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Translation
King James Version
Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Howl H3213, ye shepherds H7462, and cry H2199; and wallow H6428 yourselves in the ashes, ye principal H117 of the flock H6629: for the days H3117 of your slaughter H2873 and of your dispersions H8600 are accomplished H4390; and ye shall fall H5307 like a pleasant H2532 vessel H3627.
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Complete Jewish Bible
"Wail, shepherds! Cry! Wallow in the dust, you lords of the flock! For the days for your slaughter have come. I will break you in pieces, and like a prized vase you will fall."
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Berean Standard Bible
Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For the days of your slaughter have come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery.
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American Standard Version
Wail, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow in ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and ye shall fall like a goodly vessel.
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World English Bible Messianic
Wail, you shepherds, and cry; and wallow in dust, you principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and you shall fall like a goodly vessel.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Howle, ye shepherdes, and crie, and wallowe your selues in the ashes, ye principall of the flocke: for your dayes of slaughter are accomplished, and of your dispersion, and ye shall fall like precious vessels.
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Young's Literal Translation
Howl, ye shepherds, and cry, And roll yourselves, ye honourable of the flock, For full have been your days, For slaughtering, and for your scatterings, And ye have fallen as a desirable vessel.
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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 25:34 delivers a searing prophetic indictment against the corrupt leaders of Judah, metaphorically designated as "shepherds" and the "principal of the flock." It issues a divine command for them to engage in the most abject forms of mourning, for their divinely appointed time of judgment—characterized by violent slaughter and forced dispersion—has irrevocably arrived. The verse culminates in a vivid simile, declaring that these once-esteemed figures will be utterly shattered and rendered useless, akin to a precious vessel broken beyond repair, signifying the complete and irreversible ruin awaiting them due to their profound unfaithfulness and egregious failure to lead God's people righteously.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 25:34 is strategically placed within a pivotal prophetic discourse delivered by Jeremiah in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim of Judah, approximately 605 BC. This period marked the decisive rise of Babylonian power under Nebuchadnezzar, culminating in the first deportation of Judahites. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 25:1-14) meticulously detail God's persistent and patient warnings to Judah through His prophets, warnings which the nation stubbornly ignored. This defiance leads to the dire pronouncement of a seventy-year Babylonian captivity, a prophecy reiterated and elaborated upon in Jeremiah 29:10. Following this, Jeremiah is commanded to present a "cup of the wine of this fury" (often referred to as the cup of God's wrath) to all nations, symbolizing a universal judgment that begins with Judah. Verses 30-38 specifically intensify this judgment, portraying God as a roaring lion and a destructive tempest, with a particular, laser-like focus on the devastating impact upon the unrighteous leaders of Judah, who are the direct recipients of the chilling commands in verse 34. This section serves as the climactic declaration of an inescapable, divinely ordained catastrophe, emphasizing that the judgment will begin with those most responsible.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Jeremiah 25:34 is the tumultuous late 7th century BC, an era defined by the decline of the once-dominant Assyrian Empire and the rapid ascendancy of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Judah, a small kingdom precariously positioned between these superpowers and Egypt, frequently vacillated in its political alliances, often defying God's explicit command to trust Him alone. King Jehoiakim, who reigned from 609-598 BC, was a particularly egregious example of unrighteous leadership. Initially installed as a puppet king by Egypt and later subjugated by Babylon, he was notorious for his oppressive rule, flagrant injustice, and rampant idolatry, directly contrasting with the righteous leadership God expected of His anointed. Culturally, the metaphor of "shepherds" for rulers or leaders was deeply ingrained in ancient Near Eastern thought, signifying their sacred responsibility to protect, guide, and nourish their people. The act of "wallowing in ashes" was a profound and widely recognized ancient Near Eastern practice, a public and visceral expression of extreme grief, humiliation, and repentance, often associated with national disaster, profound personal loss, or a state of utter despair. The divine command for the leaders to engage in this act underscores the depth of their impending shame and the irreversible nature of their doom.