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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 men showers of rain,
    to every one the vegetation in the field.
For the teraphim utter nonsense,
    and the diviners see lies;
the dreamers tell false dreams,
    and give empty consolation.
Therefore the people wander like sheep;
    they are afflicted for want of a shepherd.

“My anger is hot against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;[a]
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
    and will make them like his proud steed in battle.
Out of them shall come the cornerstone,
    out of them the tent peg,
out of them the battle bow,
    out of them every ruler.
Together they shall be like mighty men in battle,
    trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the Lord is with them,
    and they shall confound the riders on horses.

“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.
Then E′phraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
    and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and rejoice,
    their hearts shall exult in the Lord.

“I will signal for them and gather them in,
    for I have redeemed them,
    and they shall be as many as of old.
Though I scattered them among the nations,
    yet in far countries they shall remember me,
    and with their children they shall live and return.
10 I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
    and gather them from Assyria;
and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
    till there is no room for them.
11 They shall pass through the sea of Egypt,[b]
    and the waves of the sea shall be smitten,
    and all the depths of the Nile dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
    and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12 I will make them strong in the Lord
    and they shall glory[c] in his name,”
                says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 10:3 Or he-goats
  2. Zechariah 10:11 Cn: Heb distress
  3. Zechariah 10:12 Gk: Heb walk

Good Shepherd Cares for Judah

10 Ask Adonai for rain in spring!
    Adonai makes the storm clouds
and will give rain showers
    and plants of the field to everyone.
The idols utter deceit
        and diviners see lies.
    They relate false dreams
        and comfort in vain.
    Therefore the people wander like sheep,
        afflicted because there is no shepherd.[a]

My anger burns against the shepherds
        and I will punish the leaders.[b]
    Adonai-Tzva’ot cares for His flock,
        the house of Judah.
    He will make them His valiant steed in battle.
From Judah will come the cornerstone,[c]
        from him the tent peg,
        from him the battle bow
        and from him every leader together.
They will be like mighty men
        treading down muddy streets in war.
        They will fight, because Adonai is with them
        and will put horsemen to shame.
I will strengthen the house of Judah
        and save the house of Joseph.
    I will bring them back,
        for I have compassion on them.
    They will be as though
        I had never spurned them,
    for I am Adonai their God
        and I will answer them!
The Ephraimites will be like a warrior.
    Their hearts will be glad as with wine.
    Their children will see and be glad.
    Their hearts will rejoice in Adonai.
I will signal for them and gather them.
    Surely I will redeem them
    and they will be as numerous as before.
Though I scatter them among the peoples,
    they will remember Me in distant places.
    They and their children will survive and return.
10 I will restore from the land of Egypt
        and gather them from Assyria.
    I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon
        till there is no room for them.
11 He will cross the turbulent sea
        and calm its raging waves.
    All the depths of the Nile will dry up,
        the pride of Assyria brought down,
        the scepter of Egypt removed.
12 So I will strengthen them in Adonai
        and they will walk in His Name.
It is a declaration of Adonai.