Ζαχαρίας 10

1 αἰτεῖσθε ὑετὸν παρὰ κυρίου καθ’ ὥραν πρόιμον καὶ ὄψιμον κύριος ἐποίησεν φαντασίας καὶ ὑετὸν χειμερινὸν δώσει αὐτοῖς ἑκάστῳ βοτάνην ἐν ἀγρῷ

Ask Yahweh to cause rain to fall (in the springtime/before the hot season starts), [because] he is the one who makes the clouds [from which the rain falls]. He causes showers to fall on us, and he causes crops to grow well in the fields.

2 διότι οἱ ἀποφθεγγόμενοι ἐλάλησαν κόπους καὶ οἱ μάντεις ὁράσεις ψευδεῖς καὶ τὰ ἐνύπνια ψευδῆ ἐλάλουν μάταια παρεκάλουν διὰ τοῦτο ἐξήρθησαν ὡς πρόβατα καὶ ἐκακώθησαν διότι οὐκ ἦν ἴασις

[What people think that] the idols in their houses suggest [is only] nonsense, and people who [say that they can] interpret dreams tell [only] lies. When they [tell people things to] comfort [them, what they say] is useless, so the people [who (consult/trust in) them] are like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no [one to protect them] [like] [MET] a shepherd [protects his sheep].

3 ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμένας παρωξύνθη ὁ θυμός μου καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀμνοὺς ἐπισκέψομαι καὶ ἐπισκέψεται κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ τὸν οἶκον Ιουδα καὶ τάξει αὐτοὺς ὡς ἵππον εὐπρεπῆ αὐτοῦ ἐν πολέμῳ

[Yahweh says, ] “I am angry with the leaders [MET] of my people, and I will punish them. [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, take care of my people, the people of Judah, [like a shepherd takes care of his] [MET] flock, and I will cause them to be like [SIM] proud/powerful war horses.

4 καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔταξεν καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τόξον ἐν θυμῷ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐξελεύσεται πᾶς ὁ ἐξελαύνων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ

From Judah will come rulers [who will be very important], [like] [MET] a cornerstone is [the most important stone for a house], [like] [MET] a tent peg [is very important for a tent], [like] [MET] a bow [is very important for (an archer/a man who shoots arrows]).

5 καὶ ἔσονται ὡς μαχηταὶ πατοῦντες πηλὸν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ παρατάξονται διότι κύριος μετ’ αὐτῶν καὶ καταισχυνθήσονται ἀναβάται ἵππων

They will all be like [SIM] mighty warriors trampling [their enemies] in the mud during a battle. [I, ] Yahweh, will be with them, so they will fight and defeat their enemies who ride on horses.

6 καὶ κατισχύσω τὸν οἶκον Ιουδα καὶ τὸν οἶκον Ιωσηφ σώσω καὶ κατοικιῶ αὐτούς ὅτι ἠγάπησα αὐτούς καὶ ἔσονται ὃν τρόπον οὐκ ἀπεστρεψάμην αὐτούς διότι ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπακούσομαι αὐτοῖς

I will cause the people [MTY] of Judah to become strong, and I will rescue the people [MTY] of Israel. I will bring them back [from the countries to which they were (exiled/forced to go)]; [I will do that] because I pity them. Then they will be as though I had not abandoned them, because I am Yahweh, their God, and I will answer them [when they pray for help].

7 καὶ ἔσονται ὡς μαχηταὶ τοῦ Εφραιμ καὶ χαρήσεται ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν ὡς ἐν οἴνῳ καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ὄψονται καὶ εὐφρανθήσονται καὶ χαρεῖται ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ

The people of Israel will be like [SIM] strong soldiers; they will be as happy as [people who have drunk a lot of] wine. Their children will see [their fathers being very happy], and they [also] will be happy because of what Yahweh [has done for them].

8 σημανῶ αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰσδέξομαι αὐτούς διότι λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς καὶ πληθυνθήσονται καθότι ἦσαν πολλοί

I will signal for my people [to return from (being exiled/other countries)], and I will gather them together [in their own country]. I will rescue them, and they will become very numerous like [they were] previously.

9 καὶ σπερῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν λαοῖς καὶ οἱ μακρὰν μνησθήσονταί μου ἐκθρέψουσιν τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπιστρέψουσιν

I have caused them to be scattered among many people-groups, but in those distant countries they will think about me again. They and their children will remain alive and return [to Judah].

10 καὶ ἐπιστρέψω αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξ Ἀσσυρίων εἰσδέξομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ εἰς τὴν Γαλααδῖτιν καὶ εἰς τὸν Λίβανον εἰσάξω αὐτούς καὶ οὐ μὴ ὑπολειφθῇ ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδὲ εἷς

I will bring them [back] from Egypt and from Assyria; I will bring them [back] from the Gilead and Lebanon [regions], and there will hardly be enough [HYP] space for them all [to live in Judah].

11 καὶ διελεύσονται ἐν θαλάσσῃ στενῇ καὶ πατάξουσιν ἐν θαλάσσῃ κύματα καὶ ξηρανθήσεται πάντα τὰ βάθη ποταμῶν καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσεται πᾶσα ὕβρις Ἀσσυρίων καὶ σκῆπτρον Αἰγύπτου περιαιρεθήσεται

They will endure/experience many difficulties [as though they were walking] [MET] through a sea, but [I] will calm the waves of the sea; the Nile [River which is usually] deep will dry up. [I] will defeat the proud [soldiers of] Assyria, and [I will cause] Egypt to no longer be powerful [MTY].

12 καὶ κατισχύσω αὐτοὺς ἐν κυρίῳ θεῷ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ κατακαυχήσονται λέγει κύριος

I will enable my people to be strong, and they will honor me and obey [IDM] me. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”