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 25:34 powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Jeremiah and biblical prophecy as a whole. Firstly, it highlights Divine Judgment and Retribution, emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty over nations and His unwavering commitment to justice. The declaration that "the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished" signifies that God's patience has reached its limit, and the predetermined time for punishment has arrived, making it inevitable and inescapable. This theme resonates throughout the prophetic corpus, demonstrating God's active involvement in human history. Secondly, the verse underscores the profound Accountability of Leadership. The "shepherds" and "principal of the flock" are explicitly targeted, representing the kings, priests, prophets, and nobles who had utterly failed in their God-given mandate to lead the people in righteousness. Instead, they exploited, misled, and oppressed God's flock. This theme of leadership accountability is a cornerstone of prophetic literature, notably echoed in Ezekiel 34:1-10, which condemns false shepherds, and in Jeremiah 23:1-4. Finally, the imagery conveys Irreversible Ruin and Despair. The command to "howl" and "wallow yourselves in the ashes" expresses utter humiliation, profound grief, and a complete loss of hope, signifying a state beyond redemption. The powerful simile of falling "like a pleasant vessel" vividly portrays the shattering of something once valuable and beautiful, now rendered utterly useless and beyond repair, symbolizing the complete destruction of their status, power, and even their very lives.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Howl (Hebrew, yâlal', H3213): This primitive root (H3213) signifies a wailing or yelling, particularly with a wailing tone, often associated with deep anguish, lamentation, or a cry of despair. In this context, it is an imperative command for the leaders to engage in a public, visceral display of extreme sorrow and distress, not as an act of repentance leading to mercy, but as a forced recognition of their inescapable and imminent doom. It emphasizes the profound and bitter grief that will accompany their catastrophic downfall.
  • Principal (Hebrew, ʼaddîyr', H117): Derived from a root meaning "wide" or "large," this word (H117) figuratively denotes something powerful, excellent, famous, gallant, glorious, or noble. When applied to the "principal of the flock," it refers to those in positions of preeminence, authority, and significant influence within Judah – the most prominent and esteemed leaders. The use of this term highlights the dramatic and humiliating reversal of fortune; those once mighty, celebrated, and considered worthy will now be brought to the lowest state of degradation and public shame.
  • Slaughter (Hebrew, ṭâbach', H2873): This primitive root (H2873) means "to slaughter" animals or men, implying a violent, brutal, and often indiscriminate killing. In this prophetic context, it points to the widespread and merciless destruction that will befall the leaders and, by extension, the nation, at the hands of the invading Babylonian forces. It underscores the severity, brutality, and finality of the divinely ordained judgment, signifying a complete and utter defeat.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Howl, ye shepherds, and cry;": This opening imperative is a direct, forceful command from God, delivered through His prophet Jeremiah, to the unfaithful leaders of Judah. "Shepherds" is a well-established biblical metaphor for rulers, kings, priests, prophets, and other figures of authority responsible for guiding, protecting, and nourishing the people. The dual command to "howl" (a deep, mournful wail) and "cry" (a loud, anguished shout) denotes an intense, public, and unrestrained expression of grief, despair, and terror, indicating that their time of reckoning has arrived and there is no escape from the impending catastrophe. It is a call to lament their own impending destruction.
  • "and wallow yourselves [in the ashes], ye principal of the flock:": This further imperative intensifies the command for lamentation and humiliation. "Wallowing in ashes" was a common ancient Near Eastern practice symbolizing extreme mourning, deep repentance, self-abasement, and abject sorrow, often in response to overwhelming disaster. By commanding the "principal of the flock" – the most prominent, powerful, and esteemed leaders – to do this, the prophecy underscores the profound depth of their degradation and the public shame that will accompany their downfall. Their high status and former glory will be utterly reversed and brought to nothing.
