Jeremiah 23:1

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 23:1

Wo be unto the pastors - There shall a curse fall on the kings, princes, priests, and prophets; who, by their vicious conduct and example, have brought desolation upon the people. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 23:1

Verse 1 Here the Prophet promises the restoration of the Church; but he reminds hypocrites that there was no reason for them on that account to flatter themselves, especially the king, his councillors, and the priests. Then this prophecy is a mixture of promises and threatenings, for God promises that he would be propitious to the miserable Jews, after having chastised them, so that the seed of Abraham might not be entirely cut off: he yet deprives hypocrites of vain confidence, so that they... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1

Woe be unto the pastors , etc.! This "woe" is a pendant to the" woe" upon Jehoiakim in Jeremiah 22:13 . The original form of the verse shows the strong feeling with which the prophet both wrote and spoke: "Woe I shepherds who destroy," etc. By "shepherds" Jeremiah means rather the civil than the spiritual authorities, especially the kings— ποιμένες λαῶν , as Homer calls them. This is, in fact, the general Old Testament application of the term (see on Jeremiah 2:8 ). That destroy ;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1-4

The character of leading men. The character of its leading men is a matter of first importance to a people. Israel had been led astray by his kings; one of the first blessings promised to him on his return is the possession of good leaders. In the most free state there must always be leading men—men exercising influence by reason of their office, their rank and position, or their capacities. Observe this in regard to the various classes of leading men. I. POLITICAL LEADERS . On... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1-4

False shepherds and the true. The reference here is to the kings of the house of David, as the leaders of a theocratic people; and secondarily, to the spiritual purpose of all true kingship. I. THE MISCHIEF OF FALSE SHEPHERDING . This is twofold, viz. scattering and destroying. The false shepherd has no real interest in the sheep; being but a hireling, his chief consideration is a selfish one. The kings of Judah had sought to realize their own ambitions and to indulge their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1-4

Shepherds, bad and good. I. THE SENTENCE ON THE UNFAITHFUL , SHEPHERDS . This is perhaps the most special and emphatic of all Jeremiah's references to the unfaithful shepherds. Nowhere does he go into such detail as Ezekiel does ( Jeremiah 34:1-22 .). But whatever may be lacking in illustrative detail, the essential facts are mentioned. Here are men upon whom is laid a charge such as is laid on a shepherd by the owner of the pasture and the flock. The business of such a man... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 23:1-40

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 23:1

The pastors - shepherds, i. e., civil rulers Jeremiah 2:8.The sheep of My pasture - literally, of My pasturing, the sheep of whom I am shepherd. The people do not belong to the rulers but to God. read more

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