King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 50:6 Mean?

Jeremiah 50:6 in the King James Version says “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountai...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 50 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. restingplace: Heb. place to lie down in”

Jeremiah 50:6 · KJV

Context

4

In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.

5

They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

6

My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. restingplace: Heb. place to lie down in

7

All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.

8

Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. This verse employs the shepherd-sheep metaphor central to biblical ecclesiology. The phrase "lost sheep" anticipates Jesus' self-identification as the Good Shepherd seeking the lost (John 10:11-16; Luke 15:3-7). The problem isn't the sheep's nature but failed shepherds—false leaders who led the flock astray rather than toward proper pasture.

The reference to "mountains" and "from mountain to hill" alludes to Canaanite high places where idolatry flourished (1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10). Corrupt shepherds (kings, priests, prophets) led God's people into syncretistic worship combining Yahwism with Baal worship. The result: "they have forgotten their restingplace"—losing sight of God Himself as their true rest and security (Psalm 23:1-3; Matthew 11:28-30).

Theologically, this verse teaches: (1) Spiritual leaders bear profound responsibility for those entrusted to them (Ezekiel 34:1-10; James 3:1); (2) false teaching destroys by leading away from God, not merely by intellectual error; (3) idolatry consists fundamentally of seeking rest/security in created things rather than the Creator; (4) God's people become vulnerable when leaders fail. Christ emerges as the faithful Shepherd whose leadership rectifies all previous failures (1 Peter 2:25; 5:4).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Judah's final kings (Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah) exemplified failed shepherding through injustice, idolatry, and political folly leading to national destruction. The prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah all employ the shepherd metaphor to critique failed leadership and promise divine intervention (Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ezekiel 34; Zechariah 11).

"High places" (bamot) were local shrines where worship often blended Yahwism with Canaanite religion. Though Josiah's reforms (640-609 BCE) temporarily eliminated these sites (2 Kings 23:1-20), they reappeared under subsequent kings. Archaeological excavations have uncovered cultic high places across ancient Israel, confirming biblical descriptions. The spiritual confusion resulting from such syncretism made exile necessary—only the trauma of losing land, temple, and independence would purge Israel of idolatry. Post-exilic Judaism indeed showed remarkable resistance to idolatry, suggesting the lesson was learned.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the metaphor of failed shepherds leading sheep astray warn about the importance of discerning godly leadership?
  2. In what ways do contemporary 'high places' (idolatrous securities) cause believers to forget their true rest in God?
  3. How does Christ's identity as the Good Shepherd address the perpetual problem of human leadership failure?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
צֹ֤אן1 of 14

“sheep”

H6629

a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

אֹֽבְדוֹת֙2 of 14

“hath been lost”

H6

properly, to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)

הָי֣הּ3 of 14
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

עַמִּ֔י4 of 14

“My people”

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

רֹעֵיהֶ֣ם5 of 14

“their shepherds”

H7462

to tend a flock; i.e., pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a frie

הִתְע֔וּם6 of 14

“have caused them to go astray”

H8582

to vacillate, i.e., reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both

מֵהַ֤ר7 of 14

“on the mountains”

H2022

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

שֽׁוֹבְב֑יּם8 of 14
H7726

apostate, i.e., idolatrous

מֵהַ֤ר9 of 14

“on the mountains”

H2022

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

אֶל10 of 14
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

גִּבְעָה֙11 of 14

“to hill”

H1389

a hillock

הָלָ֔כוּ12 of 14

“they have gone”

H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

שָׁכְח֖וּ13 of 14

“they have forgotten”

H7911

to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention

רִבְצָֽם׃14 of 14

“their restingplace”

H7258

a couch or place of repose

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 50:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 50:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 53:6Matthew 9:36Ezekiel 34:14Matthew 10:6Jeremiah 50:17Psalms 119:176

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