4The Lord my God says this: “Shepherd the flock intended for slaughter.

5Those who buy them slaughter them but are not punished.11:5 Ps 34:22 Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord because I have become rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion for them.

6Indeed, I will no longer have compassion on the inhabitants of the land” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “Instead, I will turn everyone over to his neighbor and his king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue it from their hand.”11:6 Jr 13:14; Lm 2:2,17,21; Ezk 7:4,9

7So I shepherded the flock intended for slaughter, the oppressed of the flock.11:7 LXX reads slaughter that belonged to the sheep merchants I took two staffs, calling one Favor11:7 Ps 90:17; Zch 11:10 and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.

8In one month I got rid of three shepherds. I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.

9Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let what is dying die, and let what is perishing perish; let the rest devour each other’s flesh.”

10Next I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, annulling the covenant I had made with all the peoples.

11It was annulled on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock11:11 LXX reads and the sheep merchants who were watching me knew that it was the word of the Lord.

12Then I said to them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed my wages, thirty pieces of silver.11:12 Ex 21:32

13“Throw it to the potter,”11:13 Syr reads treasury the Lord said to me — this magnificent price I was valued by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw it into the house of the Lord, to the potter.11:13 One Hb ms, Syr read treasury11:13 Mt 26:15; 27:3–10

14Then I cut in two my second staff, Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15The Lord also said to me, “Take the equipment of a foolish shepherd.

16I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are perishing, and he will not seek the lost11:16 Or young or heal the broken. He will not sustain the healthy,11:16 Or exhausted but he will devour the flesh of the fat sheep11:16 Ezk 34:3–4 and tear off their hooves.