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—

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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.

14 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 ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred 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.

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?’”

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

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.

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

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.

24 The threshing floors will be full of grain, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

1 ¶ Blow ye 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 cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand;

2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations.

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, and nothing shall escape them.

4 The appearance of them [is] as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and [when] they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp [is] very great: for [he is] strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD [is] great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

12 ¶ Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he [is] gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14 Who knoweth [if] he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; [even] a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where [is] their God?

18 ¶ Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

20 But I will remove far off from you the northern [army], and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month].

24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

27 And ye shall know that I [am] in the midst of Israel, and [that] I [am] the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

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:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

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

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

32 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, shout in my holy mountain: tremble, all ye inhabitants of the land. For the day of the LORD cometh, and is at hand.

2 A dark day, a gloomy day, a cloudy day, a misty day, as the dawn spreadeth over the mountains; even a great and mighty nation, such as was not before, neither shall be henceforth for ever and ever.

2 And at the same time I will pour out my spirit upon both the servants and the handmaids.

3 Before him goeth a devouring fire, and after him a burning flame. The land before him is like a garden of pleasure, but after him like a desolate wilderness; and no man shall escape it.

3 And will shew wondrous signs in heaven and in earth, namely, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke.

4 they are fashioned like horses and run like riders.

4 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

5 Therefore they burst forth upon the top of the mountains, as the chariots rattle, and as a flame blaze in the straw, as a mighty people prepared for battle.

5 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be salvation, as the LORD hath promised, even to the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

6 The nations shall be astonished at him: the faces of all shall be as the pots.

7 They shall run as giants, and climb the walls as warriors: every one shall go straight before him, and shall not fail.

8 No man shall mistake another, but every man shall go in his own order: and they shall break through the weapons, and shall not be wounded.

9 They shall ride about in the city, and run upon the wall, and enter into the houses, and come in at the windows like a thief.

10 Before him the land trembles, and the heavens shake: the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their light.

11 For the LORD will give up his thunder before his army: for his army is very great and mighty, which shall execute his command: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible: who can bear it?

12 Thus saith the LORD; Turn ye unto me with all your heart with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation.

13 Rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God. For he is gracious, merciful, patient, and of great goodness, and soon repents of punishment.

14 Who knoweth it may repent him again, and leave him a blessing, to offer meat offering and drink offering unto the LORD your God?

15 Blow with the trumpets in Zion, sanctify a fast, call the congregation together.

16 Gather the people together, sanctify the congregation, gather the elders, bring the young children and the babes in multitude. Let the bridegroom go out of his chamber, and the bride out of her chamber.

17 Let the priests, the servants of the LORD, weep between the hall and the altar, and say, O LORD, spare thy people, and let not thine inheritance fail, that the heathen should reign over them. Why wilt thou cause the nations to say, Where is their God?

18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and spare his people.

19 And the LORD shall answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn and wine and oil in abundance, and ye shall have enough of them; and I will not suffer you to be put to shame among the heathen any more.

20 And I will drive him from the north far from you, and cast him into a dry and desolate land, even his face toward the sea eastward, and his end toward the uttermost sea. He shall rot and stink: for he hath done great things.

21 Fear not, O land, but be glad and of good cheer: for the LORD also is able to do great things.

22 Fear not, ye beasts of the field: for the dwellings of the wilderness shall flourish, and the trees shall bring forth their fruit, and the fig trees and the vines shall yield their fruit.

23 And ye children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, which giveth you teachers of righteousness, and sendeth you early rain and late rain, as before,

24 That the threshingfloors may be full of corn, and the winepresses have abundance of must and oil.

25 And I will recompense you the years that the locusts, and the beetles, and the caterpillars, which were my great host, which I sent among you, have eaten,

26 That ye may have enough to eat, and praise the name of the LORD your God, which hath done wonders among you: and my people shall be put to shame no more.

27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I the LORD am your God, and none more: and my people shall be put to shame no more. Ch. 3, v. 1. And after this I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.