Jeremiah 23:3

“Condemnation of Bad Shepherds (Leaders)”· Jeremiah 23:1–4
Translation
King James Version
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
Ask
KJV (with Strong's)
And I will gather H6908 the remnant H7611 of my flock H6629 out of all countries H776 whither I have driven H5080 them, and will bring them again H7725 to their folds H5116; and they shall be fruitful H6509 and increase H7235.
Ask
Complete Jewish Bible
"I myself will gather what remains of my flock from all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their homes, and they will be fruitful and increase their numbers.
Ask
Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.
Ask
American Standard Version
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
Ask
World English Bible Messianic
I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
Ask
Geneva Bible (1599)
And I will gather the remnant of my sheepe out of all countreyes, whither I had driuen them, and will bring them againe to their foldes, and they shall growe and encrease.
Ask
Young's Literal Translation
And I do gather the remnant of My flock Out of all the lands whither I drove them, And have brought them back unto their fold, And they have been fruitful, and multiplied.
Ask
See also
Jeremiah 32:37Amos 9:14Amos 9:15Isaiah 43:5Isaiah 43:6Jeremiah 29:14Jeremiah 30:3
In the KJVVerse 19,488 of 31,102 · 62.7%

Study This Verse

Summary

Jeremiah 23:3 presents a powerful divine promise of restoration and renewal for God's scattered people. Following a severe denunciation of the unfaithful leaders who failed to shepherd Israel, this verse marks a pivotal shift, declaring God's personal, sovereign intervention to gather the surviving remnant from every nation where they were dispersed. It assures their secure return to their homeland, culminating in a future characterized by abundant fruitfulness and increase, thereby underscoring God's unwavering covenant faithfulness despite human disobedience and failure.

Context

Literary Context

Jeremiah 23:3 is strategically positioned within a significant prophetic oracle (Jeremiah 23:1-8) primarily addressing the "shepherds" of Israel. The preceding verses Jeremiah 23:1-2 deliver a scathing "woe" against the corrupt and negligent leaders—kings, priests, and prophets—who have utterly failed to care for God's "flock," instead scattering and destroying them. This condemnation of human leadership sets the urgent backdrop for God's dramatic declaration in verse 3, where He asserts His own intention to act as the true, faithful Shepherd. The verses immediately following Jeremiah 23:4-8 further elaborate on this promise of restoration, introducing the concept of "good shepherds" appointed by God and culminating in the profound prophecy of the "Righteous Branch," a messianic figure who will rule justly and bring salvation to His people. Thus, verse 3 serves as a crucial theological and narrative pivot, transitioning from divine judgment to a profound message of hope, laying the groundwork for the coming messianic age.

Historical & Cultural Context

The prophecies recorded in Jeremiah 23 were delivered during a period of immense national crisis for Judah, likely in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a time leading up to and encompassing the Babylonian exile. The "scattering" of God's flock directly refers to the multiple deportations of the Jewish people by the Babylonian Empire, notably in 597 BCE (when King Jehoiachin and many nobles were exiled) and the devastating fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE (which led to a widespread forced migration to various "countries" like Babylon and Egypt). Culturally, the metaphor of a "shepherd" for a king or national leader was deeply ingrained and widely understood throughout the ancient Near East, symbolizing protection, provision, and wise guidance for the populace. Conversely, a "scattered flock" vividly depicted chaos, vulnerability, and divine judgment upon a nation. Jeremiah's message directly challenges the prevailing political and religious leadership of his day, portraying them as utterly failed shepherds, while simultaneously offering a radical and counter-cultural hope that Yahweh Himself would rectify their failures, thereby demonstrating His ultimate sovereignty over both judgment and the subsequent, miraculous restoration.

Key Themes

This verse powerfully encapsulates several foundational themes central to the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. The foremost theme is Divine Restoration, emphasizing God's active, sovereign, and compassionate role in reversing the devastating consequences of sin and judgment. The scattering of Israel was a direct result of their profound disobedience and the catastrophic failure of their human leaders, yet God unequivocally promises to "gather" them, signifying not merely a passive return but a divinely orchestrated act of re-unification. This highlights God's unwavering Covenant Faithfulness, demonstrating that His promises to Abraham and David endure and will be fulfilled, even when His people prove unfaithful (cf. the promises of return in Deuteronomy 30:1-5). The concept of the Remnant is also crucial; though many were lost or dispersed through judgment, God sovereignly preserves a faithful core through whom His redemptive purposes will continue, ensuring the continuation of His people and His plan. Finally, the promise of being "fruitful and increase" echoes the original creation mandate for humanity in Genesis 1:28 and the abundant covenant blessings of prosperity and multiplication. This signifies a return to a state of Blessing and Flourishing under God's direct and benevolent care, fundamentally reversing the desolation and diminishment brought about by the period of judgment and exile.

