Joel 2

1 Blow 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 close at hand:

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 dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, 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 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 no one has escaped 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 as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.

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

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people 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 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

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

7 They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.

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 doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defenses and don’t break ranks.

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

9 They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

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

10 The earth quakes before them. 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 The LORD thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure 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,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

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

13 Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

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 knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to the LORD, 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 the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

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

16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.

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 ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘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 the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

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

19 The LORD answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; 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 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has 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 Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

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

22 Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears 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 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.

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 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 that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, 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 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.

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 You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.

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 “It will happen 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 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 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.

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

30 I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, 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 will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.

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 It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.

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.