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Joel 2
Expanded Bible
Joel 2
Expanded Bible
2 Blow the trumpet in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple];
·shout a warning [sound the alarm; or raise the battle cry] on my holy mountain.
Let all the people who live in the land shake with fear,
because the ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord; 1:15] is coming;
it is near.
The Coming Day of Judgment
2 It will be a ·dark, gloomy day [day/time of darkness and gloom],
cloudy and black.
Like ·the light at sunrise [spreading dawn; or spreading darkness],
a great and powerful army will spread over the mountains.
There has never been anything like it before,
and there will never be anything like it ·again [L for generations to come].
3 In front of them a fire ·destroys [devours];
in back of them a flame burns.
The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden [Gen. 2:8–14];
the land behind them is like an ·empty desert [desolate wilderness].
Nothing will escape from them.
4 ·They look [Their appearance is] like horses,
and they ·run [charge] like ·war horses [or cavalry].
5 It is like the noise of chariots
·rumbling [or leaping] over the tops of the mountains,
like the noise of a roaring fire
·burning dry stalks [devouring stubble].
They are like a ·powerful army [mighty nation] lined up for battle.
6 ·When they see them [Before them], ·nations [people] shake with fear,
and everyone’s face becomes pale.
7 They charge like soldiers;
they ·climb over [scale] the wall like warriors.
They all march ·straight ahead [in formation]
and do not ·move off their path [swerve from their course; break ranks].
8 They do not ·run into [jostle; push] each other,
because each walks ·in line [straight ahead; in his column].
They ·break through all efforts to stop them [burst through defences; or fall upon the sword; L fall upon weapons]
and ·keep coming [do not halt/break ranks].
9 They ·run [rush; swarm] into the city.
They run at the wall
and climb into the houses,
entering through windows like thieves.
10 Before them the earth shakes
and sky trembles.
The sun and the moon become dark,
and the stars ·stop shining [L withhold their brightness; 3:15].
11 The Lord ·shouts out orders [cries out; thunders]
·to [or at the head of] his army.
His ·army [encampment] is very large!
Those who ·obey him [execute his word] are very strong!
The ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord; 1:15]
is an ·overwhelming [awesome; great] and terrible day.
·No one can stand up against it! [L Who can endure it?]
Change Your Hearts
12 The Lord says, “Even now, come back to me with all your heart.
Fast, ·cry [weep], and ·be sad [mourn].”
13 ·Tearing your clothes is not enough to show you are sad;
let your heart be broken [L Tear/Rend your hearts and not your garments; C true repentance, not just a show of grief].
Come back to the Lord your God,
because he is ·kind [gracious; merciful] and ·shows mercy [compassionate].
·He doesn’t become angry quickly […slow to anger],
and he has great ·love [loyalty; mercy; lovingkindness].
He ·can change his mind about [relents from] doing harm.
14 Who knows? Maybe he will ·turn back to you [grant a reprieve; L turn and relent]
and leave behind a blessing for you.
·Grain [L Gift; Tribute; Lev. 2:1] and drink offerings ·belong to [or for] the Lord your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 2:1];
·call for [declare; appoint; consecrate] a ·day when everyone fasts [fast; 1:14].
·Tell everyone to stop work [L Call a sacred assembly]!
16 ·Bring the people together [Assemble/Gather the people]
and ·make the meeting holy for the Lord [consecrate/sanctify the congregation/assembly].
Bring together the elders,
as well as the children,
and even babies that still feed at their mothers’ breasts.
·The bridegroom should [L Let the bridegroom] come from his room [C indicating urgency; newly married men were exempt from military service; Deut. 20:7; 24:5],
the bride from her ·bedroom [chamber].
17 ·The [L Let the] priests, ·the Lord’s servants [who minister before the Lord], should ·cry [weep]
between the altar and the ·entrance to the Temple [portico; vestibule].
·They should [L Let them] say, “Lord, ·have mercy on [spare] your people.
Don’t let ·them [L your inheritance/possession] be ·put to shame [mocked; a reproach];
don’t let other nations make ·fun of them [them a byword].
·Don’t let [L Why should the] people in other nations ask,
‘Where is their God?’”
The Lord Restores the Land
18 Then the Lord became ·concerned about [jealous/zealous for] his land
and ·felt sorry [had compassion] for his people.
19 He ·said to [answered] them:
“[L Look; T Behold] I will send you grain, new wine, and olive oil,
so that you will ·have plenty [be satisfied].