Exposition and Analysis

Key Word Analysis

Gather qâbats' H6908

This primitive root signifies a deliberate, intentional, and comprehensive act of collecting or assembling. In the context of Jeremiah 23:3, it underscores God's powerful and sovereign initiative to bring together His scattered people. It implies a complete reversal of their dispersion, emphasizing a divine act of re-unification that is not merely passive or circumstantial but actively orchestrated by God Himself. This word highlights God's commitment to reversing the consequences of their exile.

Remnant shᵉʼêrîyth' H7611

This term refers to a surviving portion, a residue that has escaped or been left behind after a period of destruction or judgment. In prophetic literature, the "remnant" is a crucial theological concept, often denoting the faithful core preserved by God through periods of divine discipline. This preserved group serves as the vehicle through whom God's covenant promises and future redemptive plans will ultimately be realized, signifying both preservation amidst devastation and the continuation of a lineage or people for specific divine purposes.

Folds nâveh' H5116

While literally referring to a pasture, sheepcote, or dwelling place for flocks, this word carries profound broader connotations. It implies a return to a place of safety, rest, security, and nourishment. Symbolically, it represents not only a physical return to the land of Israel but also a spiritual restoration to a right and secure relationship with God. In their "folds," God's people are protected, provided for, and experience the peace that comes from being under His direct, protective care, reversing the vulnerability of their scattered state.

Verse Breakdown

"And I will gather the remnant of my flock"

This opening clause immediately establishes God as the primary and active agent ("I will gather"), highlighting His sovereign initiative in the restoration process. The beneficiaries are identified as "the remnant of my flock," using the powerful metaphor of Israel as God's sheep. The term "remnant" acknowledges that not all will return, but a preserved portion will be the focus of God's redemptive work, emphasizing His selective and purposeful preservation.

"out of all countries whither I have driven them"

This phrase directly acknowledges God's ultimate sovereignty even over the dispersion. The exile was not merely a historical accident or a defeat for God, but a divinely permitted or even orchestrated consequence of Israel's sin and the failures of their leaders. The promise extends to "all countries," indicating a comprehensive re-gathering from every place of exile, demonstrating the vast reach and power of God's redemptive hand.

"and will bring them again to their folds"

This signifies a complete and secure return to a place of safety, belonging, and abundant provision. "Folds" evokes the intimate imagery of a shepherd leading his sheep back to a secure and nourishing environment. It implies both a physical return to the promised land of Israel and, more profoundly, a spiritual restoration to a secure and intimate relationship with God, reversing the desolation, vulnerability, and spiritual barrenness experienced during exile.

"and they shall be fruitful and increase"

This concluding promise echoes the original blessings of creation (e.g., Genesis 1:28) and the covenant promises of prosperity and multiplication. "Fruitful and increase" points to numerical growth, prosperity, spiritual vitality, and overall flourishing. It signifies a complete reversal of the diminishment, suffering, and barrenness experienced in exile, promising a future of divine blessing, renewed life, and abundance under God's restored favor and direct care.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 23:3 is profoundly shaped by the pervasive use of Metaphor, primarily the extended metaphor of God as the Shepherd and Israel as His flock. This imagery is deeply resonant in ancient Near Eastern culture, where kings and leaders were frequently depicted as shepherds, but here, God forcefully asserts Himself as the ultimate, faithful, and capable Shepherd, standing in stark contrast to the failed and negligent human rulers. The "folds" serve as a potent metaphorical representation of a secure, prosperous homeland and, more profoundly, a restored and intimate relationship with God. The verse also employs powerful Contrast, setting God's active and redemptive "gathering" against the prior "scattering" caused by unfaithful human shepherds and the "driving" by God Himself as an act of judgment. This highlights the dramatic reversal of fortune and the redemptive power inherent in God's intervention. Furthermore, the concluding promise of "fruitful and increase" is an example of Blessing Language and perhaps a form of Hyperbole, signifying not just literal demographic multiplication but an overflowing abundance, vitality, and prosperity that reverses the barrenness and diminishment of exile, drawing deeply from ancient covenant promises of divine favor.

