Jeremiah 50:6

Authorized King James Version

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.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
צֹ֤אן
sheep
a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)
#2
אֹֽבְדוֹת֙
H6
hath been lost
properly, to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)
#3
הָי֣הּ
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#4
עַמִּ֔י
My people
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
#5
רֹעֵיהֶ֣ם
their shepherds
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
#6
הִתְע֔וּם
have caused them to go astray
to vacillate, i.e., reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both
#7
מֵהַ֤ר
on the mountains
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
#8
שֽׁוֹבְב֑יּם
apostate, i.e., idolatrous
#9
מֵהַ֤ר
on the mountains
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
#10
אֶל
near, with or among; often in general, to
#11
גִּבְעָה֙
to hill
a hillock
#12
הָלָ֔כוּ
they have gone
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
#13
שָׁכְח֖וּ
they have forgotten
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
#14
רִבְצָֽם׃
their restingplace
a couch or place of repose

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing covenant community contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood covenant community. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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