¹Ask for rain from the Lord

In the time of the latter rain.

The Lord makes lightning strikes

And appoints them pouring rain

For vegetables in the field for each person.

²For the household gods speak vanity,

And the diviners see lying visions

And tell false dreams.

They give empty comfort.

That is why they move around like sheep

And are afflicted,

Because there is no shepherd.

³“My anger was kindled against the shepherds,

And I will visit the he-goats,

For the Lord of hosts will visit his flock

– The house of Judah –

And he will make them like his majestic horse in war.

⁴From him comes the cornerstone,

From him comes the peg,

From him comes the bow of war;

From him every role of taskmaster converges together.

⁵And they will be as warriors,

Treading down in the mire of the streets in war,

And they will fight,

For the Lord will be with them,

And they will put horseriders to shame.

⁶And I will make the house of Judah strong,

And I will save the house of Joseph,

And I will give them a dwelling place.

For I will have mercy on them,

And they will be as if I had never thrust them away,

For I am the Lord their God,

And I will answer them.

⁷And Ephraim will be like a warrior,

And their heart will be glad, as with wine,

And their sons will see and be glad;

Their heart will rejoice in the Lord.

⁸And I will whistle to them

And gather them,

For I will redeem them,

And they will increase

As they have previously increased.

⁹And I will sow them among the nations,

And in remote places they will remember me,

And they will live with their sons,

And they will return.

¹⁰And I will bring them from the land of Egypt,

And from Assyria I will gather them,

And I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon,

But the necessary room will not be found for them.

¹¹And with adversity he will pass over the sea,

And he will strike the waves on the sea,

And all the deep places of the river will become dry,

And the pride of Assyria will be brought down,

And the sceptre of Egypt will depart.

¹²And I will make them strong in the Lord,

And they will walk about in his name,

Says the Lord.”