Theological and Thematic Connections

Jeremiah 23:3 stands as a powerful testament to God's enduring faithfulness and His unwavering redemptive plan for His people, even in the face of their profound unfaithfulness and the severe consequences of divine judgment. It underscores the profound theological truth that God's covenant promises are ultimately unconditional in their fulfillment, even if the immediate experience of blessing for His people is often contingent on their obedience. The verse reveals God's intrinsic character as a compassionate, sovereign, and active Shepherd who intervenes not merely to judge, but fundamentally to restore. This divine initiative of gathering and blessing a remnant serves as a crucial foreshadowing of the broader sweep of salvation history, pointing to a future where God's people will dwell securely, multiply, and flourish under His direct and benevolent care—a theme that finds its ultimate and most glorious expression in the New Covenant and the establishment of the Church.

Ezekiel 34:11-16Isaiah 43:5-6Jeremiah 31:10-12

Reflection and Application

Jeremiah 23:3 offers profound comfort and enduring hope for believers in every generation. It serves as a powerful reminder that even when we experience periods of spiritual wandering, feel scattered by life's overwhelming trials, or witness the disheartening failures of human leadership within the church or society, God remains the faithful, active, and sovereign Shepherd who relentlessly seeks to gather His own. This verse assures us that our ultimate security, belonging, and flourishing are found not in our own strength, perfect circumstances, or the reliability of human institutions, but solely in God's unwavering commitment to restore and bless. It calls us to cultivate a deep trust in His promise of renewal, even when present circumstances seem bleak or chaotic, and to recognize that His ultimate plan for His people is always one of abundant life, spiritual growth, and flourishing. We are invited to rest deeply in the assurance that God will indeed bring us back to "our folds"—metaphorical places of spiritual safety, nourishment, and intimacy with Him—and empower us to be fruitful and increase in our lives and service within His expanding kingdom.

Questions for Reflection

  1. In what specific areas of your life or spiritual journey do you currently feel "scattered" or most in need of God's gathering hand?
  2. How does the promise of God actively "bringing you again to your folds" offer you profound comfort, security, and a sense of belonging today?
  3. What does the promise to "be fruitful and increase" mean for your personal spiritual growth, your relationships, and your service within God's kingdom?

FAQ

Does this promise of gathering and restoration apply only to ancient Israel, or does it have relevance for believers today?

While Jeremiah 23:3 was indeed a specific, historical promise to the exiled remnant of Israel, its profound theological principles transcend that particular historical context and hold immense relevance for believers today. The promise reveals God's unchanging character as a faithful and compassionate Shepherd who actively gathers His people. For Christians, it speaks powerfully to spiritual restoration from wandering, the ongoing gathering of the global church from all nations into one body, and the ultimate eschatological hope of God's people dwelling securely and eternally with Him. Just as God physically gathered Israel, He spiritually gathers believers into the "one flock" of Christ, promising not only spiritual fruitfulness in their individual lives but also the numerical and spiritual increase of His kingdom as the gospel spreads throughout the world (John 10:16).

Christ-Centered Fulfillment

Jeremiah 23:3 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the promised Good Shepherd. While the immediate prophecy concerned the physical return of Israel from exile, it powerfully foreshadowed a greater, spiritual gathering. Jesus Himself declares, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). He is the one who gathers His "flock"—all who believe in Him from every tribe, tongue, and nation—not merely from geographical dispersion but from the spiritual exile of sin, death, and alienation from God. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus brings His people into a new and eternal "fold," which is the Church, where they find true security, belonging, and reconciliation with God and one another, no longer scattered but united under His perfect headship (Ephesians 2:13-16). The promise that "they shall be fruitful and increase" is gloriously realized in the spiritual fruitfulness of believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit (as described in Galatians 5:22-23), and in the numerical and geographical growth of the church as the gospel spreads throughout the world (Acts 2:47). Thus, Jeremiah's ancient prophecy points forward with remarkable precision to the messianic era, where Christ, the Righteous Branch mentioned just a few verses later (Jeremiah 23:5), perfectly fulfills God's promise to gather, restore, and cause His people to flourish eternally in His presence.

Copy as

Public-domain commentary

Matthew Henry

From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 23:1–8. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.

1662–1714 · 8 verses
Passage under commentJeremiah 23:1–8
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details[1.] [2.] Fine details

I.Here is a word of terror to the negligent shepherds.

The day is at hand when God will reckon with them concerning the trust and charge committed to them: Woe be to the pastors (to the rulers, both in church and state) who should be to those they are set over as pastors to lead them, feed them, protect them, and take care of them. They are not owners of the sheep. God here calls them the sheep of my pasture, whom I am interested in, and have provided good pasture for. Woe be to those therefore who are commanded to feed God's people, and pretend to do it, but who, instead of that, scatter the flock, and drive them away by their violence and oppression, and have not visited them, nor taken any care for their welfare, nor concerned themselves at all to do them good. In not visiting them, and doing their duty to them, they did in effect scatter them and drive them away. The beasts of prey scattered them, and the shepherds are in the fault, who should have kept them together. Woe be to them when God will visit upon them the evil of their doings and deal with them as they deserve. They would not visit the flock in a way of duty, and therefore God will visit them in a way of vengeance.

