Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD comes, for it is close at hand:

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; Sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble! For the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is near!

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

A day of darkness, and gloominess, A day of clouds, and thick darkness. As the morning light spreadeth itself upon the mountains, There cometh a numerous people and a strong; Like them there have been none of old time, And after them there shall not be, Even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.

A fire devoureth before them, And behind them a flame burneth; The land is as the garden of Eden before them. And behind them a desolate wilderness! Yea, nothing escapeth them.

4 Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, And like horsemen do they run;

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.

Like rattling chariots they leap on the tops of the mountains; Like the crackling flame of fire, which devoureth stubble; Like a mighty host set in battle array.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

Before them the people tremble, And all faces gather blackness.

7 They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they do not swerve off course.

They run like mighty men; They climb the wall like warriors; They march every one on his way; They change not their paths.

8 One does not jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defenses and do not break ranks.

One doth not thrust another; They march every one in his path, And though they rush among weapons, they are not wounded.

9 They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

They run through the city; They run upon the wall; They go up into the houses; They enter in at the windows, like a thief.

10 The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

The earth quaketh before them, And the heavens tremble; The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw their shining.

11 The LORD thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; For very great is his host; Yea, it is mighty, executing his word; The day of Jehovah is great, and very terrible; Who shall be able to bear it?

12 “Yet even now,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

Yet even now, saith Jehovah, Turn ye to me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning!

13 Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

And rend your hearts, and not your garments, And turn to Jehovah your God, For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth of a threatened evil.

14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to the LORD, your God.

Who knoweth but he will turn and repent, And leave a blessing behind him, Even a flour-offering and a drink-offering for Jehovah your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; Appoint yea fast; proclaim a solemn assembly!

16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.

Gather the people; appoint a congregation; Assemble the elders; Gather the children and the sucklings! Let the bridegroom come forth from his chamber, And the bride from her nuptial bed!

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and do not give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Let the priests, the servants of Jehovah, Weep between the porch and the altar, And say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, And give not thine inheritance to reproach, And to be a by-word to the nations! Why should they say among the nations, Where is their God?

18 Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

Then will Jehovah be zealous for his land, And have compassion on his people,

19 The LORD answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

Yea, Jehovah will answer, and say to his people, Behold, I will send you corn, And new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.

I will remove far from you the northern host, And I will drive it into a dry and desolate land; Its van toward the Eastern sea, And its rear toward the Western sea. And its scent shall come up, And its ill savor shall come up, Because it hath done great things.

21 Land, do not be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

Fear not, O land, exult and rejoice, For Jehovah hath done great things!

22 Do not be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

Fear not, O ye beasts of the field, For the pastures of the desert spring up, For the tree beareth its fruit; The fig-tree and the vine yield their strength!

23 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.

And, O ye sons of Zion, exult, And rejoice in Jehovah your God! For he giveth you the former rain in just measure, And causeth showers to come down upon you, Even the former rain, and the latter rain, as aforetime.

24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

And the threshing-floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.

And I will restore to you the years Which the swarming-locust hath eaten, The licking-locust, the consuming-locust, and the gnawing-locusts, My great army, which I sent among you.

26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.

Ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, And praise the name of Jehovah your God, Who hath dealt wondrously with you; And my people shall never be put to shame.

27 You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.

Ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am Jehovah, your God, and none else; And my people shall never be put to shame.

28 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.

And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.

29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.

Upon the men-servants also, and upon the handmaids, Will I pour out my spirit in those days.

30 I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth; Blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of Jehovah cometh, The great and the terrible day. Then whoever calleth on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered;

32 It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.

For upon mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, shall be deliverance, As Jehovah hath spoken; And among the remnant, whom Jehovah shall call.