Joel 2
1 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near—
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all who live in the land tremble for the day of the Lord is coming—it's definitely near!
2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
It's a gloomy day of darkness, a day of thick clouds and heavy shadows. Like the dawn spreading over the mountains, an army appears, so large and powerful that there has never ever been anything like it before, nor will there ever be anything like it again.
3 Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland— surely nothing will escape them.
Fire blazes in front of them, behind them flames are burning. In front of them the land looks like the Garden of Eden, behind them is a desert of total desolation: not a single survivor remains.
4 Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.
They have the appearance of horses; they charge like cavalry.
5 With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.
Listen to the sound: they are like rumbling chariots leaping over the mountain tops, they are like crackling flames burning stubble, they are like a mighty army marching in formation into battle.
6 Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.
Terror seizes all those in their path; all the people's faces grow pale.
7 They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.
They attack like mighty warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march as one, never breaking ranks.
8 They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.
They do not jostle one another, they stay on track; and even if some are cut down, they are not stopped.
9 They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.
They rush to and fro in the city; they run along the walls; they climb into houses, entering through the windows like thieves.
10 Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, the stars stop shining.
11 The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?
The Lord shouts his commands at the head of his army. His camp his immense, and those who carry out his orders are powerful. The day of the Lord is totally terrifying—who can stand it?
12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “Come back to me while there is still time. Come to me with all your heart, with fasting and prayer.
13 So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
Repent in your minds, and not by tearing your clothes.” Come back to the Lord your God for he is gracious and kind. He is slow to get angry and full of faithful love, and changes his mind about sending punishment.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him— grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
Who knows? Maybe he will change his mind, leaving behind a blessing so that you will be able to make grain and wine offerings to the Lord your God.
15 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.
Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast; call a solemn assembly.
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged, gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
Gather the people together: the elders, the children, even the babies. Let the bridegroom leave his room; let the bride leave her room.
17 Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar of the Temple. Let them say, “Lord, please take pity on your people, and do not let your inheritance be disgraced, ruled over by foreign nations, so that the people of these nations could ask, ‘Where is their God?’”
18 Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people.
Now the Lord is very protective of his land and takes pity on his people.
19 And the LORD answered His people: “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and by them you will be satisfied. I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.
The Lord will reply, saying to his people, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, and you will be satisfied. You will no longer be a disgrace among the foreign nations.
20 The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.
I will remove from you the army from the north; I will drive them into the desolate wilderness—the front into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. The stench of the dead army will rise up—a real stink—for it has done terrible things.”
21 Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.
Don't be afraid, people of the land! Be happy and celebrate, for the Lord has done incredible things!
22 Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.
Don't be afraid, wild animals! For the pastures of the wilderness are turning green. The trees are fruiting again—the fig trees and the grapevines are producing a good crop.
23 Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
People of Jerusalem! Celebrate and be happy in the Lord your God because he has given you rain to show his goodness. As before he sends the autumn and the spring rains.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
The threshing floors will be full of grain, the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
25 I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts— the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust — My great army that I sent against you.
“I will give back to you what you lost over the years to the swarming, hopping, destroying, and cutting locusts, this great army that I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to shame.
You will have plenty to eat, and you will be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God who has done miracles for you. My people will never again be ashamed.
27 Then you will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.
You will know that I am in the midst of my people Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other. My people will never again be ashamed.
28 And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
After this I will pour out my spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will be my prophets, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
29 Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
In those days I will also pour out my spirit on male slaves and female slaves.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.
I will place wonders in the heavens and on earth: blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
The sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn red like blood at the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord.”
32 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, rescued from Mount Zion and Jerusalem, as the Lord has said—these are among the survivors the Lord has called.
