Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23

In this chapter the prophet, in God's name, is dealing his reproofs and threatenings, I. Among the careless princes, or pastors of the people (Jer. 23:1, 2), yet promising to take care of the flock, which they had been wanting in their duty to, Jer. 23:3-8. II. Among the wicked prophets and priests, whose bad character is here given at large in divers instances, especially their imposing upon the people with their pretended inspirations, at which the prophet is astonished, and for which they... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1-8

I. Here is a word of terror to the negligent shepherds. The day is at hand when God will reckon with them concerning the trust and charge committed to them: Woe be to the pastors (to the rulers, both in church and state) who should be to those they are set over as pastors to lead them, feed them, protect them, and take care of them. They are not owners of the sheep. God here calls them the sheep of my pasture, whom I am interested in, and have provided good pasture for. Woe be to those... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23:9-32

Here is a long lesson for the false prophets. As none were more bitter and spiteful against God's true prophets than they, so there were none on whom the true prophets were more severe, and justly. The prophet had complained to God of those false prophets (Jer. 14:13), and had often foretold that they should be involved in the common ruin; but here they have woes of their own. I. He expresses the deep concern that he was under upon this account, and what a trouble it was to him to see men who... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 23:33-40

The profaneness of the people, with that of the priests and prophets, is here reproved in a particular instance, which may seem of small moment in comparison of their greater crimes; but profaneness in common discourse, and the debauching of the language of a nation, being a notorious evidence of the prevalency of wickedness in it, we are not to think it strange that this matter was so largely and warmly insisted upon here. Observe, I. The sin here charged upon them is bantering God's prophets... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 23 This chapter contains threatenings to the Jewish governors, and to their priests and prophets, on account of their manifold sins; intermixed with gracious promises to the Lord's people, and particularly with a famous promise of the Messiah. The pastors or governors of Israel are charged with scattering and driving away the Lord's flock, for which they are threatened, Jeremiah 23:1 ; and a promise is made of the gathering of the remnant of them, and of setting... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1

Woe be unto the pastors ,.... Or, "O ye shepherds" or "governors", as the Targum; the civil rulers and magistrates, kings and princes of the land of Israel; since ecclesiastical rulers, the priests and prophets, are mentioned as distinct from them in Jeremiah 23:9 ; whose business it was to rule and guide, protect and defend, the people: but, instead of that, they were such that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord God ; set them bad examples, led them into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:2

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:3

And I will gather the remnant of my flock, out of all countries ,.... Such of them as did not perish by the sword, famine, and pestilence, or died not in captivity, and chose not to remain in the kingdom where they were; for all did not return upon the edict of Cyrus: though some think this is to be understood of the gathering of God's elect, the remnant according to the election of grace, the children of God that were scattered abroad, by the sufferings and death of Christ, the Shiloh, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:4

And I will set shepherds over them, which shall feed them ,.... Good shepherds, rulers and governors, that shall rule them with wholesome laws, and protect and defend them; such as Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, and others, after the captivity: or Christian kings and princes, when the Gospel came to be published and established in many kingdoms and provinces, and the sheep of Christ were gathered out of them. Jerom interprets these shepherds of the apostles of Christ; and it may include other... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 23:5

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord ,.... Or, "are coming" F4 ימים באים "dies sunt venientes", Montanus, Schmidt. ; and will soon be here, a few days, months, and years more; so it was usual with the prophets to represent the coming of Christ as near at hand, to comfort the saints, and keep up their faith and expectation of him, and especially the latter prophets; see Haggai 2:6 , Malachi 3:1 ; as also to usher in their prophecies of this sort with a behold, as a note of... read more

Group of Brands