Jeremiah 10:21

10:21 For our leaders 1  are stupid.

They have not sought the Lord’s advice. 2 

So they do not act wisely,

and the people they are responsible for 3  have all been scattered.

1 tn Heb “the shepherds.”

2 tn Heb “They have not sought the Lord.”

sn The idiom translated sought the Lord’s advice quite commonly refers to inquiring for the Lord’s guidance through a prophet. See for example Exod 18:15; 1 Sam 9:9; 1 Kgs 22:8. It would not exclude consulting the law.

3 tn Heb “all their flock (or “pasturage”).”

sn This verse uses the figure of rulers as shepherds and the people they ruled as sheep. It is a common figure in the Bible. See Ezek 34 for an extended development of this metaphor.