10 Ask Yahweh for rain in the springtime—

Yahweh who makes thunderstorms and gives rain showers to everyone

including the vegetation in the countryside.

2 Diviners tell deceitful dreams and give empty comfort

because household idols speak falsely and so those diviners envision something that’s a lie.

Therefore the people wander like sheep and suffer because there’s no shepherd.[ref]

3 “I’m angry with the shepherds—it’s the leaders that I’ll punish.

Army commander Yahweh will also attend to his flock—the house of Yehudah,

and make them like his warhorse in battle.

4 The building’s cornerstone will come from Yehudah.

≈From him will come the tent peg,

from him will come the war bow,

≈from him will come every one of their strong leaders.

5 They’ll be like warriors in battle

who trample their enemies into the mud of the streets.

They’ll go to war, because Yahweh is with them,

and they’ll shame those riding warhorses.

6 I’ll strengthen the house of Yehudah

≈and save the house of Yosef (Joseph)

because I’ll bring them back and have compassion on them.

They’ll be as though I hadn’t driven them off,

because I’m their God Yahweh,

and I’ll respond to them.

7 Then Efrayim (Ephraim, referring to Israel) will be like a warrior,

and their hearts will rejoice as with wine;

Their children will see and rejoice.

≈Their hearts will rejoice in me!

8 I’ll whistle to call them and gather them,

because I’ll rescue them,

and they’ll become as numerous as they were previously.

9 I scattered them among the nations,

but they’ll remember me in distant countries,

so they and their children will live and return,

10 because I’ll bring them back from the land of Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim)

≈and gather them from Assyria.

I’ll bring them to the land of Gilead and Lebanon

until the region is filled with them.

11 Yahweh will lead them through their sufferings.

He will strike the waves of that sea

≈and will dry up all the depths of the Nile.

The Assyria’s greatness will come to an end,

≈and Egypt’s power will be removed.

12 I will strengthen them in myself,

and they will obey what I’ve instructed them.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.”