The Lord and His Sheep
1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” 23:1 Ps 100:3; Ezk 34:2,31; Zch 11:5–7,15–17 This is the Lord’s declaration.
2“Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend my people: You have scattered my flock,23:2 Jr 10:21; 50:6; Ezk 34:5,12,31 banished them, and have not attended to them.23:2 Ps 8:4; Is 23:16; Ezk 34:3 I am about to attend to you because of your evil acts” — this is the Lord’s declaration.
3“I will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands where I have banished them,23:3 Ezk 34:12–13 and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous.23:3 Gn 1:26–28; 9:1–7; 35:11
The Righteous Branch of David
“when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David.23:5 1Kg 12:16; Is 4:2; 55:3–4; Jr 30:9; 33:15; Ezk 34:23; 37:24–25; Hs 3:5; Zch 3:8; 6:12
He will reign wisely as king
and administer justice and righteousness in the land.23:5 1Ch 18:14; Ps 99:4; Is 9:7; 11:1–9; 33:5; Jr 9:24; 22:15; 33:15
6In his days Judah will be saved,
This is the name he will be called:
7“Look, the days are coming”23:7 Jr 7:32; 16:14; 19:6; 48:12; 49:2; 51:47,52 — the Lord’s declaration — “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives23:7 Jdg 8:19; 1Sm 14:39,45; 2Sm 4:9; 1Kg 1:29; 2:24; Jr 4:1–2; 5:2; 16:14–15; 38:16; Hs 4:15 who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’
False Prophets Condemned
9Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me,23:9 Hab 3:16
and all my bones tremble.
I have become like a drunkard,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord,
because of his holy words.
and the grazing lands in the wilderness have dried up.
Their way of life23:10 Lit Their manner of running has become evil,
and their power is not rightly used
even in my house23:11 1Ch 17:14; 28:6; Is 56:5,7; Jr 11:15; 12:7; Ezk 23:39; Hs 9:15; Hab 1:9; Zch 1:16; Mal 3:10 I have found their evil.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
12Therefore, their way will seem
They will be driven away and fall down there,
for I will bring disaster on them,
This is the Lord’s declaration.
13Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw something disgusting:
They prophesied by Baal
14Among the prophets of Jerusalem also
They commit adultery and walk in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
and none turns his back on evil.
They are all like Sodom23:14 Gn 13:10–13; 18:16–19:28; Is 1:10–17 to me;
Jerusalem’s residents are like Gomorrah.
15Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies says concerning the prophets:
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness23:15 Or pollution has spread throughout the land.
to see and hear his word?
Who has paid attention to his word and obeyed?
Wrath has gone out,
a whirling storm.
It will whirl about the heads of the wicked.
until he has completely fulfilled the purposes of his heart.
In time to come you will understand it clearly.23:19–20 Jr 30:23–24
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22If they had really stood in my council,
they would have enabled my people to hear my words
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and their evil deeds.23:22 Jr 4:18
23“Am I a God who is only near”23:23 Ps 139:1–10; Am 9:2–3 — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and not a God who is far away?
25“I have heard what the prophets who prophesy a lie in my name have said: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream! ’ 23:25 Jr 5:31; 14:14; 20:6; 23:32; 27:10,14–16; 29:9,21,31
26How long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets of the deceit of their own minds?
27Through their dreams that they tell one another, they plan to cause my people to forget my name as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.23:27 Jdg 3:7; 8:33–34
28The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has my word should speak my word truthfully, for what is straw compared to grain?” — this is the Lord’s declaration.
29“Is not my word like fire” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and like a hammer that pulverizes rock?
30Therefore, take note! I am against the prophets”23:30 Dt 18:20; Jr 14:14–15; Ezk 13:8 — the Lord’s declaration — “who steal my words from each other.
31I am against the prophets” — the Lord’s declaration — “who use their own tongues to make a declaration.
32I am against those who prophesy false dreams”23:32 Dt 18:20 — the Lord’s declaration — “telling them and leading my people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all23:32 Is 30:5–6; Jr 2:8,11 to these people” — this is the Lord’s declaration.
The Burden of the Lord
33“Now when these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden23:33 The Hb word for burden (Ex 23:5; 2Sm 15:33) can also mean “oracle” (Is 13:1; Nah 1:10). of the Lord? ’ you will respond to them, ‘What is the burden? I will throw you away! This is the Lord’s declaration.’
34As for the prophet, priest, or people who say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ I will punish that man and his household.
35This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother: ‘What has the Lord answered? ’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’
36But no longer refer to23:36 Or longer remember the burden of the Lord, for each man’s word becomes his burden and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of Armies, our God.
38But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ then this is what the Lord says: Because you have said, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ and I specifically told you not to say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’
39I will surely forget you.23:39 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read surely lift you up I will throw you away from my presence — both you and the city that I gave you and your ancestors.
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
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