Joel 2
1Blow
ye the trumpet 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 nigh at hand;
2A
day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great
people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
3A fire devoureth before them; and behind
them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing
shall escape them.
4The appearance of them
is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of
fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
6Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
7They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and
they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
8Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the
sword, they shall not be wounded.
9They shall
run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the
windows like a thief.
10The earth shall quake
before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
11And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great:
for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and
with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13And
rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and
of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
14Who
knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the
LORD your God?
15Blow the trumpet in Zion,
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16Gather
the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the
bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
17Let 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 thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should
they say among the people, Where is their God?
18Then
will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
19Yea,
the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith:
and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
20But
I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward
the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because
he hath done great things.
21Fear not, O land;
be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
22Be
not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig
tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23Be
glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he
will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine
and oil.
25And I will restore to you the years
that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
26And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your
God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
28And
it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and
pillars of smoke.
31The sun shall be turned
into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD
shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom
the LORD shall call.