“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds ¹  of Israel; prophesy, and say to them – to the shepherds: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not shepherds feed the flock?

and all who heard it were astonished ¹  at what the shepherds said.

When some ¹  shepherds came and drove them away, ²  Moses came up and defended them ³  and then watered their flock.

Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. ¹  While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds,

Now ¹  there were shepherds ²  nearby ³  living out in the field, keeping guard ⁴  over their flock at night.

The seacoast ¹  will be used as pasture lands ²  by the shepherds and as pens for their flocks.

This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from their hand. I will no longer let them be shepherds; ¹  the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that they will no longer be food for them.

The leaders will not be able to run away and hide. ¹  The shepherds of the flocks will not be able to escape.

They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us ¹  from the shepherds, ²  and he actually ³  drew water for us and watered the flock!”

Next I eradicated the three shepherds in one month, ¹  for I ran out of patience with them and, indeed, they detested me as well.

The men are shepherds; ¹  they take care of livestock. ²  They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’

So ¹  the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising ²  God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told. ³ 

No one will live there again; no one will ever reside there again. ¹  No bedouin ²  will camp ³  there, no shepherds will rest their flocks ⁴  there.

Amos ¹  said: “The Lord comes roaring ²  out of Zion; from Jerusalem ³  he comes bellowing! ⁴  The shepherds’ pastures wilt; ⁵  the summit of Carmel ⁶  withers.” ⁷ 

Listen to the howling of shepherds, because their magnificence has been destroyed. Listen to the roaring of young lions, because the thickets of the Jordan have been devastated.

The Lord says, ¹  “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. ²  They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered. ³ 

The dogs have big appetites; they are never full. ¹  They are shepherds who have no understanding; they all go their own way, each one looking for monetary gain. ² 

Listen to the cries of anguish of the leaders. Listen to the wails of the shepherds of the flocks. They are wailing because the Lord is about to destroy their lands. ¹