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 you 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 near at hand;

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.

A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread on the mountains: a great people and a strong; there has not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

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.

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 nothing shall escape them.

4 Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.

The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

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.

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

6 Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.

Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

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 shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

8 They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.

Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall on the sword, they shall not be wounded.

9 They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.

They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run on the wall, they shall climb up on the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

10 Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their 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?

And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executes his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

Therefore also now, says the LORD, turn you even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

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.

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn to the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repents him of the evil.

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 if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering 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, sanctify 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, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

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, and let them say, Spare your people, O LORD, and give not your heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: why should they say among the people, Where is their God?

18 Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people.

Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity 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.

Yes, the LORD will answer and say to his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

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.

But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill smell shall come up, because he has done great things.

21 Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great 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.

Be not afraid, you beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree bears her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

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.

Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he has given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

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

And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and 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.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among 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.

And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that has dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never 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.

And you shall know that I am in the middle of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never 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.

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

29 Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

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

30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns 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 to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

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.

And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.