Add parallel Print Page Options

Restoration of Judah and Israel

10 Ask rain from the Lord
    in the season of the spring rain,
from the Lord who makes the storm clouds,
    who gives showers of rain to you,[a]
    the vegetation in the field to everyone.(A)
For the teraphim[b] utter nonsense,
    and the diviners see lies;
the dreamers tell false dreams
    and give empty consolation.
Therefore the people[c] wander like sheep;
    they suffer for lack of a shepherd.(B)

My anger is hot against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders,[d]
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
    and will make them like his proud war horse.(C)
Out of them shall come the cornerstone,
    out of them the tent peg,
out of them the battle bow,
    out of them every commander.(D)
Together they shall be like warriors in battle,
    trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight, for the Lord is with them,
    and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.(E)

I will strengthen the house of Judah,
    and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,
    and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
    for I am the Lord their God, and I will answer them.(F)
Then the people of Ephraim shall become like warriors,
    and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and rejoice;
    their hearts shall exult in the Lord.(G)

I will signal for them and gather them in,
    for I have redeemed them,
    and they shall be as numerous as they were before.(H)
Though I scattered them among the nations,
    yet in far countries they shall remember me,
    and they shall rear their children and return.(I)
10 I will bring them home from the land of Egypt
    and gather them from Assyria;
I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
    until there is no room for them.(J)
11 They[e] shall pass through the sea of distress,
    and the waves of the sea shall be struck down,
    and all the depths of the Nile dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
    and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.(K)
12 I will make them strong in the Lord,
    and they shall walk in his name,
            says the Lord.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 10.1 Heb them
  2. 10.2 Or household gods
  3. 10.2 Heb they
  4. 10.3 Or male goats
  5. 10.11 Gk: Heb He

The Lord Restores His People

10 Ask the Lord for rain
in the season of spring rain.
The Lord makes the rain clouds,
and he will give them showers of rain
and crops in the field for everyone.(A)
For the idols speak falsehood,
and the diviners(B) see illusions;
they relate empty dreams
and offer empty comfort.
Therefore the people wander like sheep;
they suffer affliction because there is no shepherd.
My anger burns against the shepherds,
so I will punish the leaders.[a]
For the Lord of Armies has tended his flock,
the house of Judah;
he will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
The cornerstone,(C) the tent peg,(D)
the battle bow,(E) and every ruler—
all will go out from him together.
They will be like warriors in battle
trampling down the mud of the streets.
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
and they will put horsemen to shame.
I will strengthen the house of Judah
and deliver the house of Joseph.[b]
I will restore[c] them
because I have compassion on them,
and they will be
as though I had never rejected them.(F)
For I am the Lord their God,
and I will answer them.
Ephraim(G) will be like a warrior,
and their hearts will be glad as if with wine.
Their children will see it and be glad;(H)
their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.

I will whistle(I) and gather them
because I have redeemed(J) them;
they will be as numerous as they once were.
Though I sow(K) them among the nations,
they will remember(L) me in the distant lands;
they and their children will live and return.
10 I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to the land of Gilead(M)
and to Lebanon,
but it will not be enough for them.
11 The Lord[d] will pass through the sea of distress
and strike the waves of the sea;
all the depths of the Nile will dry up.(N)
The pride of Assyria will be brought down,
and the scepter of Egypt will come to an end.
12 I will strengthen(O) them in the Lord,
and they will march(P) in his name—

this is the Lord’s declaration.

Footnotes

  1. 10:3 Lit male goats
  2. 10:6 = the northern kingdom
  3. 10:6 Other Hb mss, LXX read settle
  4. 10:11 Lit He