Joel 2

Blow the horn in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming;
it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness.
Like dawn spreading over the mountains comes a great and mighty people.
There has never been its like, nor will there be again through the years of generation after generation. Fire devours before it, and flame scorches behind it.
Before it the land is like the garden of Eden;
behind it, a desolate wilderness.
Nothing escapes it. They look like horses, and they run like horsemen. With a sound like chariots they leap over the mountaintops, with a crackling like flames consuming stubble, like a mighty people drawn up for battle. Before it peoples writhe in anguish, and every face grows pale. They run like warriors;
they scale the wall like soldiers.
Each marches on his way, and they do not swerve from their paths. They do not push one another;
each marches in his own track.
They plunge through the weapons without breaking ranks. They rush upon the city;
they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses and enter through the windows like a thief. Before it the earth trembles and the heavens shake.
The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars withdraw their brightness. The LORD raises his voice before his army, for his camp is vast, and mighty is the one who carries out his word.
For the day of the LORD is great and very dreadful.
Who can endure it? “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and he relents from disaster. Who knows?
He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him—a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God. Blow the horn in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly. Gather the people;
consecrate the congregation.
Assemble the elders;
gather the children, even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his chamber, and the bride her bridal canopy. Between the porch and the altar let the priests who minister to the LORD weep.
Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD.
Do not give your inheritance over to disgrace, for the nations to rule over them.
Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had compassion on his people. The LORD answered his people, “Look, I am sending you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will have your fill.
I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. I will drive the northerner far from you and thrust him into a dry and desolate land, his front toward the eastern sea and his rear toward the western sea.
His stench will rise, and his foul smell will rise, for he has done great things.” Do not fear, ground;
rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. Do not fear, wild animals, for the pastures of the wilderness have grown green.
The trees bear their fruit;
the fig tree and vine yield their abundance. Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, for he has given you the early rain in righteousness.
He has sent down rain for you, the early and the late rain, as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. “I will repay you for the years the swarming locust ate, the hopping locust, the destroying locust, and the cutting locust—my great army that I sent among you. You will eat abundantly and be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has done wonders for you.
My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, that I am the LORD your God and there is no other.
My people will never again be put to shame. Afterward I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy;
your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will turn to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered.
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors will be those whom the LORD calls.”

Rights and attribution