2 Chronicles 18:16

¹⁴ When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”

¹⁵ But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”

¹⁷ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”

¹⁸ Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
KJV: Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
WEB: He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’”
ASV: And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.
DARBY: And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
BLB: And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that without a shepherd unto them. And YHWH said, ‘No masters [are] unto these; let each man return to his house in peace.’”

ÅB: Da sa han: Jeg så hele Israel spredt utover fjellene slik som en saueflokk som ikke har hyrde; og Herren sa: Disse har ingen herre; la dem vende tilbake i fred, hver til sitt hus!
OTB: Så sa han: «Jeg så hele Israel spredt på fjellene, som sauer uten gjeter; og Herren sa: ‘Disse har ingen herre. Hver av dem skal vende tilbake til sitt hus i fred.’»
B1930: Da sa han: Jeg så hele Israel spredt utover fjellene likesom en fårehjord som ikke har hyrde; og Herren sa: Disse har ingen herre; la dem vende tilbake i fred, hver til sitt hus!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Matthew 9:36
When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:8
‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because My flock lacks a shepherd and has become prey and food for every wild beast, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but fed themselves instead,
Read in context
Numbers 27:17
who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
Read in context
1 Kings 22:17
So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
Read in context
Ezekiel 34:5–6
They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts.
Read in context
Mark 6:34
When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
Read in context
Zechariah 10:2
For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Read in context
Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Read in context