² My teaching is dropping like rain, coming down like dew on the fields; like rain on the young grass and showers on the garden plants:

¹⁰ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not go back again, but gives water to the earth, and makes it fertile, giving seed to the planter, and bread for food;

¹¹ So will my word be which goes out of my mouth: it will not come back to me with nothing done, but it will give effect to my purpose, and do that for which I have sent it.

⁶ May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth.

⁷ And the rest of Jacob will be among the nations, in the middle of the mass of peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the woods, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: if he goes through, they will be crushed under foot and pulled to bits, and there will be no saviour.

²² After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

²³ They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

⁶ I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God gave the increase.

⁷ So then the planter is nothing, and the waterer is nothing; but God who gives the increase.

⁸ Now the planter and the waterer are working for the same end: but they will have their separate rewards in the measure of their work.

¹ Make your request to the Lord for rain in the time of the spring rains, even to the Lord who makes the thunder-flames; and he will give them showers of rain, to every man grass in the field.

⁵ I will put right their errors; freely will my love be given to them, for my wrath is turned away from him.

⁴ O Ephraim, what am I to do to you? O Judah, what am I to do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew which goes early away.

⁴ It is as the light of the morning, when the sun comes up, a morning without clouds; making young grass come to life from the earth.

⁷ For a land, drinking in the frequent rain and producing good plants for those for whom it is worked, has a blessing from God: