< 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 ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass 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 the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no 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.
Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
4 From him [is] a cornerstone, From him a nail, from him a battle-bow, From him goes forth every exactor together.
Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor 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.
And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
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.
And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear 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.
And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall 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 hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
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.
And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.
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 again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be 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.
And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.
12 And I have made them mighty in YHWH, And in His Name they walk up and down,” A declaration of YHWH!
And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord.