Joel Chapter 2

The Day of the LORD

¹ Blow a bugle in Zion;

      sound an alarm on my holy mountain!

      Let the people in the land tremble

            because the day of the LORD is coming.

      It’s near,

                  ²a dark and gloomy day,

            a cloudy day with deep blackness.

      A numerous, powerful army is spreading out

            like shadows in the mountains.

      There’s never been anything like them before,

            and there won’t be for ages to come.

³ Fire consumes ahead of them;

      flames burn behind them.

The land is like the Orchard of Eden in front of them,

      but desolation lies behind them;

      nothing escapes.

⁴ They look like horses;

      they run like steeds.

⁵ With rumbling like chariots,

      they leap along on the hilltops—

      like a crackling flame consuming stubble,

      like a powerful army in battle formation.            

Joel 2:1-5

⁶ Defenders are in anguish in front of them

      with faces turned pale.

⁷ They run like warriors

            and scale walls like soldiers;

      they march in line

            without breaking rank.

⁸ They don’t bump into one another;

            each one marches straight ahead.

      When they break through the defenses,

            they just keep going.

⁹ They rush at the city and

            run along its walls;

      they climb into houses

            through windows like thieves.

¹⁰ The ground quakes in front of them,

      the sky shakes,

      the sun and moon go out,

      the stars grow dim.                                              

Joel 2:6-10

¹¹ The LORD raises his voice in front of his army;

      his camp is large

            because he’s strong that carries out his word.

      The day of the LORD is terrifying;

            who can survive it?

A Call to Repentance

¹² “Yet even now,” the LORD says,

      “come back to me with all your heart,

      with fasting, tears, and mourning.

¹³ Tear you hearts, not your clothes.”

      Come back to him;

      he’s gracious and merciful,

      slow to get angry, full of enduring love,

      and relents from carrying out destruction.

¹⁴ Who knows if he’ll relent                                             

      and leave behind a blessing for you,

            the possibility of offering again

                  a grain offering and a liquid offering

                  for the LORD your God.                           

Joel 2:11-14

¹⁵ Blow a bugle in Zion,                                 

            consecrate a fast,

            declare a solemn assembly,

         ¹⁶bring the people together,

            sanctify the community,

            assemble the elders,

            gather the children and nursing infants.

      Have the groom come out of his room

            and the bride leave her quarters.

¹⁷ Let the priests, the LORD’s ministers,

            weep between the porch and altar.

      Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD.

      Don’t make your permanent possession a disgrace,

            a byword the world over.

      Why should they say,

‘Where’s their God?’”                                   Joel 2:15-17

The Lord Promises Restoration

¹⁸ Then the LORD will become zealous for his land

      and take pity on his people.

¹⁹ He’ll answer them,

            “I’m going to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil;

                  you’ll be satisfied.

            I’ll never again make you a byword the world over.

         ²⁰I’ll remove the northern threat far from you

                  and drive him into a parched, desolate land.

            I’ll drive his vanguard into the Dead Sea,

                  his rear guard into the Mediterranean.

            The stench from rotting bodies will rise over the land.”

The Lord has done great things!                                 Joel 2:18-20

²¹ Don’t be afraid, O land; celebrate and be happy

      because the LORD has done great things.

²² Don’t be afraid, animals in the field,

      because the pastures in the countryside have turned green.

The trees have borne their fruit;

      the fig tree and vine have given their full yield.

²³ So celebrate, people of Zion;

      be happy in the LORD your God

            because he’s given you the autumn rains to vindicate you.

He has poured down rain for you,

      the autumn and spring rains like before.

²⁴ The threshing floor will be full of grain;

      the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

²⁵ “Then I’ll make up to you for the years

            the swarming locusts, crawling locusts,

            stripping locusts, and cutting locusts have eaten—

      the enormous army I sent at you.

²⁶ You’ll have plenty to eat;

      praise the LORD your God,

            who has dealt with you amazingly;

            then you’ll never be disgraced.

²⁷ That’s how you’ll know I’m in the land,

      that I’m the LORD your God,

            and there’s no other.                                     

Joel 2:21-27

The LORD Promises His Spirit

²⁸ “After that, I’ll pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people:

      sons and daughters will prophesy,

      old men will dream dreams,

      young men will see visions.

²⁹ I’ll even pour out my Spirit

      on male and female servants.

³⁰ I’ll display wonders in the sky and on the earth:

      blood, fire, and columns of smoke.

³¹ The sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn red

      before that great, notable day of the LORD.”

³² At that time, he’ll save whoever calls on him.

      On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem

            people will escape like the LORD said;

            among the survivors will be the people the LORD calls.