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 a horn in Zion, sound an alarm in my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for near is

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.

the day of darkness and gloom, the day of cloud and thick darkness! Like the light of dawn scattered over the mountains, a people great and powerful; its like has not been from of old, neither will be any more after it, even to the years of coming ages.

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.

Before them the fire devours, and behind them a flame burns; like the garden of Eden is the land before them, and after them it is a desolate desert, nothing escapes them.

4 The army's appearance is like horses, and they run like horsemen.

Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and like horsemen they charge.

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 the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains they leap, like the crackle of flames devouring stubble, like a mighty people preparing for battle.

6 At their presence people are in anguish and all their faces become pale.

Peoples are in anguish before them, all faces grow pale.

7 They run like mighty warriors; they climb the walls like soldiers; they march, every one in step, and do not break their ranks.

Like mighty men they run, like warriors they mount up a wall, they march each by himself, they break not their ranks,

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.

none jostles the other. They march each in his path. They fall upon the weapons without breaking.

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 scour the city, they run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. Like a thief they enter the windows.

10 The earth shakes in front of them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars stop shining.

Earth trembles before them, the sky quakes, the sun and moon become dark, 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?

and the Lord utters his voice before his army, for his host is exceedingly great. Mighty is he who performs his word. For great is the day of the Lord, it is terrible, who can endure it?

12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “Return to me with all your heart. Fast, weep, and mourn.”

But now this is the message of the Lord: Turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping and 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.

rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God; for he indeed is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and plenteous in love, and relents of the 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 knows but he will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal and drink-offering for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, call for a holy fast, and call a holy assembly.

Blow a horn in Zion, sanctify a fast, summon an 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, make holy the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and the infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom come forth from his chamber, and the bride from her bridal tent.

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?'”

Between the porch and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the Lord weep aloud, let them say: Spare, the Lord, your people. Make not your heritage an object of reproach, for the heathen to mock them. Why should it be said among the nations, ‘Where is their God?’

18 Then Yahweh was zealous for his land and had pity on his people.

Then the Lord became deeply concerned for his land, and took pity upon 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.

and the Lord answered and said to his people: I will send you grain, wine, and oil. You will be satisfied. I will not make you again an object of scorn 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 foe, and I will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its front into the eastern sea, and its rear to the western sea. And from it a stench will arise. He has done great things!

21 Do not fear, land, be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh will do great things.

Fear not, land, exult. Rejoice for the Lord has 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, animals of the field. For the pastures of the wilderness are putting forth new grass, for the trees bear their fruit, fig tree and vine yield full harvest.

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.

Be glad, then, children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the early rain in just measure, and poured down upon you the winter rain, and sent the latter rain as before.

24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will 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 “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.

I will repay you for the years which the swarming locust has eaten. The hopping, the destroying, and the cutting locusts, my great army which I sent among you, and my people will never again be put to shame.

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.

You will eat your food and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt so wonderfully by you,

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.

and you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, that I am the Lord your God and none else, and my people will never again 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.

Afterwards, I will pour out my spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions,

29 Also on servants and female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

and even on your male and female slaves in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

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

And I will show signs in the sky and on 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 will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

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.

But whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, even as the Lord has said, and among the fugitives those whom the Lord calls.