21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,
And have not sought the Lord;
Therefore they shall not prosper,
And all their flocks shall be (A)scattered.

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21 The shepherds(A) are senseless(B)
    and do not inquire of the Lord;(C)
so they do not prosper(D)
    and all their flock is scattered.(E)

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“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: (A)“Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (B)You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you (C)slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. (D)The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor (E)sought what was lost; but with (F)force and [a]cruelty you have ruled them. (G)So they were (H)scattered because there was no shepherd; (I)and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep (J)wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.

‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock (K)became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, (L)but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”— therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! 10 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am (M)against the shepherds, and (N)I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall (O)feed themselves no more; for I will (P)deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 34:4 harshness or rigor

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?(A) You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.(B) You have not strengthened the weak or healed(C) the sick or bound up(D) the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.(E) So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,(F) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.(G) My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.(H) They were scattered(I) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.(J)

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered(K) and has become food for all the wild animals,(L) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,(M) therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against(N) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue(O) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.(P)

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10 “Many (A)rulers[a] have destroyed (B)My vineyard,
They have (C)trodden My portion underfoot;
They have made My [b]pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:10 Lit. shepherds or pastors
  2. Jeremiah 12:10 desired portion of land

10 Many shepherds(A) will ruin my vineyard
    and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
    into a desolate wasteland.(B)

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The Branch of Righteousness

23 “Woe (A)to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 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. (B)Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord.

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The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds(A) who are destroying and scattering(B) the sheep of my pasture!”(C) declares the Lord. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds(D) who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock(E) and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil(F) you have done,” declares the Lord.

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12 But a [a]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and (A)leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

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Footnotes

  1. John 10:12 hired man

12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(A) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

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The Shepherd Savior

“Awake, O sword, against (A)My Shepherd,
Against the Man (B)who is My Companion,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
(C)“Strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered;
Then I will turn My hand against (D)the little ones.

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The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered

“Awake, sword,(A) against my shepherd,(B)
    against the man who is close to me!”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“Strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep will be scattered,(C)
    and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

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“My anger is kindled against the (A)shepherds,
(B)And I will punish the [a]goatherds.
For the Lord of hosts (C)will visit His flock,
The house of Judah,
And (D)will make them as His royal horse in the battle.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 10:3 Leaders

“My anger burns against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;(A)
for the Lord Almighty will care
    for his flock, the people of Judah,
    and make them like a proud horse in battle.(B)

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12 As a (A)shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on (B)a cloudy and dark day.

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12 As a shepherd(A) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.(B)

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25 (A)The conspiracy of her [a]prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they (B)have devoured [b]people; (C)they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. 26 (D)Her priests have [c]violated My law and (E)profaned My holy things; they have not (F)distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her (G)princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy [d]people, and to get dishonest gain. 28 (H)Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, (I)seeing false visions, and divining (J)lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken. 29 The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully (K)oppress the stranger. 30 (L)So I sought for a man among them who would (M)make a wall, and (N)stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 22:25 So with MT, Vg.; LXX princes; Tg. scribes
  2. Ezekiel 22:25 Lit. souls
  3. Ezekiel 22:26 Lit. done violence to
  4. Ezekiel 22:27 Lit. souls

25 There is a conspiracy(A) of her princes[a] within her like a roaring lion(B) tearing its prey; they devour people,(C) take treasures and precious things and make many widows(D) within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law(E) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;(F) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;(G) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned(H) among them.(I) 27 Her officials(J) within her are like wolves(K) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people(L) to make unjust gain.(M) 28 Her prophets whitewash(N) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.(O) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.(P) 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;(Q) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,(R) denying them justice.(S)

30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall(T) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.(U)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 22:25 Septuagint; Hebrew prophets

False Prophets and Empty Oracles

My heart within me is broken
Because of the prophets;
(A)All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord,
And because of His holy words.
10 For (B)the land is full of adulterers;
For (C)because of a curse the land mourns.
(D)The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course of life is evil,
And their might is not right.

