“‘Woe to the shepherds
Who destroy
The sheep of my pasture!
Woe to the shepherds
Who scatter
The sheep of my pasture!’
Says Yahweh.
Therefore thus says Yahweh!
The God of Israel!
Concerning the shepherds
Who shepherd my people.
‘It is you
Who have scattered my flock.
You have driven them away.
You have not attended to them.
So I will attend to you
For your evil doings.’
Says Yahweh.”
Yahweh, via Jeremiah, condemns the bad shepherds or the bad leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. Yahweh blames them for destroying and scattering the sheep of his pasture, his people, the Israelites. There is no question in the mind of Yahweh that that it was these leaders who scattered and drove away his flock. They had not attended to them. Instead, they went on their evil ways. Now Yahweh will attend to their evil actions. This oracle of Yahweh is clearly pointing the blame on the leaders.