  • "for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished;": This clause provides the divine rationale and irrefutable justification for the preceding commands. The Hebrew word for "accomplished" (מָלֵא, mâlêʼ) implies that a set period or a predetermined measure has been completely filled, fulfilled, or brought to an end. The "days" of their violent destruction ("slaughter") and forced exile ("dispersions") have reached their divinely appointed and preordained conclusion. This signifies the absolute inevitability and preordained nature of the judgment; their time of grace and opportunity for repentance has run out, and the full consequences of their actions are now due and inescapable.
  • "and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.": This powerful and poignant simile describes the ultimate, irreversible fate of these unrighteous leaders. A "pleasant vessel" (כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה, kᵉlî chemdâh) refers to something valuable, desirable, precious, or beautiful, such as a finely crafted piece of pottery, a treasured utensil, or an exquisite ornament. To "fall like" such a vessel implies being shattered, broken into irreparable pieces, losing all its former beauty, value, utility, and integrity. This vivid imagery conveys the complete and utter destruction of their power, status, influence, and very existence, reducing them from objects of perceived value and esteem to worthless, irrecoverable fragments.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 25:34 is rich with potent literary devices that amplify its prophetic message and underscore the severity of the impending judgment. The most prominent is Metaphor, where the leaders of Judah are powerfully referred to as "shepherds" and the "principal of the flock." This metaphor highlights their divinely appointed role as caretakers, protectors, and guides of the nation, simultaneously underscoring their egregious failure to fulfill these sacred responsibilities. The verse also employs a strong Imperative Mood ("Howl," "cry," "wallow"), delivering direct, forceful commands that underscore the divine authority behind the pronouncement and the inescapable nature of the judgment. This direct address creates a sense of urgency and inevitability. Hyperbole is present in the command to "wallow yourselves in the ashes," an exaggerated expression of grief and humiliation that emphasizes the extreme degradation and public shame awaiting these once-proud and influential leaders. Finally, the powerful Simile, "ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel," vividly illustrates the complete and irreversible destruction of their status, power, and very being. This comparison of a valuable, beautiful object being shattered and rendered useless mirrors the utter ruin of those who were once esteemed but are now broken beyond repair, losing all their former worth and function.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 25:34 stands as a profound testament to God's unwavering justice and His sovereign oversight of human affairs, particularly concerning leadership. It reveals that positions of authority are not merely privileges but sacred trusts, and those who abuse them will face severe divine retribution. The verse underscores the biblical principle that God holds leaders to a higher standard, and their unfaithfulness directly impacts the spiritual and temporal well-being of the people they are called to serve. It highlights the tragic consequences of spiritual and moral decay, demonstrating that persistent rebellion against God's word, neglect of righteousness, and exploitation of the vulnerable inevitably lead to devastating judgment. The prophecy serves as a timeless warning that no earthly power, prestige, or perceived value can shield individuals or nations from the just consequences of their actions when they defy the Almighty. It is a stark reminder that divine patience has limits, and a day of reckoning will surely come.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 25:34 serves as a sobering and timeless reminder of the immense responsibility inherent in all forms of leadership, whether in government, the church, the family, or any community sphere. It challenges us to examine our own roles and influence, prompting us to consider whether we are truly "good shepherds" who prioritize the spiritual and physical well-being of those under our care, or if we are, like the leaders of Judah, neglecting our duties, pursuing self-interest, and potentially leading others astray through our actions or inaction. The verse powerfully illustrates that accountability is not merely a human construct but a divine imperative, and that persistent disobedience to God's principles ultimately leads to severe and often irreversible consequences. It calls us to cultivate genuine humility, a spirit of repentance, and a readiness to respond to divine warnings, especially when we recognize our failures or shortcomings. Ignoring divine warnings only hastens the inevitable judgment. This passage encourages us to pray fervently for our leaders, to hold them accountable to righteous standards rooted in God's Word, and to live our own lives with integrity, recognizing that all will ultimately stand before the divine Judge, and that our influence, however small, carries eternal weight.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways do I exercise leadership or influence within my family, community, or workplace, and how can I ensure my actions align with God's heart for a "good shepherd"?
