| New American Standard Bible 1995 | NET Bible |
| 1Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain-- The LORD who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. | 1Ask the LORD for rain in the season of the late spring rains--the LORD who causes thunderstorms--and he will give everyone showers of rain and green growth in the field. |
| 2For the teraphim speak iniquity, And the diviners see lying visions And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep, They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd. | 2For the household gods have spoken wickedness, the soothsayers have seen a lie, and as for the dreamers, they have disclosed emptiness and give comfort in vain. Therefore the people set out like sheep and become scattered because they have no shepherd. |
| 3"My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the male goats; For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His majestic horse in battle. | 3I am enraged at the shepherds and will punish the lead-goats. For the LORD who rules over all has brought blessing to his flock, the house of Judah, and will transform them into his majestic warhorse. |
| 4"From them will come the cornerstone, From them the tent peg, From them the bow of battle, From them every ruler, all of them together. | 4From him will come the cornerstone, the wall peg, the battle bow, and every ruler. |
| 5"They will be as mighty men, Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; And the riders on horses will be put to shame. | 5And they will be like warriors trampling the mud of the streets in battle. They will fight, for the LORD will be with them, and will defeat the enemy cavalry. |
| 6"I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back, Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. | 6"I (says the LORD) will strengthen the kingdom of Judah and deliver the people of Joseph and will bring them back because of my compassion for them. They will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and therefore I will hear them. |
| 7"Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad as if from wine; Indeed, their children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD. | 7The Ephraimites will be like warriors and will rejoice as if they had drunk wine. Their children will see it and rejoice; they will celebrate in the things of the LORD. |
| 8"I will whistle for them to gather them together, For I have redeemed them; And they will be as numerous as they were before. | 8I will signal for them and gather them, for I have already redeemed them; then they will become as numerous as they were before. |
| 9"When I scatter them among the peoples, They will remember Me in far countries, And they with their children will live and come back. | 9Though I scatter them among the nations, they will remember in far-off places--they and their children will sprout forth and return. |
| 10"I will bring them back from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria; And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon Until no room can be found for them. | 10I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to the lands of Gilead and Lebanon, for there will not be enough room for them in their own land. |
| 11"And they will pass through the sea of distress And He will strike the waves in the sea, So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up; And the pride of Assyria will be brought down And the scepter of Egypt will depart. | 11The LORD will cross the sea of storms and will calm its turbulence. The depths of the Nile will dry up, the pride of Assyria will be humbled, and the domination of Egypt will be no more. |
| 12"And I will strengthen them in the LORD, And in His name they will walk," declares the LORD. | 12Thus I will strengthen them by my power, and they will walk about in my name," says the LORD. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
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