Joel 2:1-17 ▼

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?

15 Blow the horn 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 from his chamber, And the bride out of her pavilion.

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 Thy heritage to reproach, That the nations should make them a byword: Wherefore should they say among the peoples: Where is their God?'