זְכַרְיָה 10

1 שַׁאֲל֨וּ מֵיְהוָ֤ה מָטָר֙ בְּעֵ֣ת מַלְקֹ֔ושׁ יְהוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֣ה חֲזִיזִ֑ים וּמְטַר־גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ יִתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם לְאִ֖ישׁ עֵ֥שֶׂב בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃

Ask the Lord for rain in springtime, for he makes the rainclouds and sends showers to grow crops for everyone.

2 כִּ֧י הַתְּרָפִ֣ים דִּבְּרוּ־אָ֗וֶן וְהַקֹּֽוסְמִים֙ חָ֣זוּ שֶׁ֔קֶר וַֽחֲלֹמֹות֙ הַשָּׁ֣וא יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ הֶ֖בֶל יְנַֽחֵמ֑וּן עַל־כֵּן֙ נָסְע֣וּ כְמֹו־צֹ֔אן יַעֲנ֖וּ כִּֽי־אֵ֥ין רֹעֶֽה׃ פ

Household idols give worthless answers, fortune-tellers tell lies, while interpreters of dreams just make things up and offer only false hope. As a result, people wander aimlessly like sheep, suffering because there is no shepherd.

3 עַל־הָֽרֹעִים֙ חָרָ֣ה אַפִּ֔י וְעַל־הָעַתּוּדִ֖ים אֶפְקֹ֑וד כִּֽי־פָקַד֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָאֹ֤ות אֶת־עֶדְרֹו֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה וְשָׂ֣ם אֹותָ֔ם כְּס֥וּס הֹודֹ֖ו בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

I am angry with the shepherds, I will punish the leaders. For the Lord Almighty cares for his flock, the people of Judah, and will make them like his splendid warhorse.

4 מִמֶּ֤נּוּ פִנָּה֙ מִמֶּ֣נּוּ יָתֵ֔ד מִמֶּ֖נּוּ קֶ֣שֶׁת מִלְחָמָ֑ה מִמֶּ֛נּוּ יֵצֵ֥א כָל־נֹוגֵ֖שׂ יַחְדָּֽו׃

From the people of Judah will come the cornerstone, from them the tent-peg, the bow used in battle—all their rulers together.

5 וְהָי֨וּ כְגִבֹּרִ֜ים בֹּוסִ֨ים בְּטִ֤יט חוּצֹות֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְנִ֨לְחֲמ֔וּ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִמָּ֑ם וְהֹבִ֖ישׁוּ רֹכְבֵ֥י סוּסִֽים׃

They will be like warriors going into battle, trampling their enemies in the mud. Because the Lord is with them they will fight and defeat the enemy cavalry.

6 וְגִבַּרְתִּ֣י ׀ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֗ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֤ית יֹוסֵף֙ אֹושִׁ֔יעַ וְהֹֽושְׁבֹותִים֙ כִּ֣י רִֽחַמְתִּ֔ים וְהָי֖וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־זְנַחְתִּ֑ים כִּ֗י אֲנִ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶעֱנֵֽם׃

I will strengthen the people of Judah; I will save the people of Joseph. I will bring them back home because I am concerned for them. It will be like I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer their cries for help.

7 וְהָי֤וּ כְגִבֹּור֙ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְשָׂמַ֥ח לִבָּ֖ם כְּמֹו־יָ֑יִן וּבְנֵיהֶם֙ יִרְא֣וּ וְשָׂמֵ֔חוּ יָגֵ֥ל לִבָּ֖ם בַּיהוָֽה׃

The people of Ephraim will become like warriors, and they will become so happy—as if they had drunk wine. Their children will see what is happening and will be glad too, joyful in the Lord.

8 אֶשְׁרְקָ֥ה לָהֶ֛ם וַאֲקַבְּצֵ֖ם כִּ֣י פְדִיתִ֑ים וְרָב֖וּ כְּמֹ֥ו רָבֽוּ׃

I will whistle to them and they will run to me. I will rescue them, and there will be as many as there were before.

9 וְאֶזְרָעֵם֙ בָּֽעַמִּ֔ים וּבַמֶּרְחַקִּ֖ים יִזְכְּר֑וּנִי וְחָי֥וּ אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם וָשָֽׁבוּ׃

I have scattered them like seed among the nations, and in distant places they will remember me. They will bring up their children, and together they will return.

10 וַהֲשִֽׁיבֹותִים֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמֵֽאַשּׁ֖וּר אֲקַבְּצֵ֑ם וְאֶל־אֶ֨רֶץ גִּלְעָ֤ד וּלְבָנֹון֙ אֲבִיאֵ֔ם וְלֹ֥א יִמָּצֵ֖א לָהֶֽם׃

I will bring them back from the land of Egypt; I will gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there won't be enough room for them!

11 וְעָבַ֨ר בַּיָּ֜ם צָרָ֗ה וְהִכָּ֤ה בַיָּם֙ גַּלִּ֔ים וְהֹבִ֕ישׁוּ כֹּ֖ל מְצוּלֹ֣ות יְאֹ֑ר וְהוּרַד֙ גְּאֹ֣ון אַשּׁ֔וּר וְשֵׁ֥בֶט מִצְרַ֖יִם יָסֽוּר׃

They will pass through the sea of trouble and strike the waves of the sea, and the waters of the Nile will dry up. Assyria's pride will be brought down, and Egypt's rule will pass away.

12 וְגִבַּרְתִּים֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וּבִשְׁמֹ֖ו יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃ ס

I will make them strong in the Lord, and they will follow all he says, declares the Lord.