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Blow ye a trumpet in Zion, And shout ye in My holy hill, Tremble do all inhabitants of the earth, For coming is the day of Jehovah, for [it is] near!

A day of darkness and thick darkness, A day of cloud and thick darkness, As darkness spread on the mountains, A people numerous and mighty, Like it there hath not been from of old, And after it there is not again -- till the years of generation and generation.

Before it consumed hath fire, And after it burn doth a flame, As the garden of Eden [is] the land before it, And after it a wilderness -- a desolation! And also an escape there hath not been to it,

As the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, And as horsemen, so they run.

As the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains they skip, As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, As a mighty people set in array for battle.

From its face pained are peoples, All faces have gathered paleness.

As mighty ones they run, As men of war they go up a wall, And each in his own ways they do go, And they embarrass not their paths.

And each his brother they press not, Each in his way they go on, If by the missile they fall, they are not cut off.

In the city they run to and fro, On the wall they run, Into houses they go up by the windows, They go in as a thief.

10 At their face trembled hath the earth, Shaken have the heavens, Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.

11 And Jehovah hath given forth His voice before His force, For very great [is] His camp, For mighty [is] the doer of His word, For great [is] the day of Jehovah -- very fearful, And who doth bear it?

12 And also now -- an affirmation of Jehovah, Turn ye back 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 back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful [is] He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the evil.

14 Who knoweth -- He doth turn back, Yea -- He hath repented, And He hath left behind Him a blessing, A present and libation of Jehovah your God?

15 Blow ye a trumpet in Zion, Sanctify a fast -- proclaim a restraint.

16 Gather the people, sanctify an assembly, Assemble the aged, Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, Go out let a bridegroom from his inner chamber, And a bride out of her closet.

17 Between the porch and the altar weep let the priests, ministrants of Jehovah, And let them say: `Have pity, O Jehovah, on Thy people, And give not Thy inheritance to reproach, To the ruling over them of nations, Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?'

18 And let Jehovah be zealous for His land, And have pity on His people.

19 Let Jehovah answer and say to His people, `Lo, I am sending to you the corn, And the new wine, and the oil, And ye have been satisfied with it, And I make you no more a reproach among nations,

20 And the northern I put far off from you, And have driven him unto a land dry and desolate, With his face unto the eastern sea, And his rear unto the western sea, And come up hath his stink, And come up doth his stench, For he hath exerted himself to work.

21 Do not fear, O land! joy and rejoice, For Jehovah hath exerted Himself to work.

22 Do not fear, O cattle of the field! For sprung forth have pastures of a wilderness, For the tree hath borne its fruit, Fig-tree and vine have given their strength!

23 And ye sons of Zion, joy and rejoice, In Jehovah your God, For He hath given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causeth to come down to you a shower, Sprinkling and gathered -- in the beginning.

24 And full have been the floors [with] pure corn, And overflown have the presses [with] new wine and oil.

25 And I have recompensed to you the years That consume did the locust, the cankerworm, And the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I did send against you.

26 And ye have eaten, eating and being satisfied, And have praised the name of Jehovah your God, Who hath dealt with you wonderfully, And not ashamed are My people to the age.

27 And ye have known that in the midst of Israel [am] I, And I [am] Jehovah your God, and there is none else, And not ashamed are My people to the age.

28 And it hath come to pass afterwards, I do pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And prophesied have your sons and your daughters, Your old men do dream dreams, Your young men do see visions.

29 And also on the men-servants, and on the maid-servants, In those days I do pour out My Spirit.

30 And I have given wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, Blood and fire, and columns of smoke.

31 The sun is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.

32 And it hath come to pass, Every one who calleth in the name of Jehovah is delivered, For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, As Jehovah hath said, And among the remnants whom Jehovah is calling!

For lo, in those days, and in that time, When I turn back [to] the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

Then I have gathered all the nations, And caused them to go down unto the valley of Jehoshaphat, And I have been judged with them there, Concerning My people and Mine inheritance -- Israel, Whom they scattered among nations, And My land they have apportioned.

And for My people they do cast a lot, And they give the young man for an harlot, And the young woman have sold for wine, That they may drink.

And also, what [are] ye to Me, O Tyre and Zidon, And all circuits of Philistia? Recompence are ye rendering unto Me? And if ye are giving recompence to Me, Swiftly, hastily, I turn back your recompence on your head.

