“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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“‘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(A) and has become food for all the wild animals,(B) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,(C) therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against(D) 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(E) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.(F)

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“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)

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17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd,(A)
    who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm(B) and his right eye!
    May his arm be completely withered,
    his right eye totally blinded!”(C)

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That land will belong
    to the remnant(A) of the people of Judah;
    there they will find pasture.
In the evening they will lie down
    in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will care for them;
    he will restore their fortunes.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 2:7 Or will bring back their captives

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.(A) 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns(B) until you have driven them away,

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16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up(A) the injured and strengthen the weak,(B) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.(C) I will shepherd the flock with justice.(D)

17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.(E)

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34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(A)
    roll(B) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(C) has come;
    you will fall like the best of the rams.[a](D)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery

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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31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but victory rests with the Lord.(A)

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12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(A) and glorify God(B) on the day he visits us.

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68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(A)
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.(B)

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Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

When Naomi heard in Moab(A) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people(B) by providing food(C) for them, she and her daughters-in-law(D) prepared to return home from there.

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