< Zechariah 10 >

1 Make your request to the Lord for rain in the time of the spring rains, even to the Lord who makes the thunder-flames; and he will give them showers of rain, to every man grass in the field.
Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain! It is Jehovah that maketh the lightning; And he will give you abundant showers, To every one the herb of the field.
2 For the images have said what is not true, and the readers of signs have seen deceit; they have given accounts of false dreams, they give comfort to no purpose: so they go out of the way like sheep, they are troubled because they have no keeper.
For the teraphim speak falsehood, And the diviners see a lie, And the dreams speak falsehood; Vain are their consolations. Therefore they wander as a flock; They are in distress, because there is no shepherd.
3 My wrath is burning against the keepers of the flock, and I will send punishment on the he-goats: for the Lord of armies takes care of his flock, the people of Judah, and will make them like the horse of his pride in the fight.
My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And the bucks will I punish; For Jehovah of hosts will visit his flock, the house of Judah, And make them as his goodly horse in battle.
4 From him will come the keystone, from him the nail, from him the bow of war, from him will come every ruler;
From him shall come forth the corner-stone, From him the nail, From him the battle-bow; From him shall every leader come forth.
5 Together they will be like men of war, crushing down their haters into the earth of the streets in the fight; they will make war because the Lord is with them: and the horsemen will be shamed.
And they shall be as mighty men, Who tread down their enemies in battle as the mire of the streets, And they shall fight, because Jehovah is with them, So that the riders on horses shall be confounded.
6 And I will make the children of Judah strong, and I will be the saviour of the children of Joseph, and I will make them come back again, for I have had mercy on them: they will be as if I had not given them up: for I am the Lord their God and I will give them an answer.
And I will strengthen the house of Judah, And give victory to the house of Joseph, And I will set them in their dwellings, because I have compassion upon them; And they shall be as though I had not cast them off; For I am Jehovah, their God, and I will hear them.
7 And Ephraim will be like a man of war, and their hearts will be glad as with wine; and their children will see it with joy; their hearts will be glad in the Lord.
And Ephraim shall be as a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice, as through wine; And their sons shall see it and rejoice, Their hearts shall rejoice in Jehovah.
8 With the sound of the pipe I will get them together; for I have given the price to make them free: and they will be increased as they were increased.
I will whistle for them, and will gather them; for I have redeemed them; And they shall increase as they increased before.
9 Though I had them planted among the peoples, they will keep me in mind in far countries: and they will take care of their children and will come back.
Though I scatter them among the nations, Yet in far countries will they remember me; And they shall live with their children, and shall return.
10 And I will make them come back out of the land of Egypt, and will get them together out of Assyria; and I will take them into the land of Gilead, and it will not be wide enough for them.
And I will bring them back from the land of Egypt, And from Assyria will I gather them; And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and of Lebanon, And there shall not be room enough for them.
11 And they will go through the sea of Egypt, and all the deep waters of the Nile will become dry: and the pride of Assyria will be made low, and the power of Egypt will be taken away.
And he shall pass through the sea of distress, And he shall smite the sea of waves, And all the depths of the river shall be dried up; And the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the sceptre of Egypt shall depart.
12 And their strength will be in the Lord; and their pride will be in his name, says the Lord.
And I will strengthen them through Jehovah, And in his name shall they walk, saith Jehovah.

< Zechariah 10 >