II.Here is a word of comfort to the neglected sheep.

Though the under-shepherds take no care of them, no pains with them, but betray them, the chief Shepherd will look after them. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord taketh me up. Though the interests of God's church in the world are neglected by those who should take care of them, and postponed to their own private secular interests, yet they shall not therefore sink. God will perform his promise, though those he employs do not perform their duty.

1.The dispersed Jews shall at length return to their own land, and be happily settled there under a good government, Jer 23:3, Jer 23:4. Though there be but a remnant of God's flock left, a little remnant, that has narrowly escaped destruction, he will gather that remnant, will find them out wherever they are and find out ways and means to bring them back out of all countries whither he had driven them. It was the justice of God, for the sin of their shepherds, that dispersed them; but the mercy of God shall gather in the sheep, when the shepherds that betrayed them are cut off. They shall be brought to their former habitations, as sheep to their folds, and there they shall be fruitful, and increase in numbers. And, though their former shepherds took no care of them, it does not therefore follow that they shall have no more. If some have abused a sacred office, that is no good reason why it should be abolished. "They destroyed the sheep, but I will set shepherds over them who shall make it their business to feed them." Formerly they were continually exposed and disturbed with some alarm or other; but now they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed; they shall be in no danger from without, in no fright from within. Formerly some or other of them were ever and anon picked up by the beasts of prey; but now none of them shall be lacking, none of them missing. Though the times may have been long bad with the church, it does not follow that they will be ever so. Such pastors as Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, though they lived not in the pomp that Jehoiakim and Jeconiah did, nor made such a figure, were as great blessings to the people as the others were plagues to them. The church's peace is not bound up in the pomp of her rulers.

2.Messiah the Prince, that great and good Shepherd of the sheep, shall in the latter days be raised up to bless his church, and to be the glory of his people Israel, Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6. The house of David seemed to be quite sunk and ruined by that threatening against Jeconiah (Jer 22:30), that none of his seed should ever sit upon the throne of David. But here is a promise which effectually secures the honour of the covenant made with David notwithstanding; for by it the house will be raised out of its ruins to a greater lustre than ever, and shine brighter far than it did in Solomon himself. We have not so many prophecies of Christ in this book as we had in that of the prophet Isaiah; but here we have one, and a very illustrious one; of him doubtless the prophet here speaks, of him, and of no other man. The first words intimate that it would be long ere this promise should have its accomplishment: The days come, but they are not yet. I shall see him, but not now. But all the rest intimate that the accomplishment of it will be glorious.

(1.)Christ is here spoken of as a branch from David, the man the branch (Zac 3:8), his appearance mean, his beginnings small, like those of a bud or sprout, and his rise seemingly out of the earth, but growing to be green, to be great, to be loaded with fruits. A branch from David's family, when it seemed to be a root in a dry ground, buried, and not likely to revive. Christ is the root and offspring of David, Rev 22:16. In him doth the horn of David bud, Psa 132:17, Psa 132:18. He is a branch of God's raising up; he sanctified him, and sent him into the world, gave him his commission and qualifications. He is a righteous branch, for he is righteous himself, and through him many, even all that are his, are made righteous. As an advocate, he is Jesus Christ the righteous.

(2.)He is here spoken of as his church's King. This branch shall be raised as high as the throne of his father David, and there he shall reign and prosper, not as the kings that now were of the house of David, who went backward in all their affairs. No; he shall set up a kingdom in the world that shall be victorious over all opposition. In the chariot of the everlasting gospel he shall go forth, he shall go on conquering and to conquer. If God raise him up, he will prosper him, for he will own the work of his own hands; what is the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in the hands of those to whom it is committed. He shall prosper; for he shall execute judgment and justice in the earth, all the world over, Psa 96:13. The present kings of the house of David were unjust and oppressive, and therefore it is no wonder that they did not prosper. But Christ shall, by his gospel, break the usurped power of Satan, institute a perfect rule of holy living, and, as far as it prevails, make all the world righteous. The effect of this shall be a holy security and serenity of mind in all his faithful loyal subjects. In his days, under his dominion, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely; that is, all the spiritual seed of believing Abraham and praying Jacob shall be protected from the curse of heaven and the malice of hell, shall be privileged from the arrests of God's law and delivered from the attempts of Satan's power, shall be saved from sin, the guilt and dominion of it, and then shall dwell safely, and be quiet from the fear of all evil. See Luk 1:74, Luk 1:75. Those that shall be saved hereafter from the wrath to come may dwell safely now; for, if God be for us, who can be against us? In the days of Christ's government in the soul, when he is uppermost there, the soul dwells at ease.

