Joel 2
1 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 The army's appearance is like horses, and they run like horsemen.
Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, And like horsemen do they run;
5 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.
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 people are in anguish and all their faces become pale.
Before them the people tremble, And all faces gather blackness.
7 They run like mighty warriors; they climb the walls like soldiers; they march, every one in step, and do not break their ranks.
They run like mighty men; They climb the wall like warriors; They march every one on his way; They change not their paths.
8 Neither does one thrust another aside; they march, each in his path; they break through the defenses and do not fall out of line.
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 in the houses, and they go through 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 shakes in front of them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars stop shining.
The earth quaketh before them, And the heavens tremble; The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw their shining.
11 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?
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 Yahweh, “Return to me with all your heart. Fast, weep, and mourn.”
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 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.
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? Will he perhaps turn and have compassion, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh 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, call for a holy fast, and call a holy assembly.
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion; Appoint yea fast; proclaim a solemn assembly!
16 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.
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 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?'”
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 Yahweh was zealous for his land and had pity on his people.
Then will Jehovah be zealous for his land, And have compassion on his people,
19 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.
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 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.
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 Do not fear, land, be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh will do great things.
Fear not, O land, exult and rejoice, For Jehovah hath done great things!
22 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.
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, 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Yahweh your God, and there is none else, and I will never bring shame on my people.
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 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.
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 Also on servants and female servants, 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 on 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 turn into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh 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 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.
For upon mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, shall be deliverance, As Jehovah hath spoken; And among the remnant, whom Jehovah shall call.
