“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds ¹  of Israel; prophesy, and say to them – to the shepherds: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not shepherds feed the flock?

The seacoast ¹  will be used as pasture lands ²  by the shepherds and as pens for their flocks.

and all who heard it were astonished ¹  at what the shepherds said.

The leaders will not be able to run away and hide. ¹  The shepherds of the flocks will not be able to escape.

Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. ¹  While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds,

Now ¹  there were shepherds ²  nearby ³  living out in the field, keeping guard ⁴  over their flock at night.

When some ¹  shepherds came and drove them away, ²  Moses came up and defended them ³  and then watered their flock.

The Lord says, ¹  “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. ²  They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered. ³ 

The men are shepherds; ¹  they take care of livestock. ²  They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’

They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us ¹  from the shepherds, ²  and he actually ³  drew water for us and watered the flock!”

Listen to the cries of anguish of the leaders. Listen to the wails of the shepherds of the flocks. They are wailing because the Lord is about to destroy their lands. ¹ 

Next I eradicated the three shepherds in one month, ¹  for I ran out of patience with them and, indeed, they detested me as well.

This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from their hand. I will no longer let them be shepherds; ¹  the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that they will no longer be food for them.

Pharaoh said to Joseph’s ¹  brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.” ² 

Kings will come against it with their armies. ¹  They will encamp in siege all around it. ²  Each of them will devastate the portion assigned to him. ³ 

So ¹  the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising ²  God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told. ³ 

I will give you leaders ¹  who will be faithful to me. ²  They will lead you with knowledge and insight.

When ¹  the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem ²  and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord ³  has made known to us.”