Joel 2

Blow the Horn in Zion

1Blow the ram’s horn in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain.
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming;
indeed, it is near— 2a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of cloud and thick darkness.
Like dawn spread over the mountains,
a great and mighty people comes.
Nothing like it has been from ancient times,
nor will there be again after it
through the years of generation after generation. 3Before them fire devours,
and behind them flame burns.
The land before them is like the garden of Eden,
but behind them a desolate wilderness,
and nothing escapes them.

The LORD’s Army Advances

4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses,
and like warhorses they run. 5Like the sound of chariots
they leap on the tops of the mountains,
like the sound of a flame of fire
devouring stubble,
like a mighty people
arranged for battle. 6Before them peoples writhe;
every face gathers pallor. 7They run like warriors;
like men of war they climb the wall.
Each goes in his own path,
and they do not twist their ways. 8They do not press against one another;
each goes on his own course.
They plunge through the weapons
and do not break formation. 9They rush upon the city;
they run upon the wall.
They climb into the houses;
they enter through the windows like a thief. 10Before them the earth trembles;
the heavens shake.
Sun and moon grow dark,
and the stars withdraw their brightness. 11The LORD gives his voice
before his army,
for his camp is very great;
mighty is the one who carries out his word.
For great is the day of the LORD
and very awe-inspiring.
Who can endure it?

Return to Me with All Your Heart

12“Yet even now,” says the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting,
with weeping,
and with lamentation.” 13Tear your hearts
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger
and abundant in steadfast love,
and he relents concerning disaster. 14Who knows?
He may turn and relent
and leave a blessing behind him—
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD your God.

Gather the People

15Blow the ram’s horn in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly. 16Gather the people;
consecrate the congregation.
Assemble the elders;
gather the little children
and those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom come out from his room
and the bride from her canopy. 17Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the servants of the LORD, weep.
Let them say:

“Spare your people, O LORD,
and do not make your inheritance a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”

The LORD Has Compassion on His People

18Then the LORD became jealous for his land
and had compassion on his people. 19The LORD answered and said to his people:

“Look, I am sending you
grain, new wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied by them.
I will no longer make you
a reproach among the nations. 20I will remove the northern one far from you
and drive it into a dry and desolate land,
its front toward the eastern sea
and its rear toward the western sea.
Its stench will rise,
and its foul smell will rise,
for it has done great things.”

Do Not Fear, O Land

21Do not fear, O land;
rejoice and be glad,
for the LORD has done great things. 22Do not fear, animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness have become green.
The tree bears its fruit;
fig tree and vine give their strength. 23Children of Zion,
rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God,
for he has given you the early rain for righteousness.
He has poured down rain for you,
the early rain and the later rain,
as before. 24The threshing floors will be full of grain,
and the vats will overflow
with new wine and oil.

I Will Restore the Years

25“I will restore to you the years
that the swarming locust ate,
the hopping locust,
the destroying locust,
and the cutting locust—
my great army
that I sent among you. 26You will eat abundantly and be satisfied,
and you will praise the name of the LORD your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
My people will never again be put to shame. 27You will know
that I am in the midst of Israel,
that I am the LORD your God
and there is no other.
My people will never again
be put to shame.

I Will Pour Out My Spirit

28And afterward
I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy;
your elders will dream dreams;
your young people will see visions. 29Even upon male servants and female servants
in those days
I will pour out my Spirit. 30I will give wonders
in the heavens and on the earth:
blood and fire
and columns of smoke. 31The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and awe-inspiring
day of the LORD comes. 32And it will be
that everyone who calls
on the name of the LORD will escape.
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be those who escape,
as the LORD has said,
and among the survivors
those whom the LORD calls.