Jeremiah 23:1-9

The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch

¹“Woe to the shepherds who are causing the sheep of My pasture to perish and are scattering them!” declares the Lord. ²Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not been concerned about them; behold, I am going to call you to account for the evil of your deeds,” declares the Lord. ³“Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. ⁴I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.

5“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;

And He will reign as king and act wisely

And do justice and righteousness in the land.

6“In His days Judah will be saved,

And Israel will live securely;

And this is His name by which He will be called,

‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’

⁷“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought the sons of Israel up from the land of Egypt,’ ⁸but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up and led the descendants of the household of Israel back from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil.”

False Prophets Denounced

9As for the prophets:

My heart is broken within me,

All my bones tremble;

I have become like a drunken man,

And like a man overcome by wine,

Because of the Lord

And because of His holy words.