The Meaning of Jeremiah 23:2 Explained

Jeremiah 23:2

KJV: 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.

YLT: Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Against the shepherds who feed My people, Ye have scattered My flock, and drive them away, And have not inspected them, Lo, I am charging on you the evil of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Darby: Therefore thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel concerning the shepherds 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 Jehovah.

ASV: Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds 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 Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 23:2 Mean?

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 23:2 mean?

Therefore thus says Yahweh God of Israel against the shepherds who feed - My people You have scattered My flock and driven them away and not attended to them behold I will attend to you for the evil of your doings says Yahweh
לָ֠כֵן כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל עַֽל־ הָרֹעִים֮ הָרֹעִ֣ים אֶת־ עַמִּי֒ אַתֶּ֞ם הֲפִצֹתֶ֤ם צֹאנִי֙ וַתַּדִּח֔וּם וְלֹ֥א פְקַדְתֶּ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם הִנְנִ֨י פֹקֵ֧ד עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־ יְהוָֽה

כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֨ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עַֽל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָרֹעִים֮  the  shepherds 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
הָרֹעִ֣ים  who  feed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
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.
עַמִּי֒  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הֲפִצֹתֶ֤ם  have  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
צֹאנִי֙  My  flock 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וַתַּדִּח֔וּם  and  driven  them  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: נָדַח 
Sense: to impel, thrust, drive away, banish.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
פְקַדְתֶּ֖ם  attended 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
אֹתָ֑ם  to  them 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הִנְנִ֨י  behold  I 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
פֹקֵ֧ד  will  attend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רֹ֥עַ  for  the  evil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹעַ  
Sense: badness, evil.
מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם  of  your  doings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מַעֲלִיל 
Sense: deed, practice.
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.