| New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
| 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. | 1"Ask the LORD for rain in the spring — the LORD who fashions lightning thunderstorms, giving rain showers to mankind along with grain in the fields. |
| 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. | 2Truly the family idols talk nonsense and the diviners discern lies, describing delusional dreams. Since their comfort is vacuous, they wander off on their own like sheep, because there is 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. | 3"Against the shepherds my anger rises— I am punishing the leaders also, because the LORD of the Heavenly Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, appointing them as his royal war horse for battle. |
| 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 them arises the cornerstone and tent peg, from them the battle bow, from them arise all sorts of oppressive rulers. |
| 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. | 5They will be like mighty soldiers who trample mud in the streets during battle. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and the opposing horsemen will be confused. |
| 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 will fortify the house of Judah, and the house of Joseph I will save. I will surely bring them back, because I care about them. They will be as if I had never cast them away. Since I am the LORD their God, I will answer 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. | 7"The people of Ephraim will become like mighty soldiers; they will be glad, like those who have wine. Their children will see this and rejoice; their hearts will find joy in 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 whistle for them, gathering them together, because I have redeemed them, and they will multiply 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. | 9I will scatter them among the nations, and so they will remember me in distant countries. They will rear their children, and they will 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 once again out of the land of Egypt, gathering them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, but there will not be enough space for them. |
| 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. | 11They will pass through the sea of affliction, and they will strike the waves in that sea. All of the depths of the Nile will evaporate, Assyria's arrogance will be brought down low, and the ruling power of Egypt will disappear. |
| 12"And I will strengthen them in the LORD, And in His name they will walk," declares the LORD. | 12"I will strengthen them in the LORD, and they will march here and there in his name," declares 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 | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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