11 “For (E)both prophet and priest are profane;
Yes, (F)in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
12 “Therefore(G) their way shall be to them
Like slippery ways;
In the darkness they shall be driven on
And fall in them;
For I (H)will bring disaster on them,
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
13 “And I have seen [a]folly in the prophets of Samaria:
(I)They prophesied by Baal
And (J)caused My people Israel to err.
14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
(K)They commit adultery and walk in lies;
They also (L)strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one turns back from his wickedness.
All of them are like (M)Sodom to Me,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:

‘Behold, I will feed them with (N)wormwood,
And make them drink the water of gall;
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
[b]Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ”

16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
(O)They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘The Lord has said, (P)“You shall have peace” ’;
And to everyone who (Q)walks according to the [c]dictates of his own heart, they say,
(R)‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”

18 For (S)who has stood in the counsel of the Lord,
And has perceived and heard His word?
Who has marked His word and heard it?
19 Behold, a (T)whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The (U)anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
(V)In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.

21 “I(W) 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 would have (X)turned them from their evil way
And from the evil of their doings.

23 Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord,
“And not a God afar off?
24 Can anyone (Y)hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the Lord;
(Z)“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, (AA)as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.

28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.
29 Is not My word like a (AB)fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

30 “Therefore behold, (AC)I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am (AD)against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their (AE)lies and by (AF)their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not (AG)profit this people at all,” says the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:13 Lit. distastefulness
  2. Jeremiah 23:15 Or Pollution
  3. Jeremiah 23:17 stubbornness or imagination

Lying Prophets

Concerning the prophets:

My heart(A) is broken within me;
    all my bones tremble.(B)
I am like a drunken man,
    like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
    and his holy words.(C)
10 The land is full of adulterers;(D)
    because of the curse[a](E) the land lies parched
    and the pastures(F) in the wilderness are withered.(G)
The prophets follow an evil course
    and use their power unjustly.

11 “Both prophet and priest are godless;(H)
    even in my temple(I) I find their wickedness,”
declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore their path will become slippery;(J)
    they will be banished to darkness
    and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
    in the year they are punished,(K)
declares the Lord.

13 “Among the prophets of Samaria
    I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal(L)
    and led my people Israel astray.(M)
14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem
    I have seen something horrible:(N)
    They commit adultery and live a lie.(O)
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,(P)
    so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.(Q)
They are all like Sodom(R) to me;
    the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”(S)

15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

“I will make them eat bitter food
    and drink poisoned water,(T)
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
    ungodliness(U) has spread throughout the land.”

16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen(V) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions(W) from their own minds,
    not from the mouth(X) of the Lord.
17 They keep saying(Y) to those who despise me,
    ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’(Z)
And to all who follow the stubbornness(AA) of their hearts
    they say, ‘No harm(AB) will come to you.’
18 But which of them has stood in the council(AC) of the Lord
    to see or to hear his word?
    Who has listened and heard his word?
19 See, the storm(AD) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind(AE) swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger(AF) of the Lord will not turn back(AG)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand it clearly.
21 I did not send(AH) these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,(AI)
    they would have proclaimed(AJ) my words to my people
and would have turned(AK) them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.(AL)

23 “Am I only a God nearby,(AM)
declares the Lord,
    “and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide(AN) in secret places
    so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
    “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”(AO)
declares the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies(AP) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!(AQ) I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions(AR) of their own minds?(AS) 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget(AT) my name, just as their ancestors forgot(AU) my name through Baal worship.(AV) 28 Let the prophet who has a dream(AW) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word(AX) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,”(AY) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer(AZ) that breaks a rock in pieces?

30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against(BA) the prophets(BB) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’(BC) 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,(BD)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray(BE) with their reckless lies,(BF) yet I did not send(BG) or appoint them. They do not benefit(BH) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:10 Or because of these things

But they are altogether (A)dull-hearted and foolish;
A wooden idol is a [a]worthless doctrine.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 10:8 vain teaching

They are all senseless(A) and foolish;(B)
    they are taught by worthless wooden idols.(C)

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(A)The wise men are ashamed,
They are dismayed and taken.
Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord;
So (B)what wisdom do they have?

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The wise(A) will be put to shame;
    they will be dismayed(B) and trapped.(C)
Since they have rejected the word(D) of the Lord,
    what kind of wisdom(E) do they have?

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The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
And those who handle the (A)law did not know Me;
The rulers also transgressed against Me;
(B)The prophets prophesied by Baal,
And walked after things that do not profit.

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The priests did not ask,
    ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;(A)
    the leaders(B) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,(C)
    following worthless idols.(D)

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