Joel 2:1-17 ▼

1 Blow a trumpet in Zion, And make a loud shout on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of Yahweh is coming; Surely it is near,

2 A day of darkness and thick darkness, A day of clouds and dense gloom. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a numerous and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it For the years from generation to generation.

3 A fire consumes before them, And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them.

4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run.

5 With a noise as of chariots They leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consumes the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle.

6 Before them the peoples are writhing; All faces turn pale.

7 They run like mighty men; They climb up the wall like men of war; And they each march in line, And they do not deviate from their paths.

8 They do not crowd each other; They march everyone in his path; When they fall against the defending weapons, They do not break ranks.

9 They rush on the city; They run on the wall; They climb up into the houses; They enter through the windows like a thief.

10 Before them the earth trembles; The heavens quake; The sun and the moon grow dark, And the stars lose their brightness.

11 But Yahweh gives forth His voice before His military force; Surely His camp is very numerous, For mighty is he who does His word. The day of Yahweh is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?

12 “Yet even now,” declares Yahweh, “Return to Me with all your heart And with fasting, weeping, and wailing;

13 And tear your heart and not your garments.” Now return to Yahweh your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, And relenting concerning evil.

14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For Yahweh your God?

15 Blow a trumpet in Zion, Set apart a fast as holy, call for a solemn assembly,

16 Gather the people, set apart the congregation as holy, Assemble the elders, Gather the infants and the nursing babies. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, “Pity Your people, O Yahweh, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’”