Zechariah 10

The Lord Restores His People

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Ask the Lord for rain
in the season of spring rain.
The Lord makes the rain clouds,
and He will give them showers of rain
and crops in the field for everyone.^(A)

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For the idols speak falsehood,
and the diviners^(B) see illusions;
they relate empty dreams
and offer empty comfort.
Therefore the people wander like sheep;
they suffer affliction because there is no shepherd.

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My anger burns against the shepherds,
so I will punish the leaders.^(a)
For the Lord of Hosts has tended His flock,
the house of Judah;
He will make them like His majestic steed in battle.

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The cornerstone^(C) will come from Judah.^(b)
The tent peg^(D) will come from them
and also the battle bow^(E) and every^(c) ruler.
Together

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they will be like warriors in battle
trampling down the mud of the streets.
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
and they will put horsemen to shame.

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I will strengthen the house of Judah
and deliver the house of Joseph.^(d)
I will restore^(e) them
because I have compassion on them,
and they will be
as though I had never rejected them.^(F)
For I am Yahweh their God,
and I will answer them.

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Ephraim^(G) will be like a warrior,
and their hearts will be glad as if with wine.
Their children will see it and be glad;^(H)
their hearts will rejoice in Yahweh.

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I will whistle^(I) and gather them
because I have redeemed^(J) them;
they will be as numerous as they once were.

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Though I sow^(K) them among the nations,
they will remember^(L) Me in the distant lands;
they and their children will live and return.

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I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to the land of Gilead^(M)
and to Lebanon,
but it will not be enough for them.

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Yahweh^(f) will pass through the sea of distress
and strike the waves of the sea;
all the depths of the Nile will dry up.^(N)
The pride of Assyria will be brought down,
and the scepter of Egypt will come to an end.

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I will strengthen^(O) them in Yahweh,
and they will march^(P) in His name—
this is Yahweh’s declaration.

Footnotes:

a. Zechariah 10:3: Lit male goats

b. Zechariah 10:4: Lit them

c. Zechariah 10:4: Lit also from them the . . . , from them every

d. Zechariah 10:6: the northern kingdom

e. Zechariah 10:6: Other Hb mss, LXX read settle

f. Zechariah 10:11: Lit He

Cross references:

A. Zechariah 10:1: Deuteronomy 28:12; Isaiah 30:23; Jeremiah 51:16

B. Zechariah 10:2: Jeremiah 27:9

C. Zechariah 10:4: Judges 20:2; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16

D. Zechariah 10:4: Judges 4:21

E. Zechariah 10:4: 2 Kings 13:15-17; Revelation 6:2

F. Zechariah 10:6: Psalm 103:12

G. Zechariah 10:7: Isaiah 7:8

H. Zechariah 10:7: Exodus 4:14; Psalm 16:9

I. Zechariah 10:8: Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 7:18

J. Zechariah 10:8: Exodus 13:13; Exodus 21:8; Exodus 34:20; Job 5:20; Psalm 130:8; Isaiah 51:11

K. Zechariah 10:9: Genesis 26:12; Exodus 23:16; Psalm 126:5

L. Zechariah 10:9: Genesis 40:23; Joshua 1:13

M. Zechariah 10:10: Genesis 31:21; Deuteronomy 34:1; Psalm 60:7

N. Zechariah 10:11: Genesis 8:7; Joshua 2:10; Joshua 4:23; Job 12:15; Psalm 74:15; Proverbs 17:22

O. Zechariah 10:12: Zechariah 10:6

P. Zechariah 10:12: Joshua 6:3; Psalm 68:7; Jeremiah 46:9