The Restoration for Judah and Israel
Ask rain afrom the Lord
in the season of bthe spring rain,
from the Lord cwho makes the storm clouds,
and dhe will give them showers of rain,
to everyone the vegetation in the field.
2 For athe household gods butter nonsense,
and the diviners see lies;
cthey tell false dreams
and give empty consolation.
Therefore dthe people wander like sheep;
they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.
3 a“My anger is hot against the shepherds,
and bI will punish the leaders;
for cthe Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.
4 From him shall come athe cornerstone,
from him bthe tent peg,
from him the battle bow,
from him every ruler—call of them together.
5 They shall be like mighty men in battle,
atrampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the Lord is with them,
and they shall put to shame bthe riders on horses.
6 a“I will strengthen the house of Judah,
and bI will save the house of Joseph.
cI will bring them back dbecause I have compassion on them,
and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
for eI am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
7 Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
and atheir hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.
8 a“I will whistle for them and bgather them in,
for I have redeemed them,
and cthey shall be as many as they were before.
9 aThough I scattered them among the nations,
yet in far countries bthey shall remember me,
and with their children they shall live and return.
10 aI will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
and gather them from Assyria,
and bI will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,
ctill there is no room for them.
11 aHe shall pass through the sea of troubles
and strike down the waves of the sea,
band all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
and cthe scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12 aI will make them strong in the Lord,
and bthey shall walk in his name,”
declares the Lord.