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Jeremiah 23:1-8

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

1. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. 2. 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. 3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. 5. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 8. But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Jeremiah 23:1-8 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Jeremiah 23:1

Theological / Devotional

Woe. There is no indication in ch. 23 itself as to the date of this message of woe. However, seeing that the prophecy is placed between a message given before Jehoiachin’s captivity (ch. 22:20-30) and a message that immediately follows Jehoiachin’s captivity (ch. 24), it is not unreasonable to suppose that this message of ch. 23 came during the year 597 B.C.

Pastors. Literally, “shepherds”; the civil rulers of Judah as well as the priests and the prophets (see on ch. 2:8). Jeremiah presents (ch. 23:1-8) the contrast between these false shepherds and the true ones that God will raise up. It is significant that about this same time, in the land of exile, Ezekiel should similarly contrast the false shepherds with the true (see Eze. 34).

My pasture. A pointed reminder to the leaders of Judah that the Lord is the true Shepherd of His flock (see Ps. 23; 79:13; 100:3; John 10:11-15).

By SdaBc