1 A sk the Lord for rain in the spring time. It is the Lord Who makes the storm clouds. He gives rain to men, and gives vegetables in the field to every one.

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 T he false gods say what is not true. Those who use their secret ways tell lies about the false dreams they have seen. Their comfort means nothing. So the people go from place to place like sheep and are troubled because they have 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 burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the Lord of All has visited His flock, the people of Judah, and will make them like His proud horse in 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 them will come the cornerstone. From them will come the tent nail. From them will come the bow of battle. And from them will come every ruler.

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

5 T ogether they will be like powerful men, crushing under foot those who hate them into the mud of the streets. They will fight and win the battle against the horsemen because the Lord is with them.

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 give strength to the family of Judah. I will save the family of Joseph, and I will bring them back, because I have loving-pity on them. They will be as if I had not turned away from them. For I am the Lord their God, and I will answer 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 E phraim will be like a powerful man. Their hearts will be glad as with wine. And their children will see it and be glad. Their hearts will have joy 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 call them together, for I have saved them and set them free. And they will be as many as they were before.

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

9 E ven when I send them everywhere among the nations, they will remember Me in far countries. They and their children will live and 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 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 there is no more room 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 W hen they pass through the sea of trouble, I will hold back the waves in the sea. The whole Nile River will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and Egypt will lose its power.

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 I will make My people Israel strong in the Lord, and they will walk 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!