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Nahum 3:18
Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwellin the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereththem.

they shall.

Jeremiah 4:16,17
Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem,that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah…

Jeremiah 39:1-3
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it…

2 Kings 24:2,10-12
And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets…

they will pitch their tents all around her,
The act of pitching tents signifies a prolonged siege, indicating that the invaders are preparing for an extended campaign against Jerusalem. This was a common military tactic in ancient warfare, where armies would encamp around a city to cut off supplies and weaken the inhabitants. The encirclement of Jerusalem is a fulfillment of the warnings given by prophets like Jeremiah, who repeatedly called the people to repentance to avoid such calamities. The encampment also symbolizes the totality of the threat, as the city is surrounded on all sides, leaving no escape. This is reminiscent of the siege described in2 Kings 25:1-2, where the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem during the reign of Zedekiah.

each tending his own portion:
This phrase suggests that the invading forces are organized and methodical, with each group responsible for a specific section of the siege. It reflects the division of labor and the strategic planning involved in military operations. The phrase can also imply the thoroughness of the judgment against Jerusalem, as every part of the city is targeted. In a broader theological sense, it underscores the idea that God's judgment is comprehensive and precise, leaving no part of the city untouched. This meticulous division of the siege parallels the detailed prophecies found in books like Ezekiel, where the consequences of disobedience are laid out with precision.

“ Shepherds and their flocks …” (Jeremiah 6:3a)

• Jeremiah pictures enemy commanders as “shepherds” and their soldiers as “flocks.” The Bible often calls leaders “shepherds,” whether good (Psalm 23:1;John 10:11) or corrupt (Jeremiah 12:10;Ezekiel 34:2).

• Here they are foreign leaders God is allowing to approach Jerusalem. Just as shepherds guide sheep with deliberate purpose, these invaders move their troops with calculated intent.

• The Lord has already warned that He is summoning nations from the north (Jeremiah 1:15; 5:15). The image reminds us that even pagan armies operate under His sovereign hand.

“ …will come against her …” (Jeremiah 6:3b)

• “Her” is Jerusalem, the city that assumed it was untouchable because the temple stood within her walls (Jeremiah 7:4).

• The approach is hostile and personal, fulfilling earlier prophecies: “I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their evil” (Jeremiah 1:16) and “Disaster is coming from the north” (Jeremiah 6:1).

• Like Habakkuk’s Chaldeans who “march through the breadth of the earth” (Habakkuk 1:6-9), these shepherd-generals do not arrive merely to threaten; they arrive to conquer.

“ …they will pitch their tents all around her …” (Jeremiah 6:3c)

• Siege warfare in the ancient world meant encamping on every side (Isaiah 29:3;2 Kings 25:1-2). Tents popping up everywhere spell relentless pressure—no escape routes, no supply lines, no relief.

• The circle of tents is the opposite ofPsalm 34:7, where “the angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him.” Jerusalem’s rebellion has traded divine protection for enemy encirclement (Jeremiah 4:17).

• The image also evokesNumbers 31:10, where Israel’s armies camp around Midian before judgment. Now that same tactic comes against God’s own city because she has imitated the nations (Jeremiah 2:11-13).

“ …each tending his own portion.” (Jeremiah 6:3d)

• Every commander oversees a sector, making the siege efficient and methodical—no gaps, no confusion (compareJudges 7:21, where Israel’s companies stand “each in his place”).

• The phrase underscores inevitability: this is not a random mob but an organized force carrying out God’s decree (Jeremiah 25:9).

• It also hints at total desolation. Just as shepherds watch over every inch of pasture, invaders will strip every inch of the land (Jeremiah 12:10;Isaiah 5:5-6). None of Jerusalem’s defenses will go untended; the city’s fate is sealed.

Jeremiah 6:3 paints a vivid, literal snapshot of Jerusalem’s coming siege: disciplined enemy commanders (“shepherds”) arrive with their armies (“flocks”), surround the city, set up a tight ring of tents, and manage the operation with meticulous care. The verse underscores God’s righteous judgment—Jerusalem’s sin has invited an organized, unstoppable force that will not leave until its task is complete.

Every one in his place.--Literally,each on his hand,or perhaps, "they shall feed,each his hand," i.e.,shall let it rove in plunder at will by the side of his own tent. The work of plunder was to go on everywhere. The imagery is drawn from the attack of a nomadic tribe on a richly-cultivated plain.

Parallel Commentaries ...