1Ask1rain from the LORD at the time of the springrain - The LORD who 2makes the stormclouds; And He will give them 3showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man.
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For the 4teraphimspeakiniquity, And the 5divinersseelyingvisions And tell6falsedreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore* the people wanderlike7sheep, They are afflicted, becausethere is noshepherd.
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"My 8anger is kindledagainst the shepherds, And I will punish the malegoats; For the LORD of hosts has 9visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His majestichorse in battle.
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"From them will come the 10cornerstone, From them the tentpeg, From them the bow of 11battle, From them everyruler, all of them together.
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"They will be as mightymen, 12Treadingdown the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; And the 13riders on horses will be put to shame.
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"I will 14strengthen the house of Judah, And I will 15save the house of Joseph, And I will 16bring them back, Because I havehad17compassion on them; And they will be as though I had 18not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will 19answer them.
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"Ephraim will be like a mightyman, And their heart will be glad as if from wine; Indeed, their 20children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD.
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"I will 21whistle for them to gather them together, For I have redeemed them; And they will be as 22numerous as they 23were before.
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"When I scatter them among the peoples, They will 24remember Me in farcountries, And they with their children will live and comeback.
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"I will 25bring them back from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria; And I will bring them into the land of 26Gilead and Lebanon Until 27no room can be found for them.
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"And they will pass through the 28sea of distress And He will strike the waves in the sea, So that all the depths of the 29Nile will dry up; And the pride of 30Assyria will be broughtdown And the scepter of 31Egypt will depart.
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"And I will 32strengthen them in the LORD, And in His name33they will walk," declares the LORD.