Jeremiah 23:1-8·~1 min

David’s Righteous Branch

The LORD pronounces woe on the shepherds who destroy and scatter His flock. Because Judah's leaders have neglected, driven away, and failed the people, the LORD will deal with them for their evil, then personally gather the remnant from exile and appoint shepherds who will truly care for them so none are missing or afraid.

“¹Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. ²Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD. ³Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will return them to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and multiply. ⁴I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any go missing, declares the LORD.

The LORD promises days when He will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a king who will reign wisely and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, Israel will dwell securely, and his name will declare the LORD as the people's righteousness.

⁵Behold, the days are coming, ⁶In His days Judah will be saved,

The coming restoration will be so decisive that Israel's defining confession will no longer center only on the exodus from Egypt. Instead the people will speak of the LORD who brought them back from the land of the north and every place of banishment to live again in their own land.

⁷So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of Egypt.’ ⁸Instead they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought and led the descendants of the house of Israel up out of the land of the north and all the other lands to which He had banished them.’ Then they will dwell once more in their own land.”

Section summaryThe chapter opens with a woe against the shepherds who have scattered the LORD's flock and failed to care for it. Against those failed rulers stands the LORD's promise that He Himself will gather the remnant, raise faithful shepherds, and bring forth a righteous Branch from David who will reign wisely, do justice, and become the saving righteousness of His people.

Role in the chapterThis section frames the whole chapter by contrasting corrupt leadership in the present with the LORD's restorative rule in the future.