Restoration of Judah and Israel

1Ask 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,10.1 Heb them

the vegetation in the field to everyone.

2For the teraphim10.2 Or household gods utter nonsense,

and the diviners see lies;

the dreamers tell false dreams,

and give empty consolation.

Therefore the people wander like sheep;

they suffer for lack of a shepherd.

3My anger is hot against the shepherds,

and I will punish the leaders;10.3 Or male goats

for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,

and will make them like his proud warhorse.

4Out of them shall come the cornerstone,

out of them the tent-peg,

out of them the battle-bow,

out of them every commander.

5Together 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.

6I 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.

7Then 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.

8I will signal for them and gather them in,

for I have redeemed them,

and they shall be as numerous as they were before.

9Though I scattered them among the nations,

yet in far countries they shall remember me,

and they shall rear their children and return.

10I 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.

11They10.11 Gk: Heb He 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 sceptre of Egypt shall depart.

12I will make them strong in the LORD,

and they shall walk in his name,

says the LORD.