LEB JOEL chapter 2

The Day of Yahweh is Near

2 Blow the trumpet[fn] in Zion, and sound the alarm on[fn]
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
- for the day of Yahweh is coming
  - — it is indeed near.
- 2  a day of cloud and thick darkness,
like the dawn spreads on the mountains,
- a great and strong army!
There has been nothing like it from old,
- and after it nothing will be again[fn]
- 3 [fn] a fire devours, and behind them a flame burns.
Like the garden of Eden is the land[fn]
- and after them it is like a desolate desert,
- and nothing can escape them.
- 4 the appearance of horses is their appearance, and like horsemen they run;
- 5 the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap about; like the sound of a flame of fire
  - devouring stubble;
like a strong army arranged
- in rows for battle.
- 6 [fn] nations writhe, all faces[fn]
- 7 [fn] they scale the wall like men of war;
each goes on its own way,
- and they do not swerve from their paths.
- 8 [fn] each goes on its own trail;
and through the falling weapons,[fn]
- they are not halted.
- 9  on the walls[fn] they run.
Into the houses they climb up;
- through the windows
  - they enter like a thief.
- 10 [fn] the earth quakes; the heavens tremble;
the sun and the moon grow dark,
- and the stars[fn] their splendor
- 11 [fn] his voice before his army, because his encampment is very large;
strong is the one who carries out his decree,
- for great is the day of Yahweh
and exceedingly fearful.
- Who can endure it?

A Call to Repentance

12 [fn] Yahweh, “return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, and weeping, and wailing.”
13 [fn] and not your garments, and return to Yahweh your God,
- because he is gracious and compassionate,
[fn] and great in loyal love,
- and relenting from harm.
- 14 whether he will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him,
an offering and a libation,
- for Yahweh your God?
- 15 the trumpet[fn] in Zion, sanctify a fast, call an assembly;
- 16 the people, consecrate the assembly; assemble the elders, gather the children,
  - even those who are breast-feeding;
let the bridegroom come out from his private room,
- and the bride from her canopy.
- 17  let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep.
And let them say, “Take pity, Yahweh, on your people.
- Do not make your inheritance a reproach,
  - a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the nations,
- ‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Response and Promise of Yahweh

18 and took pity on his people.
19  “Look at me, I am sending to you

grain, new wine, and olive oil,
- and you will be satisfied by it.
I will not give you over any more
- as a disgrace among the nations.
- 20 [fn] I will remove from you;
I will drive them to a desert
- and desolate land,
its[fn] front to the eastern sea,
- and its rear into the western sea;
its stench and odor will rise up
- because he[fn] has done great things.
- 21 O land, rejoice and be glad,
  - because Yahweh has done great things.
- 22 the field, because the pastures of the desert have put forth new green shoots,
because the tree has produced its fruit,
- the fig tree and the vine
  - have yielded their produce.
- 23 O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Yahweh your God,
because he has given for you
- the autumn rains for your righteousness,[fn]
  - and he has[fn] for you rainwater,
the autumn and spring rains, as before.
- 24 with grain, and the vats will overflow
  - with new wine and olive oil.
- 25  that the locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
- my mighty troops that I sent against you.
- 26  and praise the name of Yahweh your God,
- who has dealt with you[fn]
My people[fn]
27 am in the midst of Israel, and I am Yahweh,
- your God, and there is no other.
My people[fn]

Yahweh’s Spirit Poured Out

[fn] And it will happen afterward thus:
- I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
- and your elders will dream dreams;
your young men shall see visions.
And also on the male slaves and on the female slaves,
- I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

And I will set[fn] wonders in the heavens, and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh. And it will happen—everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be rescued, because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape,[fn] as Yahweh said, and among the survivors whom Yahweh is calling.

2:1 Hebrew “shofar”

2:1 Literally “mountain of my holiness”

2:1 Literally “until years of generations”

2:1 Literally “before the presence of it”

2:1 Or “From in front of it,” or “From the presence of it”

2:1 Literally “gather paleness”

2:1 That is, the “great and strong army” (see 2:2)

2:1 Literally “each man his brother”

2:1 Hebrew “weapon”

2:1 Hebrew “wall”

2:1 Literally “Before the presence of it”

2:1 Literally “gathered”

2:1 Literally “gives”

2:1 Literally “a declaration of”

2:1 Hebrew “heart”

2:1 Or “patient;” Literally “long of anger”

2:1 Hebrew “Shofar”

2:1 Or “The northern army”

2:1 That is, the northern army

2:1 That is, Yahweh (see v. 21)

2:1 Or “vindication”

2:1 Literally “brought down”

2:1 Literally “to do a wonder”

2:1 Literally “will forever not be ashamed”

2:1 Literally “will forever no longer be ashamed”

2:1 Joel 2:28–32 in the English Bible is 3:1–5 in the Hebrew Bible

2:1 Literally “give”

2:1 Literally, “an escape”

LEB JOEL Chapter 2