ירמיהו, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ג׳

Following the failure of the nation's leaders, God takes direct responsibility for restoring the lost flock. He promises a complete reversal of the damage caused by the previous corrupt shepherds [מלבי״ם]. The process of exile and displacement had already begun years earlier, making divine intervention necessary to gather the scattered people [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Where the earthly leaders scattered the flock, God will gather them. Instead of driving them away, He will bring them back, and rather than neglecting them, He will ensure they thrive [מלבי״ם].

God will gather the people through His kindness, though the promise is specifically directed toward a surviving remnant. This indicates that the majority of the people will perish during the exile, leaving only a few to be redeemed [מצודת דוד]. Regarding the timeline of this redemption, there are different perspectives. It might refer to the historical return from the Babylonian exile, a period when peace and security were only temporary. However, the preferred approach is that this is an eternal promise pointing toward the final gathering of exiles from the last, long exile [רד״ק].

The next stage of this divine rescue involves bringing the people back to their proper home. God will return them to their original dwelling place, which serves as the safe pasture for His flock [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Once they are safely resettled in their land, they are promised a blessing of immense growth. They will become fruitful again, having children and multiplying greatly as a restored nation [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].