Joel 2:1-13 ▼

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

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As blackness spreading on the mountains a great and powerful people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even after the years of many generations.

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.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run.

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a mighty people drawn up for battle.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

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

8 Neither does one jostle another; they march everyone in his path, and they burst through the defenses, and do not break 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.

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

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?

12 |Yet even now,| says the LORD, |turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with 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.