1 Ask rain *Jer. 14:22from the Lord

in the season of *See Deut. 11:14the spring rain,

from the Lord*Ps. 135:7who makes the storm clouds,

and *Ezek. 34:26he will give them showers of rain,

to everyone the vegetation in the field.

2 For *See Gen. 31:19the household gods *Hab. 2:18utter nonsense,

and the diviners see lies;

*Jer. 23:25they tell false dreams

and give empty consolation.

Therefore *Ezek. 34:5,6the people wander like sheep;

they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.

3 *[Ezek. 34:10] "My anger is hot against the shepherds,

and *[Ezek. 34:17] I will punish the leaders;*10:3 Hebrew the male goats

for *Zeph. 2:7the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,

and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.

4 From him shall come *[Ps. 118:22] the cornerstone,

from him *Isa. 22:23the tent peg,

from him the battle bow,

from him every ruler—*[ch. 9:8]all of them together.

5 They shall be like mighty men in battle,

*[ch. 9:15] trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;

they shall fight because the Lord is with them,

and they shall put to shame *[Ps. 20:7]the riders on horses.

6 *[ver. 12] "I will strengthen the house of Judah,

and *ch. 8:7,13I will save the house of Joseph.

*[Jer. 3:18] I will bring them back *Isa. 14:1because I have compassion on them,

and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,

for *ch. 13:9I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.

7 Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,

and *ch. 9:15their hearts shall be glad as with wine.

Their children shall see it and be glad;

their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.

8 *Isa. 5:26"I will whistle for them and *Jer. 31:10,11;See Hos. 1:11gather them in,

for I have redeemed them,

and *Ezek. 36:10,11,37they shall be as many as they were before.

9 *[Hos. 2:23] Though I scattered them among the nations,

yet in far countries *Ezek. 6:9;See Deut. 30:1-3they shall remember me,

and with their children they shall live and return.

10 *Isa. 11:11;27:13;Hos. 11:11I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,

and gather them from Assyria,

and *[Mic. 7:14] I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,

*Isa. 49:20till there is no room for them.

11 *Isa. 11:15He shall pass through the sea of troubles

and strike down the waves of the sea,

*[Amos 8:8] and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.

The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,

and *Ezek. 30:13the scepter of Egypt shall depart.

12 *[ver. 6] I will make them strong in the Lord,

and *Mic. 4:5they shall walk in his name,"

declares the Lord.