Jer 10:21 | NETfull | STEP | For our leaders are stupid. They have not sought the Lord ’s advice. So they do not act wisely, and the people they are responsible for have all been scattered.

Jeremiah 10:21

21 For our leaders ^{▼▼ Heb “the shepherds.”} are stupid.
They have not sought the Lord’s advice. ^{▼▼ Heb “They have not sought the Lord.”} ^{▼▼ The idiom translated sought the Lord’s advice quite commonly refers to inquiring for the Lord’s guidance through a prophet. See for example Exod 18:15; 1 Sam 9:9; 1 Kgs 22:8. It would not exclude consulting the law.}
So they do not act wisely,
and the people they are responsible for ^{▼▼ Heb “all their flock (or “pasturage”).”} ^{▼▼ This verse uses the figure of rulers as shepherds and the people they ruled as sheep. It is a common figure in the Bible. See Ezek 34 for an extended development of this metaphor.} have all been scattered.