Open English Translation JOEL Chapter 2

2 Blow the shofar in Tsiyyon (Zion),

≈and shout on the mountain of my holiness.

Let all of the country’s residents tremble,

because Yahweh’s day is coming,

yes, it’s close.

2 It’ll be a day of darkness and gloom—

a day of clouds and thick darkness

like the dawn being spread out on the mountains.

There hasn’t been a great and mighty army like that since the beginning of time,

and after it there won’t be again for many generations.

3 A devouring fire goes ahead of it,

and behind it a flame is burning.

Ahead of it, the land is like the garden of Eden,

but behind it is a wilderness of desolation,

and indeed, there’s no escape from it.

4 At first, it appears like horses,

and they run like war horses.[ref]

5 Like the sound of chariots, they leap along the tops of the hills—

like the sound of a flames devouring stubble,

like a mighty people organised for war.

6 People flinch in horror when they see them coming.

All of their faces turn dark.[fn]

7 They run like warriors.

Like men of war, they climb the wall.

Then they walk, each man choosing his own way forward,

and they don’t veer off their paths.

8 There’s no jostling each other—

each man marches straight forward.

They handle those who present weapons against them

and their progress isn’t interrupted.

9 They rush upon the city.

They run along the wall.

They climb through the windows into the houses like thieves.

10 The earth shakes as they approach.

≈The heavens tremble.

The sun and the moon become dark,

≈and the stars cease their shining.[ref]

11 Yahweh speaks in front of his army,

because there’s a huge number of them,

because those executing his commands are very powerful.

Yes, Yahweh’s day is really terrible

and who could possibly survive it?[ref]

12 Yahweh declares: Still even now,

return to me with all of your hearts,

and with fasting and weeping, and with mourning.

13 Yes, tear your hearts and not your clothes,

and return to your God Yahweh

because he’s gracious and merciful,

slow to get angry but displaying loyal commitment,

and relenting from sending disaster.

14 Who knows? He might change his mind and relent

and leave a blessing after him:

grain and wine that you all can use as offerings for your God Yahweh.

15 Blow the shofar in Tsiyyon,

declare a fast,

announce an assembly.

16 Gather the people,

≈consecrate the congregation,

≈assemble the elders,

gather the children

≈and the ones suckling the breasts.

May the bridegroom come out from his chamber

≈and the bride from her room.

17 Let Yahweh’s servants the priests weep between the porch and the altar.

And let them say, “Have pity upon your people, Yahweh,

and don’t allow others to mock the people that you inherited,

and then for other nations to rule over them.

Why should the other nations ask, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

18 Then Yahweh was jealous for his land,

and he had pity on his people.

19 Then Yahweh answered and told his people,

“Listen, I’ll send you grain and new wine and oil,

and you all will have enough with it,

and I’ll no longer make you a country for the other nations to mock.

20 And I will distance the northern army from upon you,

and I will banish them into a land of dryness and desolation—

their face into the eastern sea

and their back into the western sea.

Their stench will rise,

and their odour will spread,

because they’ve made many powerful moves.”

21 Don’t fear, land. Be glad and celebrate,

because Yahweh has been doing powerful things.

22 Don’t worry, you animals in the countryside,

because the pastures in the wilderness have sprouted.

Because the tree has borne its fruit—

the fig tree and the grapevine have produced their best.

23 And be glad, you descendants of Tsiyyon (Zion),

and celebrate about your God Yahweh,

because he’s given you the early rain as vindication

and he’s brought down showers for you—

the early rains and the late rains like before.

24 Then the threshing floors will be full of grain,

and the vats will overflow with grape juice and olive oil.

25 “And I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust and the hopping locust,

the destroying locust and the cutting locust have eaten—

my huge army that I sent among you.

26 You’ll all eat and be full,

and you’ll praise the name of your God Yahweh,

who’s done miracles among you all,

and forever my people won’t feel shamed.

27 Then you’ll all know that I’m right there in Israel—

that I’m your God Yahweh and there isn’t any other,

and forever my people won’t feel shamed.

28 And it will happen after that,

that I’ll pour out my spirit onto all peoples,

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy.

Your elderly will dream dreams,

Your young people will see visions.

29 At that time I’ll pour out my spirit

even on the male and female slaves.

30 Then I’ll do miracles in the skies and on the earth—

blood and fire and columns of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned into darkness

≈and the moon into blood,

ahead of the coming of Yahweh’s incredible yet scary day.[ref]

32 Then it will happen that everyone who calls on Yahweh’s name will be saved,

because on Mt. Tsiyyon and in Yerushalem there’ll be a way of escape just as Yahweh has said,

and among the survivors who Yahweh is calling.[ref]