Zechariah 10

1 They asked of YHWH rain In a time of spring rain, YHWH is making lightnings, And He gives to them rain [in] showers. To each—the herb in the field.

Ask the LORD for rain in springtime; the LORD makes the storm clouds, and He will give everyone showers of rain and crops in the field.

2 Because the teraphim spoke iniquity, And the diviners have seen a falsehood, And dreams of the vanity they speak, [With] vanity they give comfort, Therefore they have journeyed as a flock, They are afflicted, for there is no shepherd.

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.

3 “My anger burned against the shepherds, And I lay a charge against the male goats, For YHWH of Hosts has inspected His flock, the house of Judah, And set them as His splendid horse in battle.

“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the LORD of Hosts attends to His flock, the house of Judah; He will make them like His royal steed in battle.

4 From him [is] a cornerstone, From him a nail, from him a battle-bow, From him goes forth every exactor together.

The cornerstone will come from Judah, the tent peg from him, as well as the battle bow and every ruler together.

5 And they have been as heroes, Treading in mire of out-places in battle, And they have fought, for YHWH [is] with them, And have put to shame riders of horses.

They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame.

6 And I have made the house of Judah mighty, And I save the house of Joseph, And I have caused them to dwell, for I have loved them, And they have been as [if] I had not cast them off, For I [am] their God YHWH, And I answer them.

I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had not rejected them. For I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.

7 And Ephraim has been as a hero, And their heart has rejoiced as wine, And their sons see, and they have rejoiced, Their heart rejoices in YHWH.

Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.

8 I hiss for them, and I gather them, For I have redeemed them, And they have multiplied as they multiplied.

I will whistle for them to gather, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they once were.

9 And I sow them among peoples, And in far-off places they remember Me, And they have lived with their sons, And they have turned back.

Though I sow them among the nations, they will remember Me in distant lands; they and their children will live and return.

10 And I have brought them back from the land of Egypt, And I gather them from Asshur, And I bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, And [space] is not found for them there.

I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon until no more room is found for them.

11 And He has passed over through the sea, And has pressed and struck billows in the sea, And all depths of a flood have been dried up, And the excellence of Asshur has been brought down, And the rod of Egypt turns aside.

They will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.

12 And I have made them mighty in YHWH, And in His Name they walk up and down,” A declaration of YHWH!

I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,”