In that My silver and My gold ye took, And My desirable things that are good, Ye have brought in to your temples.

And sons of Judah, and sons of Jerusalem, Ye have sold to the sons of Javan, To put them far off from their border.

Lo, I am stirring them up out of the place Whither ye have sold them, And I have turned back your recompence on your head,

And have sold your sons and your daughters Into the hand of the sons of Judah, And they have sold them to Shabeans, Unto a nation far off, for Jehovah hath spoken.

Proclaim ye this among nations, Sanctify a war, stir up the mighty ones, Come nigh, come up, let all the men of war.

10 Beat your ploughshares to swords, And your pruning-hooks to javelins, Let the weak say, `I [am] mighty.'

11 Haste, and come in, all ye nations round, And be gathered together, Thither cause to come down, O Jehovah, Thy mighty ones.

12 Wake and come up let the nations unto the valley of Jehoshaphat, For there I sit to judge all the nations around.

13 Send ye forth a sickle, For ripened hath harvest, Come in, come down, for filled hath been the press, Overflowed hath wine-presses, For great [is] their wickedness.

14 Multitudes, multitudes [are] in the valley of decision, For near [is] the day of Jehovah in the valley of decision.

15 Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.

16 And Jehovah from Zion doth roar, And from Jerusalem giveth forth His voice, And shaken have the heavens and earth, And Jehovah [is] a refuge to his people, And a stronghold to sons of Israel.

17 And ye have known that I [am] Jehovah your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain, And Jerusalem hath been holy, And strangers do not pass over into it again.

18 And it hath come to pass, in that day, Drop down do the mountains juice, And the hills do flow [with] milk, And all streams of Judah do go [with] water, And a fountain from the house of Jehovah goeth forth, And hath watered the valley of Shittim.

19 Egypt a desolation becometh, And Edom a desolation, a wilderness, becometh, For violence [to] sons of Judah, Whose innocent blood they shed in their land.

20 And Judah to the age doth dwell, And Jerusalem to generation and generation.

21 And I have declared their blood innocent, [That] I did not declare innocent, And Jehovah is dwelling in Zion!

An Army of Locusts

Blow the trumpet(A) in Zion;(B)
    sound the alarm on my holy hill.(C)

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord(D) is coming.
It is close at hand(E)
    a day of darkness(F) and gloom,(G)
    a day of clouds(H) and blackness.(I)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army(J) comes,
such as never was in ancient times(K)
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

Before them fire(L) devours,
    behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,(M)
    behind them, a desert waste(N)
    nothing escapes them.
They have the appearance of horses;(O)
    they gallop along like cavalry.
With a noise like that of chariots(P)
    they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire(Q) consuming stubble,
    like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;(R)
    every face turns pale.(S)
They charge like warriors;(T)
    they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,(U)
    not swerving(V) from their course.
They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
They rush upon the city;
    they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;(W)
    like thieves they enter through the windows.(X)

10 Before them the earth shakes,(Y)
    the heavens tremble,(Z)
the sun and moon are darkened,(AA)
    and the stars no longer shine.(AB)
11 The Lord(AC) thunders(AD)
    at the head of his army;(AE)
his forces are beyond number,
    and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;(AF)
    it is dreadful.
    Who can endure it?(AG)

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return(AH) to me with all your heart,(AI)
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart(AJ)
    and not your garments.(AK)
Return(AL) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,(AM)
slow to anger and abounding in love,(AN)
    and he relents from sending calamity.(AO)
14 Who knows? He may turn(AP) and relent(AQ)
    and leave behind a blessing(AR)
grain offerings and drink offerings(AS)
    for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet(AT) in Zion,(AU)
    declare a holy fast,(AV)
    call a sacred assembly.(AW)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate(AX) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(AY)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(AZ) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(BA) before the Lord,
    weep(BB) between the portico and the altar.(BC)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(BD)
    a byword(BE) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?(BF)’”

The Lord’s Answer

18 Then the Lord was jealous(BG) for his land
    and took pity(BH) on his people.

19 The Lord replied[a] to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wine(BI) and olive oil,(BJ)
    enough to satisfy you fully;(BK)
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn(BL) to the nations.

