Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, ‡ Jol 1:15Jol 2:151Pe 4:7Mal 4:1Jol 3:17Zep 1:141Th 5:2Jer 5:22 +31

and sound an alarm in my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,

for the day of the LORD comes,

for it is close at hand:

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, ‡ Jol 1:6Zep 1:14-15Amo 5:18-20Jol 2:10-11Jol 2:5Jol 2:25Dan 12:1Exo 10:6 +16

a day of clouds and thick darkness.

As the dawn spreading on the mountains,

a great and strong people;

there has never been the like,

neither will there be any more after them,

even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devours before them, ‡ Isa 51:3Gen 2:8Jol 1:19-20Zec 7:14Amo 7:4Psa 50:3Exo 10:15Exo 10:5 +5

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 Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, ‡ Rev 9:7

and they run as horsemen.

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, ‡ Isa 5:24Rev 9:9Isa 30:30Mat 3:12Nam 2:3-4Nam 3:2-3

like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble,

like a strong people set in battle array.

6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. ‡ Nam 2:10Isa 13:8Jer 30:6Lam 4:8Jer 8:21Psa 119:83

All faces have grown pale.

7 They run like mighty men. ‡ Pro 30:272Sa 1:232Sa 2:18-192Sa 5:8Isa 5:26-29Jer 5:10Jol 2:9Psa 19:5

They climb the wall like warriors.

They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.

8 One doesn’t jostle another. ‡ 2Ch 23:102Ch 32:5Job 33:18Neh 4:23Job 36:12Neh 4:17Sng 4:13

They each march in their own path.

They burst through the defenses

and don’t break ranks.

9 They rush on the city. ‡ Jer 9:21Jhn 10:1Exo 10:6

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. ‡ Mat 24:29Isa 13:10Jol 3:15-16Psa 18:7Act 2:20Ezk 32:7-8Mrk 13:24-25Jer 4:23 +11

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, ‡ Mal 3:2Nam 1:6Jer 30:7Jol 3:16Psa 46:6Rev 18:8Rev 6:17Amo 5:20 +14

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, ‡ Jas 4:8-9Isa 55:6-72Ch 7:13-14Hos 12:6Jer 29:12-13Jer 4:1Hos 6:1Deu 4:29-30 +16

and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 Tear your heart and not your garments, ‡ Psa 86:15Psa 34:18Isa 57:15Exo 34:6-7Mat 5:3-4Mic 7:18Jas 1:19-20Psa 86:5 +27

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.

14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, ‡ Jon 3:9Hag 2:192Ki 19:42Sa 12:22Amo 5:15Exo 32:30Jol 1:13Jon 1:6 +9

and leave a blessing behind him,

even a meal offering and a drink offering to the LORD, your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! ‡ Jol 1:141Ki 21:12Jol 2:1Num 10:31Ki 21:92Ki 10:20Jer 36:9

Sanctify a fast.

Call a solemn assembly.

16 Gather the people. ‡ 2Ch 20:132Ch 29:51Co 7:51Sa 16:5Exo 19:10Exo 19:22Jol 1:14Zec 12:11-14 +11

Sanctify the assembly.

Assemble the elders.

Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts.

Let the bridegroom go out of his room,

and the bride out of her chamber.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, ‡ Psa 115:2Ezk 8:16Psa 79:101Ki 6:3Amo 7:2Dan 9:18-19Exo 34:9Hos 14:2 +29

and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD,

and don’t give your heritage to reproach,

that the nations should rule over them.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’”

18 Then the LORD was jealous for his land, ‡ Zec 8:2Psa 103:13Zec 1:14Jas 5:11Lam 3:22Isa 63:15Isa 63:9Isa 60:10 +9

and had pity on his people.

19 The LORD answered his people, ‡ Ezk 34:29Ezk 36:15Isa 62:8-9Jer 31:12Amo 9:13-14Jol 2:24Ezk 39:29Hag 2:16-19 +5

“Behold, ¹ I will send you grain, new wine, and oil,

and you will be satisfied with them;

and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, ‡ Zec 14:8Amo 4:10Deu 11:24Isa 34:3Exo 10:19Ezk 39:12-16Ezk 47:18Jer 1:14-15 +4

and will drive it into a barren and desolate land,

its front into the eastern sea,

and its back into the western sea;

and its stench will come up,

and its bad smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things.

21 Land, don’t be afraid. ‡ Zep 3:16-17Isa 41:10Isa 54:4Psa 126:1-31Sa 12:16Jer 33:31Sa 12:24Isa 35:1 +12

Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

22 Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; ‡ Zec 8:12Isa 51:3Psa 65:12Amo 9:14-15Isa 30:23-24Jol 1:18-20Psa 107:35-38Psa 145:15-16 +16

for the pastures of the wilderness spring up,

for the tree bears its fruit.

The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

23 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, ‡ Jas 5:7-8Php 4:4Lev 26:4Deu 11:14Hos 6:3Isa 12:2-6Isa 41:16Psa 149:2 +28

and rejoice in the LORD, your God;

for he gives you the early rain in just measure,

and he causes the rain to come down for you,

the early rain and the latter rain, as before.

24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, ‡ Amo 9:13Mal 3:10Jol 3:18Jol 3:13Pro 3:9-10Lev 26:10

and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, ‡ Zec 10:6Jol 1:4-7Jol 2:2-11

the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar,

my great army, which I sent among you.

26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, ‡ Rom 10:11Psa 22:26Deu 12:7Rom 5:5Isa 45:17Isa 49:23Lev 26:51Jn 2:28 +30

and will praise the name of the LORD, your God,

who has dealt wondrously with you;

and my people will never again be disappointed.

27 You will know that I am among Israel, ‡ Ezk 37:26-28Lev 26:11-12Zep 3:17Ezk 39:28Isa 45:5Jol 3:17Deu 23:14Isa 12:6 +10

and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else;

and my people will never again be disappointed.

28 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; ‡ Act 2:16-21Ezk 39:29Isa 32:15Act 2:39Act 2:2-4Isa 44:3Zec 12:10Act 11:15-18 +14

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy.

Your old men will dream dreams.

Your young men will see visions.

29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, ‡ 1Co 12:13Gal 3:28Col 3:11

I will pour out my Spirit.

30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth: ‡ Act 2:19-20Luk 21:11Mat 24:29Luk 21:25-26Jdg 20:40Mrk 13:24-25Rev 6:12-17Gen 19:28 +5

blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned into darkness, ‡ Rev 6:12-13Mat 24:29Mal 4:1Mal 4:5Jol 3:15Jol 2:10Mrk 13:24-25Zep 1:14-16 +5

and the moon into blood,

before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.

32 It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; ‡ Rom 10:11-14Act 2:20-21Isa 46:13Jer 31:7Jer 33:3Psa 50:15Rom 11:26Rom 9:27 +22

for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape,

as the LORD has said,

and among the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.