The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds^(A) who are destroying and scattering^(B) the sheep of my pasture!”^(C) declares the Lord.

² “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?^(A)

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd.

¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.^(A) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.

¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.