Yahweh’s promises for Judah and Israel

1Ask Yahweh to cause rain to fall ◄in the springtime/before the hot season starts►, because he is the one who makes the clouds from which the rain falls. He causes showers to fall on us, and he causes crops to grow well in the fields.

2What people think that the idols in their houses suggest is only nonsense, and people who say that they can interpret dreams tell only lies. When they tell people things to comfort them, what they say is useless, so the people who ◄consult/trust in► them are like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no one to protect them like [MET] a shepherd protects his sheep.

3Yahweh says, “I am angry with the leaders [MET] of my people, and I will punish them. I, the Commander of the armies of angels, take care of my people, the people of Judah, like a shepherd takes care of his [MET] flock,
and I will cause them to be like [SIM] proud/powerful war horses.

4From Judah will come rulers who will be very important, like [MET] a cornerstone is the most important stone for a house,
like [MET] a tent peg is very important for a tent,
like [MET] a bow is very important for ◄an archer/a man who shoots arrows►.

5They will all be like [SIM] mighty warriors trampling their enemies in the mud during a battle. I, Yahweh, will be with them, so they will fight and defeat their enemies who ride on horses.

6I will cause the people [MTY] of Judah to become strong, and I will rescue the people [MTY] of Israel. I will bring them back from the countries to which they were ◄exiled/forced to go►; I will do that because I pity them. Then they will be as though I had not abandoned them, because I am Yahweh, their God, and I will answer them when they pray for help.

7The people of Israel will be like [SIM] strong soldiers; they will be as happy as people who have drunk a lot of wine. Their children will see their fathers being very happy, and they also will be happy because of what Yahweh has done for them.

8I will signal for my people to return from ◄being exiled/other countries►, and I will gather them together in their own country. I will rescue them, and they will become very numerous like they were previously.

9I have caused them to be scattered among many people-groups, but in those distant countries they will think about me again. They and their children will remain alive and return to Judah.

10I will bring them back from Egypt and from Assyria;
I will bring them back from the Gilead and Lebanon regions, and there will hardly be enough [HYP] space for them all to live in Judah.

11They will endure/experience many difficulties as though they were walking [MET] through a sea,
but I will calm the waves of the sea; the Nile River which is usually deep will dry up.
I will defeat the proud soldiers of Assyria, and I will cause Egypt to no longer be powerful [MTY].

12I will enable my people to be strong, and they will honor me and obey [IDM] me. That will surely happen because I, Yahweh, have said it.”