John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 23:1

"Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 23:1 (ASV)

Woe be unto the pastors Or, "O you shepherds" or "governors", as the Targum; the civil rulers and magistrates, kings and princes of the land of Israel; since ecclesiastical rulers, the priests and prophets, are mentioned as distinct from them in (Jeremiah 23:9) ; whose business it was to rule and guide, protect and defend, the people:

but, instead of that, they were such that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord God ; set them bad examples, led them into idolatry and other sins, which were the cause of their ruin, and of their being carried captive, and scattered in other countries;

and their sin was the more aggravated, inasmuch as these people were the Lord's pasture sheep, whom he had an interest in, and a regard unto, and had committed them to the care and charge of these pastors or governors, to be particularly taken care of.