The shepherds (leaders) are stupid.\par They don’t try to find the Lord.\par They are not wise,\par so their flocks (people) are scattered and lost.\par
Jeremiah 23:1 - Easy To Read Version “It will be very bad for the shepherds (leaders) of the people of Judah. Those shepherds are destroying the sheep. They are making the sheep run from my pasture in all directions.” This message is from the Lord. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition WOE TO the shepherds (the civil leaders) who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasturing! says the Lord. American Standard Version (1901) Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah. Common English Bible Watch out, you shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, declares the LORD. Catholic Public Domain Version "Woe to the shepherds who scatter and tear apart the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Woe to the pastors that destroy and tear the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. |
The shepherds (leaders) are stupid.\par They don’t try to find the Lord.\par They are not wise,\par so their flocks (people) are scattered and lost.\par
Many shepherds (leaders) have ruined\par my field of grapes.\par Those shepherds have walked\par on the plants in my field.\par Those shepherds have made my beautiful field\par into an empty desert.\par
If you people of Judah don’t listen to the Lord,\par I will hide and cry.\par Your pride will cause me to cry.\par I will cry very hard.\par My eyes will overflow with tears.\par Why? Because the Lord’s flock {\cf2\super [111]} \par will be captured.\par
“A thief is ashamed when people catch him.\par In the same way,\par the people of Israel are ashamed,\par the kings and leaders are ashamed,\par and the priests and prophets are ashamed.\par
“The priests did not ask,\par ‘Where is the Lord?’\par The people that know the law\par did not want to know me.\par The leaders of the people of Israel\par turned against me.\par The prophets prophesied {\cf2\super [5]} in the name\par of the false god Baal. {\cf2\super [6]} \par They worshiped worthless idols.”\par
Judah, the punishment I give\par will come like a storm.\par And it will blow all your shepherds away.\par You thought some of the other nations\par would help you.\par But those nations will also be defeated.\par Then you will really be disappointed.\par You will be ashamed of all the bad things\par that you did.\par
Those shepherds (leaders) are responsible for my people. And the Lord, the God of Israel, says these things to those shepherds: “You shepherds (leaders) have made my sheep run away in all directions. You have forced them to go away. And you have not taken care of them. But I will take care of you—I will punish you for the bad things you did.” This message is from the Lord:
“My people have been like lost sheep.\par Their shepherds (leaders)\par led them the wrong way,\par Their leaders made them wander around\par in the mountains and hills.\par They forgot where their resting place is.\par
The Lord my Master says these things. Bad things will happen to you foolish prophets. You are following your own spirits. You are not telling people what you really see \{in visions\}.
You push with your side and shoulder. You knock down all the weak sheep with your horns. You push until you have forced them away.
“You are my sheep, the sheep of my grassland. You are only human beings. And I am your God.” The Lord my Master said those things.
During the special festivals, Jerusalem is filled with flocks of sheep and goats that have been made holy. In the same way, the cities and ruined places will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Lord says, “I am very angry at the shepherds (leaders). I made those leaders responsible for what happens to my sheep (people).” (The people of Judah are God’s flock. And the Lord All-Powerful really does take care of his flock. He cares for them like a soldier cares for his beautiful war horse.)
Stay away from the Pharisees. {\cf2\super [208]} They lead the people, but they are like blind men leading other blind men. And if a blind man leads another blind man, then both men will fall into a hole.”
Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them. Jesus felt sorry for the people because the people were worried and helpless. The people were like sheep without a shepherd to lead them.
A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good.
The worker that is paid to keep the sheep is different from the shepherd. The paid worker does not own the sheep. So when the worker sees a wolf coming, he runs away and leaves the sheep alone. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them.
All the people that came before I came were thieves and robbers. The sheep did not listen to them.