  • What specific responsibilities have I been given by God, and am I faithfully stewarding them, or am I neglecting areas that require my diligent attention and commitment?
  • How does the inevitability of divine judgment for unrighteousness motivate me to pursue personal holiness, advocate for justice, and live with integrity in my sphere of influence?

FAQ

Who are the "shepherds" and "principal of the flock" in Jeremiah 25:34?

Answer: In biblical prophecy, "shepherds" is a common and potent metaphor for the leaders of a nation, encompassing its kings, princes, priests, prophets, and other influential figures responsible for the welfare of the people. The "principal of the flock" further specifies the most prominent and powerful among these leaders—those who held the highest authority, prestige, and were most responsible for the spiritual, moral, and political well-being of Judah. Jeremiah's scathing indictment is aimed squarely at these individuals who had failed in their God-given mandate, leading the people into idolatry, injustice, oppression, and rebellion against the Lord, rather than guiding them in righteousness. This theme of corrupt leadership and its consequences is prevalent throughout the prophetic books, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 23:1-4 and Ezekiel 34:1-10.

What is the meaning of falling "like a pleasant vessel"?

Answer: The phrase "pleasant vessel" (Hebrew: keli chemdah) refers to something valuable, desirable, precious, or beautiful, such as a finely crafted piece of pottery, a treasured utensil, or an exquisite ornament. To "fall like a pleasant vessel" is a powerful and evocative simile signifying complete and utter destruction, beyond repair. Just as a beautiful and valuable ceramic vessel, once shattered, loses all its former beauty, utility, and worth, becoming mere worthless fragments, so too would these once-esteemed leaders be utterly broken, stripped of their power, status, dignity, and even their very lives. This imagery emphasizes the irreversible nature of their ruin and the profound loss of all that they once held dear or that made them significant in the eyes of the world. It underscores the severity and finality of God's judgment, reducing what was once precious to worthless debris.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 25:34, with its scathing indictment of unfaithful shepherds and the promise of their utter destruction, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound ways. First, Jesus Himself is revealed as the True and Good Shepherd, in stark contrast to the corrupt leaders condemned by Jeremiah. While the earthly shepherds exploited, scattered, and neglected the flock, Jesus declares, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). He gathers His flock, protects them, leads them to abundant life, and perfectly fulfills the prophetic yearning for a righteous shepherd found in passages like Ezekiel 34:23-24. Second, the judgment pronounced upon the "principal of the flock" foreshadows Christ's own condemnation of the hypocritical religious leaders of His day, who, like their predecessors, misled the people, burdened them with legalism, and ultimately rejected God's truth incarnate. Jesus pronounced severe "woes" upon the scribes and Pharisees, exposing their self-serving ambition, spiritual blindness, and their role in hindering people from entering the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23:13-36). Finally, the poignant imagery of the "pleasant vessel" being broken finds a paradoxical and redemptive fulfillment in Christ. While the unrighteous leaders were broken in judgment for their sin, Jesus, the most "pleasant vessel"—the precious and perfect Son of God—willingly allowed Himself to be "broken" on the cross. His body was shattered, His blood poured out, not for His own sin, but as the ultimate, atoning sacrifice for the sins of humanity (Isaiah 53:5). Through His voluntary brokenness, He became the means of salvation, offering hope, healing, and restoration to a world shattered by sin, and establishing His eternal reign as the righteous King and Shepherd over a redeemed flock, a kingdom that will never be broken.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 25 verses 30–38

We have, in these verses, a further description of those terrible desolations which the king of Babylon with his armies should make in all the countries and nations round about Jerusalem. In Jerusalem God had erected his temple; there were his oracles and ordinances, which the neighbouring nations should have attended to and might have received benefit by; thither they should have applied for the knowledge of God and their duty, and then they might have had reason to bless God for their neighbourhood to Jerusalem; but they, instead of that, taking all opportunities either to debauch or to disturb that holy city, when God came to reckon with Jerusalem because it learned so much of the way of the nations, he reckoned with the nations because they learned so little of the way of Jerusalem.

