previous chapter). They were shepherds who were ‘misleading’ the people, their ‘flock’ (see Ezek. 34 for the same imagery; also Jer. 3:15; 6:3; 10:21; 22:22). Kings in the Ancient Near East were often called shepherds. The result of misleading the people of Judah is their being scattered like sheep to other countries, in exile. Because they have not bestowed care on the sheep, God will bestow punishment on them. The Hebrew word for ‘bestow’ can have a positive (‘visit/attend with a positive purpose’)