Joel 2:1-13 ▼

1 Blow the shofar in Zion, and give a shout on the mountain of My holiness! Let all those dwelling in the land tremble, for the day of YHWH is coming; indeed, it is near—

2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like dawn spreading over the mountains, a people great and strong, the like has not been from of old, and after them will not be again, even to years of generation and generation.

3 Before its face a fire devours, and behind them burns a flame; like the garden of Eden is the land before its face, and behind it a wilderness of desolation—and surely nothing shall escape from them.

4 Like the appearance of horses is its appearance, and like steeds so they run.

5 As with the sound of chariots over the tops of mountains, they leap; like the sound of a flaming fire devouring the stubble, like a strong people arrayed for battle.

6 Before its face the peoples writhe; all faces gather paleness.

7 Like mighty men they run, like men of war they climb the wall, and a man in his ways marches, and they do not swerve from their paths.

8 A man and his brother do not jostle, each man marches in his path; between the weapon they lunge; they are not cut down.

9 Into the city they rush, on the wall they run; into the houses they come up, and at the windows they come in like a thief.

10 Before their faces quakes the earth; the heavens quake; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars withdraw their brightness.

11 And YHWH gives forth His voice before the face of His army, for exceedingly large is His camp, for strong is the One doing His word, for great is the day of YHWH and very fearsome—and who can endure it?

12 “Even now,” a declaration of YHWH, “May you turn to Me with all your? heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 And rend your? heart and not your? garments. May you return to YHWH your? God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and great in loving devotion, and relenting from harm.