Who are the “shepherds” that must “wail,” “cry out,” and “roll in ashes”?

The next few verses describe how the leaders of the nations will be a particular focus of the Lord’s judgment. Jeremiah has already spoken of the leadership of Judah as shepherds (see Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 6:3; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10; Jeremiah 22:22; Jeremiah 23:1; Jeremiah 23:4). They faced the Lord’s judgment because of their failure to lead the people in covenant faithfulness. Now it is the leaders of the nations who face the same judgment for their failure. Even though they were not in a covenant with the Lord the way Judah was, the nations represent a world that has rebelled against its creator and their leadership has played a vital role in this rebellion. The Lord says to these leaders, Your days of slaughter and dispersion have come. In Hebrew, the phrase your days have come literally means your days are full. This phrase is used often in the Old Testament to describe the completion of a period of time. The point here is that after their term in leadership, these shepherds now face their time of judgment.¹

The shepherds are said to wail and cry out, and roll in the ashes. It is a time of great mourning because of great slaughter. Normally it would be the sheep that would be slaughtered, but here it is the shepherds. They will also face dispersion. This is probably a reference to being taken away in exile.² These once powerful and influential leaders will have nowhere to hide. There will be no refuge for them from the Lord, nor escape from his judgment.