Jeremiah 23:1
New International Version
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.

New Living Translation
“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the LORD.

English Standard Version
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

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

New King James Version
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who are causing the sheep of My pasture to perish and are scattering them!” declares the LORD.

NASB 1995
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

NASB 1977
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
“Woe to the shepherds (civil leaders, rulers) who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! ” This is the LORD’s declaration.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” This is the LORD’s declaration.

American Standard Version
Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
You leaders of my people are like shepherds that kill and scatter the sheep.

English Revised Version
Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"How horrible it will be for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep in my care," declares the LORD.

Good News Translation
How terrible will be the LORD's judgment on those rulers who destroy and scatter his people!

International Standard Version
"How terrible for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

NET Bible
The 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.

New Heart English Bible
"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture." says the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe be to the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

World English Bible
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says Yahweh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Woe to shepherds destroying, "" And scattering the flock of My pasture,” "" A declaration of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
Woe to shepherds destroying, And scattering the flock of My pasture, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wo to the shepherds destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture! says Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to the pastors, that destroy and tear the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Woe to the shepherds who scatter and tear apart the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord.

New American Bible
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of my pasture—oracle of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
WOE to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Oh, Shepherds, who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, says LORD JEHOVAH!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter The sheep of My pasture! saith the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Woe to the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of their pasture!
Audio Bible



Context
David's Righteous Branch
1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. 2Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.…

Cross References
Ezekiel 34:2-10
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock? / You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock. / You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. ...

Zechariah 11:4-17
This is what the LORD my God says: “Pasture the flock marked for slaughter, / whose buyers slaughter them without remorse. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion on them. / For I will no longer have compassion on the people of the land, declares the LORD, but behold, I will cause each man to fall into the hands of his neighbor and his king, who will devastate the land, and I will not deliver it from their hands.” ...

Matthew 23:13-39
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. ...

John 10:11-13
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. / The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. / The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.

Isaiah 56:9-12
Come, all you beasts of the field; eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest. / Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. / Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: ...

Micah 3:1-4
Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice? / You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. / You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” ...

Matthew 9:36
When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Mark 6:34
When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

Acts 20:28-30
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. / I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

1 Peter 5:2-4
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; / not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. / And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.

Zechariah 10:2-3
For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd. / “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the LORD of Hosts attends to His flock, the house of Judah; He will make them like His royal steed in battle.

Jeremiah 10:21
For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

Jeremiah 50:6
My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.


Treasury of Scripture

Woe be to the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! said the LORD.

Woe.

Jeremiah 2:8,26
The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit…

Ezekiel 13:3
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

Ezekiel 34:2
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

pastors.

Jeremiah 23:2,11-15
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 2:8
The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

Jeremiah 10:21
For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

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Affirmation Causing Curse Declares Destroy Destroying Destruction Field Flock Keepers Loss Pastors Pasture Scatter Scattering Sheep Shepherds Wo Woe
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Affirmation Causing Curse Declares Destroy Destroying Destruction Field Flock Keepers Loss Pastors Pasture Scatter Scattering Sheep Shepherds Wo Woe
Jeremiah 23
1. He prophesies a restoration of the scattered flock.
5. Christ shall rule and save them.
9. Against false prophets;
33. and mockers of the true prophets.














Woe
The term "woe" is a powerful expression of lamentation and impending judgment. In Hebrew, the word is "הוֹי" (hoy), often used by prophets to signal divine displeasure and the seriousness of the situation. It serves as a warning of the consequences that will follow if there is no repentance. This word sets the tone for the entire verse, indicating that what follows is a grave matter in the eyes of God.

to the shepherds
In the context of ancient Israel, "shepherds" refers metaphorically to leaders, particularly kings, priests, and prophets, who were responsible for guiding and caring for the people. The Hebrew word "רֹעִים" (ro'im) is used here, which literally means those who tend to flocks. Historically, shepherds were seen as protectors and providers, and thus, this term underscores the responsibility and trust placed upon these leaders by God.

who destroy and scatter
The actions of "destroy" and "scatter" are significant. The Hebrew words "מְאַבְּדִים" (me'abdim) and "מְפִיצִים" (mefitzim) convey a sense of active harm and dispersion. These leaders are not merely negligent; they are actively causing harm and division among the people. This imagery is poignant, as it contrasts sharply with the expected role of a shepherd, which is to gather, protect, and nurture the flock.

the sheep of My pasture
The "sheep" symbolize the people of Israel, and "My pasture" indicates God's ownership and care for His people. The Hebrew word for "sheep" is "צֹאן" (tso'n), and "pasture" is "מִרְעִיתִי" (mir'iti), which implies a place of provision and safety. This phrase emphasizes the personal relationship between God and His people, highlighting the betrayal of the shepherds who fail in their duty to care for what belongs to God.

declares the LORD
The phrase "declares the LORD" is a solemn affirmation of divine authority. The Hebrew "נְאֻם־יְהוָה" (ne'um-YHWH) is often used in prophetic literature to assert that the message is not merely the prophet's opinion but a direct communication from God Himself. This underscores the seriousness of the indictment against the leaders and assures the audience that the words carry the weight of divine truth and justice.

XXIII.

(1) Woe be unto the pastors . . .--The message that follows in Jeremiah 23:1-8 comes as a natural sequel to that of Jeremiah 22. The unfaithful shepherds who had been there denounced are contrasted with those, more faithful to their trust, whom Jehovah will raise up. As before, in Jeremiah 2:8 and elsewhere, we have to remember that the "pastors" are (like the "shepherds of the people" in Greek poets) the civil rulers, not the prophets or the priests, of Israel. The parallelism with the prophecy of Ezekiel 34, delivered about the same time in the land of exile, is suggestive either of direct communication between the two writers, or of traditional lines of thought common to the two priest-prophets.

The sheep of my pasture.--The words assert the claims of Jehovah to be the true Shepherd of His people. (Comp. Psalm 79:13; Psalm 100:3.)



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Woe
ה֣וֹי (hō·w)
Interjection
Strong's 1945: Ah! alas! ha!

to the shepherds
רֹעִ֗ים (rō·‘îm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with

who destroy
מְאַבְּדִ֧ים (mə·’ab·bə·ḏîm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

and scatter
וּמְפִצִ֛ים (ū·mə·p̄i·ṣîm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered

the sheep
צֹ֥אן (ṣōn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

of My pasture!”
מַרְעִיתִ֖י (mar·‘î·ṯî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4830: A pasturing, shepherding, pasturage

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə·’um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 23:1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy (Jer.)
Jeremiah 22:30
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