They will soon be aware of Nebuchadrezzar's making war upon them; but the prophet is here directed to tell them that it is God himself that makes war upon them, a God with whom there is no contending. 1. The war is here proclaimed (Jer 25:30): The Lord shall roar from on high; not from Mount Zion and Jerusalem (as Joe 3:16, Amo 1:2), but from heaven, from his holy habitation there; for now Jerusalem is one of the places against which he roars. He shall mightily roar upon his habitation on earth from that above. He has been long silent, and seemed not to take notice of the wickedness of the nations; the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now he shall give a shout, as the assailants in battle do, against all the inhabitants of the earth, to whom it shall be a shout of terror, and yet a shout of joy in heaven, as theirs that tread the grapes; for, when God is reckoning with the proud enemies of his kingdom among men, there is a great voice of much people heard in heaven, saying, Hallelujah, Rev 19:1. He roars as a lion (Amo 3:4, Amo 3:8), as a lion that has forsaken his covert (Jer 25:38), and is going abroad to seek his prey, upon which he roars, that he may the more easily seize it. 2. The manifesto is here published, showing the causes and reasons why God proclaims this war (Jer 25:31): The Lord has a controversy with the nations; he has just cause to contend with them, and he will take this way of pleading with them. His quarrel with them is, in one word, for their wickedness, their contempt of him, and his authority over them and kindness to them. He will give those that are wicked to the sword. They have provoked God to anger, and thence comes all this destruction; it is because of the fierce anger of the Lord (Jer 25:37 and again Jer 25:38), the fierceness of the oppressor, or (as it might better be read) the fierceness of the oppressing sword (for the word is feminine) is because of his fierce anger; and we are sure that he is never angry without cause; but who knows the power of his anger? 3. The alarm is here given and taken: A noise will come even to the ends of the earth, so loud shall it roar, so far shall it reach, Jer 25:31. The alarm is not given by sound of trumpet, or beat of drum, but by a whirlwind, a great whirlwind, storm, or tempest, which shall be raised up from the coasts, the remote coasts of the earth, Jer 25:32. The Chaldean army shall be like a hurricane raised in the north, but thence carried on with incredible fierceness and swiftness, bearing down all before it. It is like the whirlwind out of which God answered Job, which was exceedingly terrible, Job 37:1; Job 38:1. And, when the wrath of God thus roars like a lion from heaven, no marvel if it be echoed with shrieks from earth; for who can choose but tremble when God thus speaks in displeasure? See Hos 11:10. Now the shepherds shall howl and cry, the kings, and princes, and the great ones of the earth, the principal of the flock. They used to be the most courageous and secure, but now their hearts shall fail them; they shall wallow themselves in the ashes, Jer 25:34. Seeing themselves utterly unable to make head against the enemy, and seeing their country, which they have the charge of and a concern for, inevitably ruined, they shall abandon themselves to sorrow. There shall be a voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a howling of the principal of the flock shall be heard, Jer 25:36. Those are great calamities indeed that strike such a terror upon the great men, and put them into this consternation. The Lord hath spoiled their pasture, in which they fed their flock, and out of which they fed themselves; the spoiling of that makes them cry-out thus. Perhaps, carrying on the metaphor of a lion roaring, it alludes to the great fright that shepherds are in when they hear a roaring lion coming towards their flocks, and find they have no way to flee (Jer 25:35) for their own safety, neither can the principal of their flock escape. The enemy will be so numerous, so furious, so sedulous, and the extent of their armies so vast, that it will be impossible to avoid falling into their hands. Note, As we cannot out-face, so we cannot out-run, the judgments of God. This is that for which the shepherds howl and cry. 4. The progress of this war is here described (Jer 25:32): Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation; as the cup goes round, every nation shall have its share and take warning by the calamities of another to repent and reform. Nay, as if this ere to be a little representation of