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Joel 2:1-17
English Standard Version
Joel 2:1-17
English Standard Version
The Day of the Lord
2 (A)Blow a trumpet in (B)Zion;
sound an alarm on (C)my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for (D)the day of the Lord is coming; it is near,
2 (E)a day of darkness and gloom,
(F)a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains
(G)a great and powerful people;
(H)their like has never been before,
nor will be again after them
through the years of all generations.
3 (I)Fire devours before them,
and behind them a flame burns.
The land is like (J)the garden of Eden before them,
but (K)behind them a desolate wilderness,
and nothing escapes them.
4 (L)Their appearance is like the appearance of horses,
and like war horses they run.
5 (M)As with the rumbling of chariots,
they leap on the tops of the mountains,
like the crackling of (N)a flame of fire
devouring the stubble,
(O)like a powerful army
drawn up for battle.
6 Before them peoples are in anguish;
(P)all faces grow pale.
7 Like warriors they charge;
like soldiers they scale the wall.
They march each on his way;
they do not swerve from their paths.
8 They do not jostle one another;
(Q)each marches in his path;
they burst through the weapons
and are not halted.
9 (R)They leap upon the city,
they run upon the walls,
(S)they climb up into the houses,
(T)they enter through the windows (U)like a thief.
10 (V)The earth quakes before them;
the heavens tremble.
(W)The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
11 (X)The Lord utters his voice
before (Y)his army,
for his camp is exceedingly great;
(Z)he who executes his word is powerful.
(AA)For the day of the Lord is (AB)great and very awesome;
(AC)who can endure it?
Return to the Lord
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
(AD)“return to me with all your heart,
(AE)with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and (AF)rend your hearts and not (AG)your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
(AH)for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
(AI)and he relents over disaster.
14 (AJ)Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and (AK)leave a blessing behind him,
(AL)a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
15 (AM)Blow the trumpet in Zion;
(AN)consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16 gather the people.
(AO)Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
(AP)gather the children,
even nursing infants.
(AQ)Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17 (AR)Between the (AS)vestibule and the (AT)altar
(AU)let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.[a]
(AV)Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
Footnotes
- Joel 2:17 Or reproach, that the nations should rule over them
Joel 2:1-17
New International Version
Joel 2:1-17
New International Version
An Army of Locusts
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord(D) is coming.
It is close at hand(E)—
2 a day of darkness(F) and gloom,(G)
a day of clouds(H) and blackness.(I)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army(J) comes,
such as never was in ancient times(K)
nor ever will be in ages to come.
3 Before them fire(L) devours,
behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,(M)
behind them, a desert waste(N)—
nothing escapes them.
4 They have the appearance of horses;(O)
they gallop along like cavalry.
5 With a noise like that of chariots(P)
they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire(Q) consuming stubble,
like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;(R)
every face turns pale.(S)
7 They charge like warriors;(T)
they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,(U)
not swerving(V) from their course.
8 They do not jostle each other;
each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
without breaking ranks.
9 They rush upon the city;
they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;(W)
like thieves they enter through the windows.(X)
10 Before them the earth shakes,(Y)
the heavens tremble,(Z)
the sun and moon are darkened,(AA)
and the stars no longer shine.(AB)
11 The Lord(AC) thunders(AD)
at the head of his army;(AE)
his forces are beyond number,
and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;(AF)
it is dreadful.
Who can endure it?(AG)
Rend Your Heart
12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return(AH) to me with all your heart,(AI)
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13 Rend your heart(AJ)
and not your garments.(AK)
Return(AL) to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,(AM)
slow to anger and abounding in love,(AN)
and he relents from sending calamity.(AO)
14 Who knows? He may turn(AP) and relent(AQ)
and leave behind a blessing(AR)—
grain offerings and drink offerings(AS)
for the Lord your God.
15 Blow the trumpet(AT) in Zion,(AU)
declare a holy fast,(AV)
call a sacred assembly.(AW)
16 Gather the people,
consecrate(AX) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(AY)
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(AZ) leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(BA) before the Lord,
weep(BB) between the portico and the altar.(BC)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(BD)
a byword(BE) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?(BF)’”
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.