in wrath (Ex 32:34).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 23:2
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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