Jeremiah 3:15 - Exposition

Pastors . In Jeremiah 23:4 , the same word is rendered in the Authorized Version "shepherds," which would he less open to misunderstanding here than "pastors," civil and not spiritual authorities being intended (see on Jeremiah 2:8 ). The prophecy is, of course, not inconsistent with passages like Jeremiah 23:5 , but as the national continuance of Israel was guaranteed, it was natural to refer to the subordinate civil authorities. According to mine heart ; better, according to my mind ; for here, as also in 1 Samuel 13:14 , it is something very far from perfection which is ascribed to the chosen rulers. "Heart" is sometimes equivalent to "understanding."