Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1Blow 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—

1Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near,

2a 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.

2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.

3Before 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.

3Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.

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

4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run.

5With 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.

5As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle.

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

6Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale.

7They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.

7Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.

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

8They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted.

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

9They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.

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

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

11The 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?

11The LORD utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?

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

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

13So 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.

13and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

14Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?

15Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.

15Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;

16Gather 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.

16gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.

17Let 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?’ ”

17Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

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

18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.

19And 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.

19The LORD answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20The 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.

20“I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.

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

21“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!

22Do 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.

22Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

23Be 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.

23“Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.

24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

24“The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25I 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.

25I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.

26You 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.

26“You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

27Then 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.

27You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

28And 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.

28“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

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

29Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

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

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

31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.

31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

32And 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.

32And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.

The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.