1. “How horrible it will be for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep in my care,” declares the Lord.
2. “This is what I, the Lord God of Israel, said to the shepherds who take care of my people: You have scattered my sheep and chased them away. You have not taken care of them, so now I will take care of you by punishing you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord.
3. “Then I will gather the remaining part of my flock from all the countries where I chased them. I will bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fertile and increase in number.
4. I will put shepherds over them. Those shepherds will take care of them. My sheep will no longer be afraid or terrified, and not one of them will be missing,” declares the Lord.
5. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,“when I will grow a righteous branch for David.He will be a king who will rule wisely.He will do what is fair and right in the land.
6. In his lifetime, Judah will be saved,and Israel will live in safety.This is the name that he will be given:The Lord is our righteousness.
7. “That is why the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people’s oaths will no longer be, ‘The Lord brought the people of Israel out of Egypt. As the Lord lives. . . .’