What does it mean that the pastors destroy and scatter the sheep?

When God says the pastors destroy and scatter the sheep, He is talking about leaders who were supposed to care for His people but instead harmed them. These “shepherds” include kings, officials, priests, and prophets. Instead of feeding the flock with truth and justice, they used people, led them into sin, and did not visit or help the weak. Because of this, the people were scattered into other nations and suffered. God makes it clear that He will hold such leaders to account for misusing the trust He gave them.

Who is the righteous Branch and why is He called the Lord Our Righteousness?

The righteous Branch is a future King from David’s family line. He is described as a wise and just ruler who will bring real justice on earth. In His days, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. His special name is “The Lord Our Righteousness,” which shows that He is not just a good man but shares God’s own righteousness. God’s people do not stand before Him in their own goodness, but in the goodness and right standing that this King gives them. Many readers see this as pointing to Christ.

How does God promise to restore His scattered flock in this passage?

God says He Himself will gather the remnant of His flock from all the countries where they were driven. He will bring them back to their folds, where they will be fruitful and increase. He also promises to set up new shepherds who will truly feed them so they will no longer fear, be dismayed, or lack anything. This shows that even when leaders fail badly, God does not forget His people. He keeps a remnant for Himself and takes personal care to bring them home and give them faithful guidance.

What is wrong with the prophets and priests described here?

The prophets and priests in this passage are corrupt in many ways. The land is full of adultery and swearing, and even in God’s house He finds their wickedness. They walk in lies, commit sexual sin, and strengthen the hands of evildoers so that no one turns from his wickedness. They speak visions from their own hearts, not from God’s mouth. They tell those who despise God that they will have peace and that no evil will come, even while people follow their own imaginations. Their light, easy words hide the truth and encourage sin.

What does it mean that God’s word is like fire and like a hammer?

When God says His word is like fire and like a hammer that breaks rock in pieces, He is showing how powerful and searching His true message is. Fire burns, purifies, and consumes what is false. A hammer crushes what seems hard and unbreakable. In the same way, God’s real word burns away lies, exposes sin, and breaks stubborn hearts. It is not light or empty talk. This picture also separates true words from false dreams: chaff may look like wheat for a moment, but only the real word has this kind of power and effect.

How can we tell the difference between true prophets and false prophets here?

This passage gives several signs. False prophets speak visions from their own hearts instead of standing in the counsel of the Lord. They make people vain, promise peace to those who despise God, and say no trouble will come to those who follow their own hearts. They often claim, “He saith,” when God has not sent them. True messengers, by contrast, would cause people to hear God’s real words and turn them from their evil ways. They speak God’s word faithfully, like wheat instead of chaff, even when it is hard to hear.

What does this passage teach about God’s knowledge and presence?

God asks, “Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off?” and then says no one can hide in secret places where He does not see them. He states that He fills heaven and earth. This shows that God is near and far at the same time. He is not limited to the temple or to public places. He sees hidden sins and hears false prophets even when they think no one is watching. His presence fills all creation, so lies told in His name and secret sins among leaders are fully known to Him and will be judged.

Why does God tell them to stop saying the phrase the burden of the Lord?

People, prophets, and priests were using the phrase “the burden of the Lord” in a careless and mocking way, as if God’s warnings were just heavy loads that prophets liked to throw on them. They turned a solemn saying into a joke. God tells them to stop using this phrase, and instead to ask, “What has the Lord answered?” or “What has the Lord spoken?” Because they twisted His words and made light of His messages, He says their own words will become a burden to them and He will punish those who keep speaking in that way.

How can this passage about false shepherds and prophets apply today?

This passage warns that having a religious title is not enough. Leaders can call themselves pastors or prophets yet harm the flock if they care more about their own ideas and comfort than God’s word. Today, it reminds us to listen for teaching that truly matches Scripture and leads people away from sin, not into it. It also comforts believers who feel failed by leaders, because God promises to care for His flock Himself and to raise up faithful shepherds. Our hope finally rests in the righteous King, not in any human leader.

Jer.23.1

Jeremiah 23:1

KJV GOD

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

David’s Righteous Branch

1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

2 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.

3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.

5 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

8 But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Lying Prophets

9 ¶ Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness.

10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.

12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

17 They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

20 The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.

21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

23 Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?

24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

False Prophecies

33 ¶ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.

34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.

35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

36 And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.

37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;

39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:

40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

Cross References

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