The Lord says, ¹  “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. ²  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. ³ 

biblegateway Jer 23:1

"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!" declares the LORD.

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" This is the LORD's declaration.

"How horrible it will be for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep in my care," declares the LORD.

biblegateway Jer 23:1

"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD.

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD.

bibleoremus Jer 23:1

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.

Woe betide the shepherds who let the sheep of my flock scatter and be lost! says the LORD.

biblegateway Jer 23:1

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" says the LORD.

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

biblegateway Jer 23:1

The Lord says, ¹  “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. ²  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. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

² sn Heb This particle once again introduces a judgment speech. The indictment is found in v. 1 and the announcement of judgment in v. 2. This leads into an oracle of deliverance in vv. 3-4. See also the note on the word “judged” in 22:13.

³ tn Heb “Woe to the shepherds who are killing and scattering the sheep of my pasture.” See the study note on 22:13 for the significance of “Sure to be judged” (Heb “Woe”) See the study note for the significance of the metaphor introduced here.

³ sn Verses 1-4 of ch. 23 are an extended metaphor in which the rulers are compared to shepherds and the people are compared to sheep. This metaphor has already been met with in 10:21 and is found elsewhere in the context of the Lord’s covenant with David (cf. 2 Sam 7:7-8; Ps 78:70-72). The sheep are God’s people and he is the ultimate shepherd who is personally concerned about their care (cf. Pss 23:1; 80:2). He has set rulers over them as his under-shepherds and they are responsible to him for the care of his sheep (see 22:3-4). They have been lax shepherds, allowing the sheep to be scattered and destroyed. So he will punish them. As the true shepherd of Israel he will regather his scattered flock and place new shepherds (rulers) over them. These verses lead to a promise of an ideal ruler set over an Israel which has experienced a new and better Exodus (vv. 6-8). For a more complete development of this metaphor with similar messianic and eschatological implications see Ezek 34. The metaphor has been interpreted in the translation but some of the flavor left in the simile.