Joel 2:1–17

¹Blow the ram’s horn in Zion;

sound the alarm on My holy mountain!

Let all who dwell in the land tremble,

for the Day of the LORD is coming;

indeed, it is near—

²a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness.

Like the dawn overspreading the mountains

a great and strong army appears,

such as never was of old,

nor will ever be in ages to come.

³Before them a fire devours,

and behind them a flame scorches.

The land before them is like the Garden of Eden,

but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland —

surely nothing will escape them.

⁴Their appearance is like that of horses,

and they gallop like swift steeds.^a

⁵With a sound like that of chariots

they bound over the mountaintops,

like the crackling of fire consuming stubble,

like a mighty army deployed for battle.

⁶Nations writhe in horror before them;

every face turns pale.

⁷They charge like mighty men;

they scale the walls like men of war.

Each one marches in formation,

not swerving from the course.

⁸They do not jostle one another;

each proceeds in his path.

They burst through the defenses,

never breaking ranks.

⁹They storm the city;

they run along the wall;

they climb into houses,

entering through windows like thieves.

¹⁰Before them the earth quakes;

the heavens tremble.

The sun and moon grow dark,

and the stars lose their brightness.

¹¹The LORD raises His voice

in the presence of His army.

Indeed, His camp is very large,

for mighty are those who obey His command.

For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful.

Who can endure it?

¹²“Yet even now,”

declares the LORD,

“return to Me with all your heart,

with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

¹³So rend your hearts and not your garments,

and return to the LORD your God.

For He is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.^b

And He relents from sending disaster.

¹⁴Who knows? He may turn and relent

and leave a blessing behind Him —

grain and drink offerings

for the LORD your God.

¹⁵Blow the ram’s horn in Zion,

consecrate a fast,

proclaim a sacred assembly.

¹⁶Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,

assemble the aged, gather the children,

even those nursing at the breast.

Let the bridegroom leave his room,

and the bride her chamber.

¹⁷Let the priests who minister before the LORD

weep between the portico and the altar,

saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD,

and do not make Your heritage a reproach,

an object of scorn among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’”