Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
Parallel translations
- WEB Lift up your eyes, and see those who come from the north. where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?
- BSB Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your pride?
- NKJV Lift up your eyes and see Those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, Your beautiful sheep?
- NASB ¶“Raise your eyes and see Those coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, Your beautiful sheep?
- NLT Open up your eyes and see the armies marching down from the north! Where is your flock— your beautiful flock— that he gave you to care for?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God asks Jerusalem to behold the enemy from the north and account for the flock entrusted to her.
Overview
The threat 'from the north' is Babylon, God's instrument of judgment. The lost 'beautiful flock' represents the people the leaders failed to shepherd faithfully. The questioning tone holds the nation accountable for the ruin its unfaithfulness has caused.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Jer 6:22Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
- Jer 23:2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
- Hab 1:6For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
- Jer 1:14Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
- Jer 10:22Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
- Acts 20:26–29Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
- Jer 13:17But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock is carried away captive.
- Isa 56:9–12All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
- Zech 11:16–17For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
- Ezek 34:7–10Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
- John 10:12–13But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 13:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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