1 A sk the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.

They asked of Jehovah rain in a time of latter rain, Jehovah is making lightnings, And rain showers He doth give to them. To each -- the herb in the field.

2 F or the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

Because the teraphim did speak iniquity, And the diviners have seen a falsehood, And dreams of the vanity they speak, vanity they give comfort, Therefore they have journeyed as a flock, They are afflicted, for there is no shepherd.

3 “ My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.

Against the shepherds did Mine anger burn, And against the he-goats I lay a charge, For inspected hath Jehovah of Hosts His flock, the house of Judah, And set them as His beauteous horse in battle.

4 F rom him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.

From him a corner-stone, From him a nail, from him a battle-bow, From him goeth forth every exactor together.

5 T hey shall be like mighty men, Who tread down their enemies In the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the Lord is with them, And the riders on horses shall be put to shame.

And they have been as heroes, Treading in mire of out-places in battle, And they have fought, for Jehovah with them, And have put to shame riders of horses.

6 “ I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the Lord their God, And I will hear them.

And I have made mighty the house of Judah, And the house of Joseph I do save, And I have caused them to dwell, for I have loved them, And they have been as I had not cast them off, For I Jehovah their God, And I answer them.

7 T hose of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.

And Ephraim hath been as a hero, And rejoiced hath their heart as wine, And their sons see, and they have rejoiced, Rejoice doth their heart in Jehovah.

8 I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.

I hist for them, and I gather them, For I have redeemed them, And they have multiplied as they did multiply.

9 “ I will sow them among the peoples, And they shall remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their children, And they shall return.

And I sow them among peoples, And in far-off places they remember Me, And they have lived with their sons, And they have turned back.

10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them.

And I have brought them back from the land of Egypt, And from Asshur I do gather them, And unto the land of Gilead and Lebanon I do bring them in, And there is not found for them.

11 H e shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the waves of the sea: All the depths of the River shall dry up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall depart.

And He hath passed over through the sea, And hath pressed and smitten billows in the sea, And dried up have been all depths of a flood, And brought down hath been the excellency of Asshur, And the rod of Egypt doth turn aside.

12 “ So I will strengthen them in the Lord, And they shall walk up and down in His name,” Says the Lord.

And I have made them mighty in Jehovah, And in His name they walk up and down, An affirmation of Jehovah!