Joel 2

1 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!

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—

2 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.

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.

3 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.

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.

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

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

5 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.

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.

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

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

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

They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.

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

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

9 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.

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

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

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

11 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?

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?

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

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

13 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.

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.

14 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.

Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him— grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

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

Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.

16 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!

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.

17 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?

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?’”

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

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

19 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.

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.

20 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.

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.

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

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

22 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!

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.

23 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.

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.

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

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

25 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.

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.

26 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.

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.

27 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.

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.

28 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.

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.

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

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

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

I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

31 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;

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.

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

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.