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, and sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble in fear, for the day of Yahweh is coming; indeed, it is 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 is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. Like the dawn that spreads on the mountains, a large and mighty army is approaching. There has never been an army like it, and there never will be again, even after 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 is consuming everything in front of it, and behind it a flame is burning. The land is like the garden of Eden in front of it, but behind it there is a ruined wilderness. Indeed, nothing will escape from it.
4 Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.
The army's appearance is like horses, and they run like horsemen.
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.
They jump with a noise like that of chariots on the tops of the mountains, like the noise of fiery flames that devour the stubble, like a mighty army ready for battle.
6 Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.
At their presence people are in anguish and all their faces become 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 run like mighty warriors; they climb the walls like soldiers; they march, every one in step, and do 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 does one thrust another aside; they march, each in his path; they break through the defenses and do not fall out of line.
9 They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.
They rush on the city, they run on the wall, they climb in the houses, and they go 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 shakes in front of them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon are darkened, and 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?
Yahweh raises his voice in front of his army, for his warriors are very numerous; for they are strong, those who carry out his commands. For the day of Yahweh is great and very terrible. Who can survive it?
12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
“Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “Return to me with all your heart. Fast, weep, and mourn.”
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.
Tear your heart and not only your garments, and return to Yahweh your God. For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in covenant faithfulness, and he would like to turn from inflicting 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? Will he perhaps turn and have compassion, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh your God?
15 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, call for a holy fast, and call a holy 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, call for the holy assembly. Assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegrooms come out of their rooms, and the brides out of their bridal chambers.
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 servants of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and do not make your inheritance into an object of scorn, that the nations mock them. Why should they say among the nations, 'Where is their God?'”
18 Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people.
Then Yahweh was zealous for his land and had 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.
Yahweh answered his people, “Look, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil. You will be satisfied with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the 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 the northern attackers far from you, and will drive them into a dry and abandoned land. The front of their army will go into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. Its stench will rise, and its bad smell will rise.” Indeed, he has done great things.
21 Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.
Do not fear, land, be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh 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.
Do not fear, beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness will sprout, the trees will bear their fruit, and the fig trees and the vines will yield their full harvest.
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, people of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh your God. For he will give you the autumn rain in due course and bring down showers for you, the autumn rain and the spring rain as before.
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 wheat, and the vats will overflow with new 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.
“I will restore to you the years of crops that the swarming locust has eaten —the great locust, the devouring locust, and the destroying locust— my mighty army that 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.
You will eat plentifully and be full, and praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has done wonders among you, and I will never again bring shame on my people.
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 among Israel, and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is none else, and I will never bring shame on my people.
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.
It will come about 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.
29 Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Also on servants and female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, 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 will turn into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
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.
It will be that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the survivors, those whom Yahweh calls.
