VerseAI

NIV

Joel 2

  1. 1<pb/><t>Blow the trumpet in Zion;</t> <t>sound the alarm on my holy hill. <pb/>Let all who live in the land tremble,</t> <t>for the day of the LORD is coming.</t> <t>It is close at hand—</t>
  2. 2<t>a day of darkness and gloom,</t> <t>a day of clouds and blackness.</t> <t>Like dawn spreading across the mountains</t> <t>a large and mighty army comes,</t> <t>such as never was in ancient times</t> <t>nor ever will be in ages to come. <pb/></t>
  3. 3<t>Before them fire devours,</t> <t>behind them a flame blazes.</t> <t>Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,</t> <t>behind them, a desert waste—</t> <t>nothing escapes them.</t>
  4. 4<t>They have the appearance of horses;</t> <t>they gallop along like cavalry.</t>
  5. 5<t>With a noise like that of chariots</t> <t>they leap over the mountaintops,</t> <t>like a crackling fire consuming stubble,</t> <t>like a mighty army drawn up for battle. <pb/></t>
  6. 6<t>At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;</t> <t>every face turns pale.</t>
  7. 7<t>They charge like warriors;</t> <t>they scale walls like soldiers.</t> <t>They all march in line,</t> <t>not swerving from their course.</t>
  8. 8<t>They do not jostle each other;</t> <t>each marches straight ahead.</t> <t>They plunge through defenses</t> <t>without breaking ranks.</t>
  9. 9<t>They rush upon the city;</t> <t>they run along the wall.</t> <t>They climb into the houses;</t> <t>like thieves they enter through the windows. <pb/></t>
  10. 10<t>Before them the earth shakes,</t> <t>the heavens tremble,</t> <t>the sun and moon are darkened,</t> <t>and the stars no longer shine.</t>
  11. 11<t>The LORD thunders</t> <t>at the head of his army;</t> <t>his forces are beyond number,</t> <t>and mighty is the army that obeys his command.</t> <t>The day of the LORD is great;</t> <t>it is dreadful.</t> <t>Who can endure it?</t>
  12. 12<t>“Even now,” declares the LORD,</t> <t>“return to me with all your heart,</t> <t>with fasting and weeping and mourning.” <pb/></t>
  13. 13<t>Rend your heart</t> <t>and not your garments.</t> <t>Return to the LORD your God,</t> <t>for he is gracious and compassionate,</t> <t>slow to anger and abounding in love,</t> <t>and he relents from sending calamity.</t>
  14. 14<t>Who knows? He may turn and relent</t> <t>and leave behind a blessing—</t> <t>grain offerings and drink offerings</t> <t>for the LORD your God. <pb/></t>
  15. 15<t>Blow the trumpet in Zion,</t> <t>declare a holy fast,</t> <t>call a sacred assembly.</t>
  16. 16<t>Gather the people,</t> <t>consecrate the assembly;</t> <t>bring together the elders,</t> <t>gather the children,</t> <t>those nursing at the breast.</t> <t>Let the bridegroom leave his room</t> <t>and the bride her chamber.</t>
  17. 17<t>Let the priests, who minister before the LORD,</t> <t>weep between the portico and the altar.</t> <t>Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD.</t> <t>Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,</t> <t>a byword among the nations.</t> <t>Why should they say among the peoples,</t> <t>‘Where is their God?’ ”</t>
  18. 18<t>Then the LORD was jealous for his land</t> <t>and took pity on his people.</t>
  19. 19<pb/>The LORD replied<f>[5]</f> to them: <pb/><t>“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,</t> <t>enough to satisfy you fully;</t> <t>never again will I make you</t> <t>an object of scorn to the nations. <pb/></t>
  20. 20<t>“I will drive the northern horde far from you,</t> <t>pushing it into a parched and barren land;</t> <t>its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea</t> <t>and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.</t> <t>And its stench will go up;</t> <t>its smell will rise.” <pb/>Surely he has done great things!</t>
  21. 21<t>Do not be afraid, land of Judah;</t> <t>be glad and rejoice.</t> <t>Surely the LORD has done great things!</t>
  22. 22<t>Do not be afraid, you wild animals,</t> <t>for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.</t> <t>The trees are bearing their fruit;</t> <t>the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.</t>
  23. 23<t>Be glad, people of Zion,</t> <t>rejoice in the LORD your God,</t> <t>for he has given you the autumn rains</t> <t>because he is faithful.</t> <t>He sends you abundant showers,</t> <t>both autumn and spring rains, as before.</t>
  24. 24<t>The threshing floors will be filled with grain;</t> <t>the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. <pb/></t>
  25. 25<t>“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—</t> <t>the great locust and the young locust,</t> <t>the other locusts and the locust swarm<f>[6]</f>—</t> <t>my great army that I sent among you.</t>
  26. 26<t>You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,</t> <t>and you will praise the name of the LORD your God,</t> <t>who has worked wonders for you;</t> <t>never again will my people be shamed.</t>
  27. 27<t>Then you will know that I am in Israel,</t> <t>that I am the LORD your God,</t> <t>and that there is no other;</t> <t>never again will my people be shamed.</t>
  28. 28<t>“And afterward,</t> <t>I will pour out my Spirit on all people.</t> <t>Your sons and daughters will prophesy,</t> <t>your old men will dream dreams,</t> <t>your young men will see visions.</t>
  29. 29<t>Even on my servants, both men and women,</t> <t>I will pour out my Spirit in those days.</t>
  30. 30<t>I will show wonders in the heavens</t> <t>and on the earth,</t> <t>blood and fire and billows of smoke.</t>
  31. 31<t>The sun will be turned to darkness</t> <t>and the moon to blood</t> <t>before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.</t>
  32. 32<t>And everyone who calls</t> <t>on the name of the LORD will be saved;</t> <t>for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem</t> <t>there will be deliverance,</t> <t>as the LORD has said,</t> <t>even among the survivors</t> <t>whom the LORD calls.<f>[7]</f></t>