Xa-cha-ri 10

Ask the LORD for rain

¹Ask the LORD for rain in the season of the spring rain. \q It is the LORD who makes the storm clouds; \q he gives them showers of rain \q and green plants in the field for everyone. ²For the household gods speak deceit, and the diviners see lies; \q they tell dreams that are false \q and give comfort that is empty. \q So the people wander off like sheep; \q they suffer because they have no shepherd.

The LORD cares for his flock

³My anger blazes against the shepherds, \q and I will punish those who lead the flock; \q for the LORD of Armies cares for his flock, the house of Judah, \q and will make them like his proud war horse in battle. ⁴From Judah will come the cornerstone, from Judah the tent peg, \q from Judah the battle bow; \q from Judah every ruler will come. ⁵They will be like warriors in battle, trampling the enemy into the mud of the streets. \q They will fight, \q since the LORD is with them, \q and the horsemen will be put to shame. ⁶I will make the house of Judah strong and save the house of Joseph. \q I will bring them back, because I have compassion on them, \q and it will be as if I had never cast them off. \q I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.^{a 7}The people of Ephraim will be like warriors, \q and their hearts will be glad as if with wine. \q Their children will see it and be glad; \q their hearts will rejoice in the LORD. ⁸I will whistle for them and gather them in, because I have set them free, \q and they will be as many as they were before. ⁹Though I scatter them among the peoples like seed, \q in faraway lands they will remember me; \q they and their children will live, and they will come back. ¹⁰I will bring them home from the land of Egypt \q and gather them from Assyria. \q I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, \q until there is no room left for them. ¹¹He will cross the sea of distress \q and strike down its waves, \q and the Nile will dry up to its depths. \q Assyria’s pride will be brought low, \q and Egypt’s scepter will pass away.^{b 12}I will give them strength in the LORD, \q and they will walk in his name, \q declares the LORD.