Jeremiah 23:2

New Living Translation

Therefore, this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: "Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend my people: You have scattered my flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I am about to attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s declaration.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, against the shepherds who feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says the LORD.

King James Version
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 .

English Standard Version
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 American Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not been concerned about them; behold, I am going to call you to account for the evil of your deeds," declares the LORD.

New Century Version
They are responsible for the people, so the Lord , the God of Israel, says to them: "You have scattered my people and forced them away and not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil things you have done," says the Lord .

Amplified Bible
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, in regard to the shepherds who care for and feed My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; hear this, I am about to visit and attend to you for the evil of your deeds," says the LORD.

World English Bible
Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Yahweh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore thus saith the Lorde God of Israel vnto the pastors that feede my people, Yee haue scattered my flock and thrust them out, and haue not visited them: beholde, I will visite you for the wickednesse of your works, saith the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who are shepherding My people: "You have scattered My flock and banished them and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds," declares Yahweh.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, 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.

Contemporary English Version
You were supposed to take care of my people, but instead you chased them away. So now I'll really take care of you, and believe me, you will pay for your crimes!

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore this is what Adonai , the God of Isra'el, says against the shepherds who shepherd my people: "You have scattered my flock, driven them away and not taken care of them. So I will ‘take care of' you because of your evil deeds," says Adonai .

Darby Translation
Therefore thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel concerning the shepherds 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 Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
They are responsible for my people. And this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to them: "You shepherds 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 evil things you did." This message is from the Lord :

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore thus speaks the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and have caused them to go astray, and have not visited them; behold, I will punish you according to your evil doings, says the LORD.

Good News Translation
This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says about the rulers who were supposed to take care of his people: "You have not taken care of my people; you have scattered them and driven them away. Now I am going to punish you for the evil you have done.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people, "You yourselves have scattered my flock, and you have driven them away, and you do not attend to them. Look, I will punish you for the evil of your deeds," declares Yahweh.

Literal Translation
Because of this, so says Jehovah the God of Israel against the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, and have driven them away, and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore, this is the comaundemet of the LORDE God of Israel, vnto the shepherdes that fede my people: Ye scatre ad thrust out my flocke, and loke not vpon them. Therfore, now will I vyset the wickednes of youre ymaginacions, saieth ye LORDE:

American Standard Version
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds 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 Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
So this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said against the keepers who have the care of my people: You have let my flock be broken up, driving them away and not caring for them; see, I will send on you the punishment for the evil of your doings, says the Lord.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed My people: Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

King James Version (1611)
Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Yee haue scattered my flocke and driuen them away, and haue not visited them; behold I will visite vpon you the euill of your doings, saith the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore this is the saying of the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepheardes that feede my people, Ye scatter and thrust out my flocke, and loke not vpon them: therefore nowe wyll I visite the wickednesse of your imaginations, saith the Lorde.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Therefore thus saith the Lord against them that tend my people; Ye have scattered my sheep, and driven them out, and ye have not visited them: behold, I will take vengeance upon you according to your evil practices.

English Revised Version
Therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds 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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the Lord God of Israel seith these thingis to the scheepherdis, that feeden my puple, Ye han scaterid my floc, and han cast hem out, and han not visitid hem; lo! Y schal visite on you the malice of youre studies, seith the Lord.

Update Bible Version
Therefore this is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, against the shepherds that feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; look, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 English Translation
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!

New King James Version
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.

New Life Bible
The Lord God of Israel says this about the shepherds who are caring for My people, "You have made My flock go everywhere and have driven them away, and have not cared for them. See, I am about to punish you for your sinful things you have done," says the Lord.

New Revised Standard
Therefore thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Concerning the shepherds who are tending my people, - Ye have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and Nave not visited them, - Behold me! visiting upon you the wickedness of your doings Declareth Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel to the pastors that feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold I will visit upon you for the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
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 doings, says the LORD.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Against the shepherds who feed My people, Ye have scattered My flock, and drive them away, And have not inspected them, Lo, I am charging on you the evil of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds," declares the LORD.

Contextual Overview

¹ "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 . ² Therefore, this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: "Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them. ³ But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the Lord , have spoken! ⁵ "For the time is coming," says the Lord , "when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David's line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. ⁶ And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.' In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. ⁷ "In that day," says the Lord , "when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.' ⁸ Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.' Then they will live in their own land."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and have: Matthew 25:36, Matthew 25:43, James 1:27

I: Jeremiah 23:34, *marg. Jeremiah 5:9, Jeremiah 5:29, Jeremiah 8:12, Jeremiah 11:22, Jeremiah 13:21, *marg. Exodus 32:34, Hosea 2:13, Micah 7:4

Reciprocal: Leviticus 18:25 - therefore Numbers 14:18 - visiting 1 Kings 22:17 - as sheep 2 Chronicles 18:16 - as sheep Psalms 78:52 - like a Jeremiah 2:8 - the pastors Jeremiah 13:20 - where Jeremiah 22:22 - thy pastors Jeremiah 23:1 - pastors Jeremiah 25:12 - punish Jeremiah 50:17 - a scattered Ezekiel 13:2 - prophesy against Ezekiel 34:5 - they were Ezekiel 34:22 - will I Hosea 1:4 - avenge Zechariah 10:3 - anger Zechariah 11:5 - possessors Zechariah 11:16 - which Acts 15:36 - Let 1 Corinthians 9:7 - or 1 Peter 2:25 - ye

Cross-References

Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord .

Genesis 23:14
Ephron answered Abraham,

Genesis 23:15
"My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead."

Genesis 23:16
So Abraham agreed to Ephron's price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction.

Genesis 23:18
It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate.

Genesis 23:19
Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron).

Genesis 27:41
From that time on, Esau hated Jacob because their father had given Jacob the blessing. And Esau began to scheme: "I will soon be mourning my father's death. Then I will kill my brother, Jacob."

Genesis 50:10
When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph's father.

Numbers 13:22
Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—all descendants of Anak—lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.)

Numbers 20:29
When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel,.... The covenant God of that people, who are Called his sheep, and the sheep of his pasture; having made a covenant with their fathers, and provided a good pasture for them, the land of Israel, where they enjoyed all blessings, civil and religious, and appointed persons over them to feed them; but these did not do their duty, and therefore the Lord was against them, as follows:

against the pastors that feed my people; whose office it was to feed, rule, and defend them; and who pretended to do it, but did it not;

ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; they had been the means of their being driven out of their dwellings, and out of their own land, and of their being among the nations of the world, and took no care for the return of them, any more than they concerned themselves for their welfare when over them; or they suffered the enemy, like beasts of prey, to come in among them, which scattered them, and drove them from their pasture, as sheep are by bears, dogs, and wolves; and took no care to preserve them from them, or to gather them together again to their pasture. The people of the Jews, at the time when Christ came, hereafter prophesied of, were scattered as sheep without a shepherd, and are called the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Matthew 9:36;

behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord; that is, punish them for their iniquities; since they visited not the flock in a way of mercy and kindness, as the duty of their office required, the Lord would visit them in a way of justice, and punish them according to their deserts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They 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 not concerned yourselves about their conduct.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 23:2. Ye have scattered my flock — The bad government both in Church and State was a principal cause of the people's profligacy.