The Meaning of Jeremiah 23:1 Explained

Jeremiah 23:1

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

YLT: Woe to shepherds destroying, And scattering the flock of My pasture, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah.

ASV: Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Jeremiah 23:1 Mean?

Study Notes

restoration
This final restoration is shown to be accomplished after a period of unexampled tribulation Jeremiah 30:3-10 and in connection with the manifestation of David's righteous Branch Jeremiah 23:5 who is also Jehovah-tsidkenu Jeremiah 23:6 . The restoration here foretold is not to be confounded with the return of a feeble remnant of Judah under Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel at the end of the 70 years Jeremiah 29:10 . At His first advent Christ, David's righteous Branch Luke 1:31-33 did not "execute justice and judgment in the earth," but was crowned with thorns and crucified. Neither was Israel the nation restored, nor did the Jewish people say, "The Lord our righteousness." Cf. Romans 10:3 . The prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. Acts 15:14-17 .

Context Summary

Jeremiah 23:1-12 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth.
Jeremiah 23:1-40 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 23

1  He prophesies a restoration of the scattered flock
5  Christ shall rule and save them
9  Against false prophets;
33  and mockers of the true prophets

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 23:1 mean?

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter - the sheep of My pasture says Yahweh
ה֣וֹי רֹעִ֗ים מְאַבְּדִ֧ים וּמְפִצִ֛ים אֶת־ צֹ֥אן ! מַרְעִיתִ֖י נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה

ה֣וֹי  Woe 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֹוי  
Sense: ah!, alas!, ha!, ho!, O!, woe!.
רֹעִ֗ים  to  the  shepherds 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
מְאַבְּדִ֧ים  who  destroy 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
וּמְפִצִ֛ים  and  scatter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צֹ֥אן  the  sheep 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
! מַרְעִיתִ֖י  of  My  pasture 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מַרְעִית  
Sense: pasturing, pasturage, shepherding.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.