The prophets
The Lord's Judgment on the Shepherds and Salvation for Judah and Joseph
The Lord condemns the false shepherds and promises to gather and strengthen His people, the house of Judah and the house of Joseph, bring them back from Egypt and Assyria, and make them strong warriors under His leadership.
Zechariah 10,1-12
1Ask the LORD for rain in the season of spring rains. The LORD is the one who makes the storm clouds; he gives showers of rain, and grass in the field for everyone.
שַׁאֲל֨וּ מֵיְהוָ֤ה מָטָר֙ בְּעֵ֣ת מַלְק֔וֹשׁ יְהוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֣ה חֲזִיזִ֑ים וּמְטַר־גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ יִתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם לְאִ֖ישׁ עֵ֥שֶׂב בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
2For the household idols speak deceit, the diviners see illusions, they tell worthless dreams and offer empty comfort. So the people wandered off like sheep, harassed, because there was no shepherd.
כִּ֧י הַתְּרָפִ֣ים דִּבְּרוּ־אָ֗וֶן וְהַקּֽוֹסְמִים֙ חָ֣זוּ שֶׁ֔קֶר וַֽחֲלֹמוֹת֙ הַשָּׁ֣וא יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ הֶ֖בֶל יְנַֽחֵמ֑וּן עַל־כֵּן֙ נָסְע֣וּ כְמוֹ־צֹ֔אן יַעֲנ֖וּ כִּֽי־אֵ֥ין רֹעֶֽה׃ פ
3My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will hold the leaders of the flock to account. For the LORD of hosts has come to care for his flock, the house of Judah, and he will make them like his proud war horse.
עַל־הָֽרֹעִים֙ חָרָ֣ה אַפִּ֔י וְעַל־הָעַתּוּדִ֖ים אֶפְק֑וֹד כִּֽי־פָקַד֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֤וֹת אֶת־עֶדְרוֹ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה וְשָׂ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם כְּס֥וּס הוֹד֖וֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
4From him comes the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together.
מִמֶּ֤נּוּ פִנָּה֙ מִמֶּ֣נּוּ יָתֵ֔ד מִמֶּ֖נּוּ קֶ֣שֶׁת מִלְחָמָ֑ה מִמֶּ֛נּוּ יֵצֵ֥א כָל־נוֹגֵ֖שׂ יַחְדָּֽו׃
5They will be like warriors in battle, trampling through the mud of the streets. They will fight, for the LORD is with them, and they will put to shame the riders on horses.
וְהָי֨וּ כְגִבֹּרִ֜ים בּוֹסִ֨ים בְּטִ֤יט חוּצוֹת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְנִ֨לְחֲמ֔וּ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִמָּ֑ם וְהֹבִ֖ישׁוּ רֹכְבֵ֥י סוּסִֽים׃
6I will make the house of Judah strong, and the house of Joseph I will save. I will bring them home, for I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had never cast them off; for I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.
וְגִבַּרְתִּ֣י ׀ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֗ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֤ית יוֹסֵף֙ אוֹשִׁ֔יעַ וְהֽוֹשְׁבוֹתִים֙ כִּ֣י רִֽחַמְתִּ֔ים וְהָי֖וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־זְנַחְתִּ֑ים כִּ֗י אֲנִ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶעֱנֵֽם׃
7Ephraim will be like a warrior, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and rejoice; their hearts will exult in the LORD.
וְהָי֤וּ כְגִבּוֹר֙ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְשָׂמַ֥ח לִבָּ֖ם כְּמוֹ־יָ֑יִן וּבְנֵיהֶם֙ יִרְא֣וּ וְשָׂמֵ֔חוּ יָגֵ֥ל לִבָּ֖ם בַּיהוָֽה׃
8I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they will be as numerous as they once were.
אֶשְׁרְקָ֥ה לָהֶ֛ם וַאֲקַבְּצֵ֖ם כִּ֣י פְדִיתִ֑ים וְרָב֖וּ כְּמ֥וֹ רָבֽוּ׃
9Though I scattered them among the nations, they will remember me in distant lands; they and their children will live, and they will return.
וְאֶזְרָעֵם֙ בָּֽעַמִּ֔ים וּבַמֶּרְחַקִּ֖ים יִזְכְּר֑וּנִי וְחָי֥וּ אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם וָשָֽׁבוּ׃
10I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will lead them into the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, until there is no more room for them.
וַהֲשִֽׁיבוֹתִים֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמֵֽאַשּׁ֖וּר אֲקַבְּצֵ֑ם וְאֶל־אֶ֨רֶץ גִּלְעָ֤ד וּלְבָנוֹן֙ אֲבִיאֵ֔ם וְלֹ֥א יִמָּצֵ֖א לָהֶֽם׃
11He will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile will run dry. The pride of Assyria will be brought low, and the scepter of Egypt will pass away.
וְעָבַ֨ר בַּיָּ֜ם צָרָ֗ה וְהִכָּ֤ה בַיָּם֙ גַּלִּ֔ים וְהֹבִ֕ישׁוּ כֹּ֖ל מְצוּל֣וֹת יְאֹ֑ר וְהוּרַד֙ גְּא֣וֹן אַשּׁ֔וּר וְשֵׁ֥בֶט מִצְרַ֖יִם יָסֽוּר׃
12I will make them strong in the LORD, and in his name they will walk, declares the LORD.
וְגִבַּרְתִּים֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃ ס