Joel 2

1 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion;  * 2:1 Jr 4:5; 51:27; Jl 2:15

sound the alarm on my holy mountain!

Let all the residents of the land tremble,

for the day of the  Lord is coming;  * 2:1 Jl 1:15; 2:11,31; 3:14

in fact, it is near —

2 a day of darkness and gloom,  * 2:2 Jl 2:31; Zph 1:15

a day of clouds and total darkness,  * 2:2 Is 60:2; Zph 1:15

like the dawn spreading over the mountains;

a great and strong people  * 2:2 Jl 1:6; 2:11,25  appears,

such as never existed in ages past  * 2:2 Lm 1:12; Dn 9:12; 12:1; Jl 1:2

and never will again

in all the generations to come.  * 2:2 Ex 10:14

3 A fire devours in front of them,  * 2:3 Ps 97:3; Is 9:18–19

and behind them a flame blazes.

The land in front of them

is like the garden of Eden,  * 2:3 Gn 2:8–15; Ezk 36:35

but behind them,

it is like a desert wasteland;  * 2:3 Ex 10:5,15; Ps 105:34–35

there is no escape from them.

4 Their appearance is like that of horses,  * 2:4 Rv 9:7

and they gallop like war horses.

5 They bound on the tops of the mountains.

Their sound is like the sound of chariots,  * 2:5 Rv 9:9

like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble,  * 2:5 Is 5:24; 30:30

like a mighty army deployed for war.

6 Nations writhe in horror before them;  * 2:6 Is 13:8; Nah 2:10

all faces turn pale.

7 They attack as warriors attack;

they scale walls as men of war do.

Each goes on his own path,  * 2:7 Pr 30:27

and they do not change their course.

8 They do not push each other;

each proceeds on his own path.

They dodge the arrows, never stopping.

9 They storm the city;

they run on the wall;

they climb into the houses;  * 2:9 Ex 10:6

they enter through the windows like thieves.  * 2:9 Jr 9:21

10 The earth quakes before them;  * 2:10 Ps 18:7; Nah 1:5

the sky shakes.

The sun and moon grow dark,  * 2:10 Is 13:10; 34:4; Jr 4:23; Ezk 32:7–8; Mt 24:29; Rv 8:12

and the stars cease their shining.  * 2:10 Jl 3:15

11 The Lord makes his voice heard  * 2:11 Ps 46:6; Is 13:4

in the presence of his army.  * 2:11 Jl 2:25

His camp is very large;

those who carry out his command are powerful.  * 2:11 Jr 50:34; Rv 18:8

Indeed, the day of the Lord is terrible and dreadful  * 2:11 Jl 1:15; 2:31; 3:14  —

who can endure it?  * 2:11 Ezk 22:14

God’s Call for Repentance

12 Even now —

this is the  Lord’s declaration —

turn to me with all your heart,  * 2:12 1Kg 8:35–40; 2Ch 7:14

with fasting, weeping, and mourning.  * 2:12 Est 4:3

13 Tear your hearts,  * 2:13 Ps 51:17; Is 57:15

not just your clothes,  * 2:13 Jr 41:5

and return to the  Lord your God.

For he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger, abounding in faithful love,

and he relents from sending disaster.  * 2:13 Ex 34:6; Nm 14:18; 1Ch 21:15; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Jr 18:8; Jnh 4:2

14 Who knows? He may turn and relent  * 2:14 2Sm 12:22; Jnh 3:9

and leave a blessing behind him,  * 2:14 Hg 2:19

so you can offer a grain offering and a drink offering

to the Lord your God.  * 2:14 Jl 1:9,13

15 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion!  * 2:15 Jl 2:1

Announce a sacred fast;  * 2:15 2Kg 10:20

proclaim a solemn assembly.

16 Gather the people;

sanctify the congregation;  * 2:16 1Sm 16:5; 2Ch 29:5

assemble the aged;  * 2:16 Or elders,* 2:15–16 2Ch 20:3; Neh 9:1; Jr 36:6,9

gather the infants,

even babies nursing at the breast.

Let the groom leave his bedroom,  * 2:16 Ps 19:5

and the bride her honeymoon chamber.

17 Let the priests,  * 2:17 Jl 1:9 the  Lord’s ministers,

weep between the portico and the altar.  * 2:17 Hs 10:5; Jl 1:13

Let them say,

"Have pity on your people,  Lord,  * 2:17 Is 37:20; Am 7:2,5

and do not make your inheritance a disgrace,  * 2:17 Ps 44:13; 74:10

an object of scorn among the nations.

Why should it be said among the peoples,

‘Where is their God? ’ "  * 2:17 Ps 42:3,10; 79:10; 115:2

God’s Response to His People

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land  * 2:18 Ezk 36:5,6; Zch 1:14; 8:2 and spared his people.  * 2:18 Is 60:10; 63:9,1519 The Lord answered his people:

Look, I am about to send you

grain, new wine, and fresh oil.  * 2:19 Jr 31:12; Hs 2:21–22

You will be satiated with them,

and I will no longer make you

a disgrace among the nations.  * 2:19 Ezk 34:29; 36:15

20 I will drive the northerner far from you  * 2:20 Jr 1:14–15

and banish him to a dry and desolate land,

his front ranks into the Dead Sea,  * 2:20 Zch 14:8

and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea.  * 2:20 Dt 11:24

His stench will rise;

yes, his rotten smell will rise,  * 2:20 Is 34:3; Am 4:10

for he has done astonishing things.

21 Don’t be afraid, land;  * 2:21 Jl 1:10

rejoice and be glad,

for the Lord has done astonishing things.  * 2:21 Ps 126:2–3

22 Don’t be afraid, wild animals,

for the wilderness pastures have turned green,  * 2:22 Ps 65:12; Jr 9:10; Jl 1:19

the trees bear their fruit,

and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.

23 Children of Zion,  * 2:23 Ps 149:2 rejoice and be glad

in the Lord your God,  * 2:23 Is 12:2–6

because he gives you the autumn rain  * 2:23 Or the teacher of righteousness

for your vindication.  * 2:23 Or righteousness,* 2:23 Dt 11:13–15

He sends showers for you,

both autumn and spring rain  * 2:23 Hs 6:3; Zch 10:1 as before.

24 The threshing floors will be full of grain,  * 2:24 Lv 26:10; Am 9:13; Mal 3:10

and the vats will overflow

with new wine and fresh oil.

25 I will repay you for the years

that the swarming locust ate,  * 2:25 Jl 1:4–7; 2:2–11

the young locust, the destroying locust,

and the devouring locust —

my great army that I sent against you.

26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied.  * 2:26 Dt 11:15; Is 62:9

You will praise the name of the  Lord  your God,  * 2:26 Ps 113:1; 135:1; 148:5,13

who has dealt wondrously with you.  * 2:26 Ps 126:2; Is 25:1

My people will never again be put to shame.  * 2:26 Is 45:17

27 You will know that I am present in Israel  * 2:27 Jl 3:17,21

and that I am the Lord your God,

and there is no other.  * 2:27 Dt 4:35,39; 1Kg 8:60; Is 45:5–6

My people will never again be put to shame.  * 2:27 Is 49:23

God’s Promise of His Spirit

28 After this  * 2:28–32 Ac 2:17–21

I will pour out my Spirit  * 2:28 Is 32:15; 44:3; Ezk 39:29 on all humanity;  * 2:28 Is 40:5; 49:26

then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

your old men will have dreams,

and your young men will see visions.

29 I will even pour out my Spirit

on the male and female slaves in those days.  * 2:29 1Co 12:13

30 I will display wonders

in the heavens and on the earth:  * 2:30 Lk 21:11,25–26

blood, fire, and columns of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood  * 2:31 Is 13:9–10; 34:4; Mt 24:29; Mk 13:24

before the great and terrible day of the  Lord  comes.  * 2:31 Zph 1:14–16; Mal 4:1,5

32 Then everyone who calls

on the name of the  Lord will be saved,  * 2:32 Rm 10:13

for there will be an escape

for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,

as the Lord  promised,  * 2:32 Ob 17

among the survivors the  Lord  calls.