Jeremiah 50:6
in Jeremiah 50My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray; they have turned them away on the mountains; they have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting-place.
KJV
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
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This verse in Jeremiah 50
Commentary
12 notes on this verseHe said the sheep is like one who has gone astray. And also in the Gospel he said, "The Son of man came to search for and save the lost." And also in the parable only one is lost out of the hundred that the shepherd who dwelled with them came to find, who also, after laying it on his shoulders, returned it to the ninety-nine.
This site's exposition
the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together
on Jeremiah 50:4-9
Israel and Judah “will come together, weeping as they come,” and join the LORD “in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.” The cause of the exile is named: “their shepherds have led them astray,” the charge in 23:1-2. The exiles are told, “Flee from the midst of Babylon.”
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Then he likens them to lost sheep. He ascribes the cause for the destruction of the sheep to the shepherds. He calls "shepherds" not only their kings but also their priests. And he saw how they prepared them to wander: "They drove them to the …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Their shepherds - Their civil and ecclesiastical governors have been a cause of it. The former by their wicked commands and example; the latter by example as well as doctrine. Turned them - To offer sacrifices unto idols.
My people hath been lost sheep,.... like lost sheep, without a shepherd, going astray the fold, wandering from place to place, having none to take care of them, guide and direct them, or to go in and out before them, and lead them into suitable pastures; so it was with the Jews in the Babylonish captivity, and so it is with them now, and yet the Lord's people still in some sense; he has a design of grace concerning them, a store of mercy for them, and thoughts of peace towards them, which will take place in due time; and such is the case of all God's elect in a state of nature, they are sheep, but lost sheep, and yet his people; their shepherds have caused them to go astray; from God and his worship, from the true religion; so their civil and ecclesiastical governors, their kings, princes, priests, and prophets, were the causes of leading them into errors, by their laws, doctrines, and examples; so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of their kings; but the Targum seems to understand it of other kings, that carried them captive, "kings carried them away, rulers spoiled them;'' so their priests and Rabbins now cause them to err from the true Messiah, his Gospel and ordinances, as their false Christs and false prophets have done in all ages since the times of Christ; they have turned them away on the mountains; or, "to" them (e); where idols were worshipped, as Jarchi; this was their case before and at the Babylonish captivity, though never since: or, "from the mountains" (f); from the mountains of Israel, and the good pastures there; from the Gospel of Christ, and the ordinances of it; they have gone from mountain to hill; from one religion to another, from duty to duty, seeking rest and happiness there, in the law of Moses, and traditions of the elders; or from kingdom to kingdom, wandering about from place to place, as they do to this day; they have forgotten their restin […]
And these being set the one against the other, it is easy to say which one would choose to take one's lot with, the persecuting Babylonians, who, though now in pomp, are reserved for so great a ruin, or the persecuted Israelites, who, though now in thraldom, are reserved for so great a glory.
It is bad with a people when their leaders cause them to err, when those that should direct them, and when those that should secure and advance their interests are the betrayers of them.
5 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Jehovah is the resting-place of His sheep (Mt 11:28). They rest in His "bosom" (Isa 40:11). Also His temple at Zion, their "rest," because it is His (Ps 132:8, 14).
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3426: “A Sore Grievance” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THE people of Israel had been so hunted about that they forgot the place where once they rested. The same remark may be made of some congregations. There are Christian people who have the great misfortune of an unchristly pastor. The preaching is eloquent—they are constantly exhorted to do one thing and another.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3426: “A Sore Grievance” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THE people of Israel had been so hunted about that they forgot the place where once they rested. The same remark may be made of some congregations. There are Christian people who have the great misfortune of an unchristly pastor. The preaching is eloquent—they are constantly exhorted to do one thing and another. It may be the preaching is intellectual—they are encouraged to speculate upon this and that Doctrine, or it may happen that the preaching is rhetorical, the people are covered with flowers—the preacher seems to be constantly scattering from himself a display of fireworks, an explosion of dazzling words! But there is no manifestation of Christ—no opening up of the completeness of the atoning Sacrifice—no uplifting of Jesus in His love to His people, in His union with them, in the Covenant which He has made on their behalf. Oftentimes have we met with good people who fretted because the ministry failed to supply for their souls. They could have done without the eloquence. They would have been happy without the new theories, however intellectual. They could have survived if there had been less exhortation—what they wanted was a little food to strengthen them, a little repose to invigorate them, a little faith to encourage them in resting upon the finished work of Jesus Christ! Oh, what an account will they have to give who, instead of being shepherds of God's sending to feed His flock with discretion and make them lie down in green pastures, come to them as legal taskmasters wielding the rod, but never using the pastoral staff to guide the flocks by still waters! However, I fear there are some who, though no less worried, nevertheless forget their resting place. Let us talk familiarly with one another on this theme.
My people hath been lost sheep - He pities them; for their pastors, kings, and prophets have caused them to err. They have gone from mountain to hill - In all high places they have practiced idolatry.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Their shepherds ... mountains - Some translate it: Their shepherds, i. e., civil rulers (Jer 2:8 note) “have led them astray upon the seducing moutains.” - the mountains being the usual places where idolatry was practiced. Their restingplace - Their fold Psa 23:2.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| צֹ֤אן | tzon | sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| אֹֽבְדוֹת֙ | ʾoedot | lost | H6 → | 184 times |
| הָי֣וּ | hayah | they have become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַמִּ֔י | ʾami | people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| רֹעֵיהֶ֣ם | roeihem | shepherds their | H7462 → | 177 times |
| הִתְע֔וּם | hitum | they have caused to wander them | H8582 → | 50 times |
| הָרִ֖ים | harim | mountains | H2022 → | 546 times |
| שֽׁוֹבְב֑וּם | shoevim | they have led away them | H7726 → | 4 times |
| מֵהַ֤ר | mehar | from mountain | H2022 → | 546 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| גִּבְעָה֙ | givah | hill | H1389 → | 68 times |
| הָלָ֔כוּ | halakhu | they have gone | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| שָׁכְח֖וּ | shakhechu | they have forgotten | H7911 → | 102 times |
| רִבְצָֽם׃ | rivtzam | resting place their | H7258 → |
צֹ֤אןsheep
tzonH6629 →274 times
אֹֽבְדוֹת֙lost
ʾoedotH6 →184 times
הָי֣וּthey have become
hayahH1961 →3559 times
עַמִּ֔יpeople my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
רֹעֵיהֶ֣םshepherds their
roeihemH7462 →177 times
הִתְע֔וּםthey have caused to wander them
hitumH8582 →50 times
הָרִ֖יםmountains
harimH2022 →546 times
שֽׁוֹבְב֑וּםthey have led away them
shoevimH7726 →4 times
מֵהַ֤רfrom mountain
meharH2022 →546 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
גִּבְעָה֙hill
givahH1389 →68 times
הָלָ֔כוּthey have gone
halakhuH1980 →1546 times
שָׁכְח֖וּthey have forgotten
shakhechuH7911 →102 times
רִבְצָֽם׃resting place their
rivtzamH7258 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 53:6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:25
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 119:176
I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
- Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely…
- Romans 4:25
He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.
- 1 Peter 2:25
Through
Matthew 9:36When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
it leads to
- Numbers 27:17
who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
- Mark 6:34
When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
- Ezekiel 34:3–6
You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock.
- Numbers 27:17
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3426: “A Sore Grievance” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, FRAGMENTS ON JEREMIAH 28 and Theodoret of Cyrus, ON JEREMIAH 10:50.