1-4. “Doom to the shepherd-leaders who butcher and scatter my sheep!” God’s Decree. “So here is what I, God, Israel’s God, say to the shepherd-leaders who misled my people: ‘You’ve scattered my sheep. You’ve driven them off. You haven’t kept your eye on them. Well, let me tell you, I’m keeping my eye on you, keeping track of your criminal behavior. I’ll take over and gather what’s left of my sheep, gather them in from all the lands where I’ve driven them. I’ll bring them back where they belong, and they’ll recover and flourish. I’ll set shepherd-leaders over them who will take good care of them. They won’t live in fear or panic anymore. All the lost sheep rounded up!’ God’s Decree.”
10-12. Now for what God says regarding the lying prophets:“Can you believe it? A country teeming with adulterers!faithless, promiscuous idolater-adulterers!They’re a curse on the land.The land’s a wasteland.Their unfaithfulnessis turning the country into a cesspool,Prophets and priests devoted to desecration.They have nothing to do with me as their God.My very own Temple, mind you—mud-spattered with their crimes.” God’s Decree.“But they won’t get by with it.They’ll find themselves on a slippery slope,Careening into the darkness,somersaulting into the pitch-black dark.I’ll make them pay for their crimes.It will be the Year of Doom.” God’s Decree.