(3.)He is here spoken of as The Lord our righteousness. Observe,

[1.]Who and what he is. As God, he is Jehovah, the incommunicable name of God, denoting his eternity and self-existence. As Mediator, he is our righteousness. By making satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man, he has brought in an everlasting righteousness, and so made it over to us in the covenant of grace that, upon our believing consent to that covenant, it becomes ours. His being Jehovah our righteousness implies that he is so our righteousness as no creature could be. He is a sovereign, all-sufficient, eternal righteousness. All our righteousness has its being from him, and by him it subsists, and we are made the righteousness of God in him.

[2.]The profession and declaration of this: This is the name whereby he shall be called, not only he shall be so, but he shall be known to be so. God shall call him by this name, for he shall appoint him to be our righteousness. By this name Israel shall call him, every true believer shall call him, and call upon him. That is our righteousness by which, as an allowed plea, we are justified before God, acquitted from guilt, and accepted into favour; and nothing else have we to plead but this, "Christ has died, yea, rather has risen again;" and we have taken him for our Lord.

3.This great salvation, which will come to the Jews in the latter days of their state, after their return out of Babylon, shall be so illustrious as far to outshine the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt (Jer 23:7, Jer 23:8): They shall no more say, The Lord liveth that brought up Israel out of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth that brought them up out of the north. This we had before, Jer 16:14, Jer 16:15. But here it seems to point more plainly than it did there to the days of the Messiah, and to compare not so much the two deliverances themselves (giving the preference to the latter) as the two states to which the church by degrees grew after those deliverances. Observe the proportion: Just 480 years after they had come out of Egypt Solomon's temple was built (Kg1 6:1); and at that time that nation, which was so wonderfully brought up out of Egypt, had gradually arrived to its height, to its zenith. Just 490 years (70 weeks) after they came out of Babylon Messiah the Prince set up the gospel temple, which was the greatest glory of that nation that was so wonderfully brought out of Babylon; see Dan 9:24, Dan 9:25. Now the spiritual glory of the second part of that nation, especially as transferred to the gospel church, is much more admirable and illustrious than all the temporal glory of the first part of it in the days of Solomon; for that was no glory compared with the glory which excelleth.

Copy as

Historical interpretation

Historical Reception

One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.

1 quote · AD 420
AD 420JeromePost-NiceneSourceCommentary on Jeremiah
(Chapter 23, Verse 1 and following) Woe to the shepherds who scatter and tear apart the flock of my pasture, says the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord God of Israel to the shepherds who feed my people: You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to the evil of your doings, says the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their pasture (or I will restore them to their pastures), and they shall increase and multiply. And I will raise up shepherds over them, and they shall feed them. They shall not fear anymore, nor be terrified, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. The prophetic discourse is directed to the shepherds, or concerning the shepherds. And because we read in the writing about Jechoniah, the second-to-last king of Judah, who was of the lineage of David: 'Earth, earth, earth, hear the words of the Lord, write down this man as childless, as a man who will not have any descendants to sit on the throne of David' (Jeremiah 22:29-30), all hope of the kingdom of Judah had been cut off: it passes on to the leaders of the Church, and the Synagogue is abandoned and condemned with its shepherds, the discourse is directed to the Apostles, of whom it is said: 'And I will raise up shepherds over them, and they shall feed them, they shall not fear anymore, nor be terrified, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord' (Ezekiel 34:24). For the apostles, with confidence and without any fear, will feed the Church's flock, and the remnant of the people of Israel will be saved from all lands and will return to their fields or pastures, and they will grow and multiply. But the Lord will visit the wicked shepherds, the scribes and Pharisees, because of the malice of their studies. And we can understand this in a tropological sense, and apply it to the leaders of the Church, who do not govern the Lord's sheep worthily. In this way, the people who have been rejected and condemned are saved, while those who are deserving will remain and be saved. The shepherds who teach heresy destroy the sheep. Those who create schisms tear apart and scatter. They cast them out, those who separate from the Church against justice. Those who withhold their hand from the repentant do not visit. The Lord will have mercy on all of them, restoring them to their former pastures and removing the wicked shepherds.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as

Continue studying Jeremiah 23:3 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.

Read & Compare

Commentaries

Original Language & Research

Sermons, Hymns & Audio

TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.