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.

JEREMIAH 23:2KJV
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Jeremiah 23:2 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 23:2 mean?

Jeremiah 23:2 says that God is holding the leaders of Israel responsible for scattering and neglecting His people, promising that He will punish them for the harm they have caused. The verse is a warning to those in charge who have failed to care for and protect the people as they should have.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to address the "pastors" or shepherds—meaning the leaders of Israel—who were supposed to guide and care for the nation. Instead, these leaders have driven the people away and failed to look after them. God declares that He will "visit upon" or bring consequences for the evil actions of these leaders, making it clear that their neglect and wrongdoing will not go unnoticed.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 23:2

  • "pastors" (רֹעִים, ro‘im): This word means "shepherds" and refers to leaders, especially those responsible for the spiritual and practical well-being of the people. The image is of someone who should guide and protect, not scatter.
  • "scattered" (פָּרַץ, parats): This word means to disperse or break apart. The leaders are accused of causing division and harm, not just neglect.
  • "visited" / "visit" (פָּקַד, paqad): In Hebrew, this word can mean to attend to, care for, or to call to account. Here, it is used both negatively (the leaders did not "visit" the people) and positively (God will "visit" the leaders with consequences), showing a play on words about responsibility and judgment.
  • "evil" (רָעָה, ra‘ah): This word means harm, trouble, or wickedness. God is saying He will bring the results of the leaders’ own wrongdoing back upon them.

Why Jeremiah 23:2 matters

  • Jeremiah 23:2 clarifies that God holds leaders accountable for how they treat those under their care, especially when they cause harm or neglect their responsibilities.
  • The verse highlights a strong contrast between what leaders should do (care for and gather) and what these leaders actually did (scatter and drive away), emphasizing the seriousness of their failure.
  • This warning sets up the rest of Jeremiah 23, where God promises to raise up better shepherds and ultimately a righteous leader, showing that God’s concern for His people continues even when human leaders fail.

Where else these words appear

“evil” Hebrew H7455 · used in 19 verses

  • Genesis 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
  • Isaiah 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
  • Jeremiah 24:8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

“doings” Hebrew H4611 · used in 41 verses

  • Deuteronomy 28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
  • Jeremiah 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
  • Jeremiah 32:19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

“away” Hebrew H5080 · used in 51 verses

  • Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
  • Nehemiah 1:9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
  • Jeremiah 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

“scattered” Hebrew H6327 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 10:18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
  • Job 18:11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
  • Ezekiel 12:15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.