the last and general judgment, it shall reach from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth, Jer 25:33. The day of vengeance is in his heart, and now his hand shall find out all his enemies, wherever they are, Psa 21:8. Note, When our neighbour's house is on fire it is time to be concerned for our own. When one nation is a seat of war every neighbouring nation should hear, and fear, and make its peace with God. 5. The dismal consequences of this war are here foretold: The days of slaughter and dispersions are accomplished, that is, they are fully come (Jer 25:34), the time fixed in the divine counsel for the slaughter of some and the dispersion of the rest, which will make the nations completely desolate. Multitudes shall fall by the sword of the merciless Chaldeans, so that the slain of the Lord shall be every where found: they are slain by commission from him, and are sacrificed to his justice. The slain for sin are the slain of the Lord. To complete the misery of their slaughter, they shall not be lamented in particular, so general shall the matter of lamentation be. Nay, they shall not be gathered up, nor buried, for they shall have no friends left to bury them, and the enemies shall not have so much humanity in them as to do it; and then they shall be as dung upon the earth, so vile and noisome: and it is well if, as dung manures the earth and makes it fruitful, so these horrid spectacles, which lie as monuments of divine justice, might be a means to awaken the inhabitants of the earth to learn righteousness. The effect of this war will be the desolation of the whole land that is the seat of it (Jer 25:38), one land after another. But here are two expressions more that seem to make the case in a particular manner piteous. (1.) You shall fall like a pleasant vessel, Jer 25:34. The most desirable persons among them, who most valued themselves and were most valued, who were looked upon as vessels of honour, shall fall by the sword. You shall fall as a Venice glass or a China dish, which is soon broken all to pieces. Even the tender and delicate shall share in the common calamity; the sword devours one as well as another. (2.) Even the peaceable habitations are cut down. Those that used to be quiet, and not molested, the habitations in which you have long dwelt in peace, shall now be no longer such, but cut down by the war. Or, Those who used to be quiet, and not molesting any of their neighbours, those who lived in peace, easily, and gave no provocation to any, even those shall not escape. This is one of the direful effects of war, that even those who were most harmless and inoffensive suffer hard things. Blessed be God, there is a peaceable habitation above for all the sons of peace, which is out of the reach of fire and sword.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 30–38. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 34, 35.) Howl (or rejoice) you shepherds, and shout, and sprinkle yourselves with ashes, you noble flock (or lament, you rams of the sheep); for your days are fulfilled that you may be slain, and your dispersions, and you shall fall like precious vessels (or like chosen rams). And flight shall perish from the shepherds, and salvation from the noble ones (or rams) of the flock. It should be noted that only in this place have the Seventy interpreted 'jubilum' in a negative sense: for which reason other interpreters have translated it as 'howl' (as it is written in Hebrew). Between shepherds and rams, or leaders of the flock, there is this distinction: the shepherds are rational beings; but the rams and leaders are referred to the wealthy, who themselves are also called part of the flock. And it brings forth: Your days are complete, that you may be killed: then their days shall be completed, when their sins are fulfilled; and they shall be scattered and fall, like precious vessels, so that when broken they cannot be restored; and the more precious they were before, the greater the damage in their breaking; or like chosen rams, desiring to devour a fat sacrifice. He says that the flight of the shepherds will perish when they do not repent. Finally, it is said to the Pharisees: Offspring of vipers, who has shown you how to escape from the coming wrath (Luke 5:7)? And in the Psalms we read: The flight has perished from me (Psalm 141:5). And salvation, he says, from the best of the flock, or from the rams: in common, it is understood that it will perish.
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.
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