68.  God speaks to him in reproof of the priests:  The priests said not, Where is the Lord, and they that handled the law knew Me not; the pastors also transgressed against Me.210    Ib. ii. 8.  Again He says to him:  The pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord, and therefore all their flock did not understand, and was scattered.211    Ib. x. 21.  Again, Many pastors have destroyed My vineyard, and have polluted My pleasant portion, till it was reduced to a trackless wilderness.212    Ib. xii. 10.  He further inveighs against the pastors again:  Woe be to the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!  Therefore thus saith the Lord against them that feed My people:  Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them:  behold I will visit upon you the evil of your doings.213    Ib. xxiii. 1, 2.  Moreover he bids the shepherds to howl, and the rams of the flock to lament, because the days of their slaughter are accomplished.214    Ib. xxv. 34.

ΞΗʹ. Λέγει μὲν αὐτῷ διελεγχόμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς ὁ Θεός: Οἱ ἱερεῖς οὐκ εἶπαν, ποῦ ἐστι Κύριος; καὶ οἱ ἀντεχόμενοι τοῦ νόμου μου οὐκ ἠπίσταντό με, καὶ οἱ ποιμένες ἠσέβουν εἰς ἐμέ. Λέγει δὲ αὐτὸς πάλιν: Ποιμένες ἠφρονεύσαντο, καὶ τὸν Κύριον οὐκ ἐξεζήτησαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐνόησε πᾶσα ἡ νομὴ, καὶ διεσκορπίσθησαν. Ποιμένες τε, φησὶ, πολλοὶ διέφθειραν τὸν ἀμπελῶνά μου: ἐμόλυναν τὴν μερίδα μου τὴν οὖσαν ἐπιθυμητὴν, δεδόσθαι εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἄβατον. Εἶτα πρὸς αὐτοὺς πάλιν ἀποτείνεται τοὺς ποιμένας: Ὦ, οἱ ποιμένες οἱ ἀπολλύντες καὶ διασκορπίζοντες τὰ πρόβατα τῆς νομῆς μου: διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμαίνοντας τὸν λαόν μου: Ὑμεῖς διεσκορπίσατε τὰ πρόβατά μου, καὶ ἐξεώσατε αὐτὰ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπεσκέψασθε αὐτά: ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐκδικῶ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς, κατὰ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ὑμῶν. Ἀλαλάζειν τε βούλεται τοὺς ποιμένας, καὶ κόπτεσθαι τοὺς κριοὺς τῶν προβάτων, διότι ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν εἰς σφαγήν.