20 “I will drive the northern horde(BM) far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench(BN) will go up;
    its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!
21     Do not be afraid,(BO) land of Judah;
    be glad and rejoice.(BP)
Surely the Lord has done great things!(BQ)
22     Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
    for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.(BR)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
    the fig tree(BS) and the vine(BT) yield their riches.(BU)
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
    rejoice(BV) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
    because he is faithful.(BW)
He sends you abundant showers,(BX)
    both autumn(BY) and spring rains,(BZ) as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
    the vats will overflow(CA) with new wine(CB) and oil.

25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts(CC) have eaten(CD)
    the great locust and the young locust,
    the other locusts and the locust swarm[b]
my great army(CE) that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,(CF)
    and you will praise(CG) the name of the Lord your God,
    who has worked wonders(CH) for you;
never again will my people be shamed.(CI)
27 Then you will know(CJ) that I am in Israel,
    that I am the Lord(CK) your God,
    and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.(CL)

The Day of the Lord

28 “And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit(CM) on all people.(CN)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,(CO)
    your old men will dream dreams,(CP)
    your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants,(CQ) both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.(CR)
30 I will show wonders in the heavens(CS)
    and on the earth,(CT)
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness(CU)
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.(CV)
32 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord(CW) will be saved;(CX)
for on Mount Zion(CY) and in Jerusalem
    there will be deliverance,(CZ)
    as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors(DA)
    whom the Lord calls.[c](DB)

The Nations Judged

[d]“In those days and at that time,
    when I restore the fortunes(DC) of Judah(DD) and Jerusalem,
I will gather(DE) all nations
    and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.[e](DF)
There I will put them on trial(DG)
    for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered(DH) my people among the nations
    and divided up my land.
They cast lots(DI) for my people
    and traded boys for prostitutes;
    they sold girls for wine(DJ) to drink.

“Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon(DK) and all you regions of Philistia?(DL) Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.(DM) For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.[f](DN) You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,(DO) that you might send them far from their homeland.

“See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them,(DP) and I will return(DQ) on your own heads what you have done. I will sell your sons(DR) and daughters to the people of Judah,(DS) and they will sell them to the Sabeans,(DT) a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.(DU)

Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war!(DV)
Rouse the warriors!(DW)
    Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks(DX) into spears.(DY)
Let the weakling(DZ) say,
    “I am strong!”(EA)
11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
    and assemble(EB) there.

Bring down your warriors,(EC) Lord!

12 “Let the nations be roused;
    let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,(ED)
for there I will sit
    to judge(EE) all the nations on every side.
13 Swing the sickle,(EF)
    for the harvest(EG) is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,(EH)
    for the winepress(EI) is full
    and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”

14 Multitudes,(EJ) multitudes
    in the valley(EK) of decision!
For the day of the Lord(EL) is near
    in the valley of decision.(EM)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.(EN)
16 The Lord will roar(EO) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;(EP)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.(EQ)
But the Lord will be a refuge(ER) for his people,
    a stronghold(ES) for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

17 “Then you will know(ET) that I, the Lord your God,(EU)
    dwell in Zion,(EV) my holy hill.(EW)
Jerusalem will be holy;(EX)
    never again will foreigners invade her.(EY)

18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine,(EZ)
    and the hills will flow with milk;(FA)
    all the ravines of Judah will run with water.(FB)
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house(FC)
    and will water the valley of acacias.[g](FD)
19 But Egypt(FE) will be desolate,
    Edom(FF) a desert waste,
because of violence(FG) done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they shed innocent blood.
20 Judah will be inhabited forever(FH)
    and Jerusalem through all generations.
21 Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?(FI)
    No, I will not.(FJ)

The Lord dwells in Zion!(FK)

Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:19 Or Lord will be jealous … / and take pity … / 19 The Lord will reply
  2. Joel 2:25 The precise meaning of the four Hebrew words used here for locusts is uncertain.
  3. Joel 2:32 In Hebrew texts 2:28-32 is numbered 3:1-5.
  4. Joel 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-21 is numbered 4:1-21.
  5. Joel 3:2 Jehoshaphat means the Lord judges; also in verse 12.
  6. Joel 3:5 Or palaces
  7. Joel 3:18 Or Valley of Shittim