Joel 2:1-14 ▼

1 Blow ye the horn 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 at hand;

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, As blackness spread upon the mountains; A great people and a mighty, There hath not been ever the like, Neither shall be any more after them, Even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devoureth before them, And behind them a flame blazeth; The land is as the garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Yea, and nothing escapeth 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 devoureth the stubble, As a mighty people set in battle array.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish; All faces have gathered blackness.

7 They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; And they move on every one in his ways, And they entangle not their paths.

8 Neither doth one thrust another, They march every one in his highway; And they break through the weapons, And suffer no harm.

9 They leap upon the city, They run upon the wall, They climb up into the houses; They enter in at the windows like a thief.

10 Before them the earth quaketh, The heavens tremble; The sun and the moon are become black, And the stars withdraw their shining.

11 And the LORD uttereth His voice before His army; For His camp is very great, For he is mighty that executeth His word; For great is the day of the LORD and very terrible; And who can abide it?

12 Yet even now, saith the LORD, Turn ye unto Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation;

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn unto the LORD your God; For He is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, And repenteth Him of the evil.

14 Who knoweth whether He will not turn and repent, And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a meal-offering and a drink-offering Unto the LORD your God?