No more will I ·shame you [make you a reproach/object of scorn]
among the nations.
20 I will ·force the army from the north to leave your land [L drive the northern one far from you]
and go into a dry, ·empty [desolate] land.
·Their soldiers [L Those] in front will be forced into the ·Dead [L Eastern] Sea,
and those in the rear into the ·Mediterranean [L Western] Sea.
·Their bodies will rot and stink [His stench and foul smell will rise].
The Lord has surely done ·a wonderful thing [great things]!”
21 Land, don’t be afraid;
be ·happy [glad] and ·full of joy [rejoice],
because the Lord has done ·a wonderful thing [great things].
22 ·Wild animals [L Beasts of the field], don’t be afraid,
because the ·open [wilderness] pastures ·have grown grass [L are sprouting green].
The trees ·have given [bear] fruit;
the fig trees and the grapevines ·have grown much fruit [provide riches].
23 So be happy, ·people of Jerusalem [L sons/children of Zion; 2:1];
·be joyful [rejoice] in the Lord your God.
Because he ·does what is right,
he has brought you rain [or has vindicated you by giving you rain];
he has sent the ·fall [L early] rain
and the ·spring [L late] rain for you, as before.
24 And the threshing floors will be full of grain;
the ·barrels [vats] will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
The Lord Speaks
25 “Though I sent my great army against you—
those ·swarming [or great] locusts and ·hopping [or crawling; or young] locusts,
the ·destroying [consuming] locusts and the ·cutting [chewing; or swarming] locusts that ate your crops [see 1:4]—
I will ·pay you back
for [or restore to you] those ·years of trouble [L years].
26 Then you will have plenty to eat
and be ·full [satisfied].
You will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has ·done miracles [or acted wondrously/marvelously] for you.
My people will never again be shamed.
27 Then you will know that I am ·among [in the midst of] the people of Israel,
that I am the Lord your God,
and there is no ·other God [L other].
My people will never be shamed again.
28 “After this,
I will pour out my Spirit on all ·kinds of people [humanity; flesh; Acts 2:17–21; Is. 32:15; Ezek. 39:29; Zech. 12:10].
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 ·At that time [L In those days] I will pour out my Spirit
·also [even] on male ·slaves [servants] and female ·slaves [servants].
30 I will show ·miracles [wonders; portents]
in the ·sky [heavens] and on the earth:
blood, fire, and ·thick [columns/billows of] smoke.
31 The sun will ·become dark [turn to darkness],
the moon ·red as blood [L to blood; Rev. 6:12],
before the ·overwhelming [great] and ·terrible [awesome] day of the Lord comes.
32 ·Then [L And it will happen that] ·anyone [all] who calls on the [L name of the] Lord
will be ·saved [rescued],
because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be people who will ·be saved [escape; be delivered],
just as the Lord has said.
·Those left alive after the day of punishment [The remnant/survivors]
are the people whom the Lord called.
Joel 2
New International Version
Joel 2
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)’”
The Lord’s Answer
19 The Lord replied[a] to them:
“I am sending you grain, new wine(BI) and olive oil,(BJ)
enough to satisfy you fully;(BK)
never again will I make you
an object of scorn(BL) to the nations.
20 “I will drive the northern horde(BM) far from you,
pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench(BN) will go up;
its smell will rise.”
Surely he has done great things!
21 Do not be afraid,(BO) land of Judah;
be glad and rejoice.(BP)
Surely the Lord has done great things!(BQ)
22 Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.(BR)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
the fig tree(BS) and the vine(BT) yield their riches.(BU)
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice(BV) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
because he is faithful.(BW)
He sends you abundant showers,(BX)
both autumn(BY) and spring rains,(BZ) as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
the vats will overflow(CA) with new wine(CB) and oil.
25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts(CC) have eaten(CD)—
the great locust and the young locust,
the other locusts and the locust swarm[b]—
my great army(CE) that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,(CF)
and you will praise(CG) the name of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders(CH) for you;
never again will my people be shamed.(CI)
27 Then you will know(CJ) that I am in Israel,
that I am the Lord(CK) your God,
and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.(CL)
The Day of the Lord
28 “And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit(CM) on all people.(CN)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,(CO)
your old men will dream dreams,(CP)
your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants,(CQ) both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.(CR)
30 I will show wonders in the heavens(CS)
and on the earth,(CT)
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness(CU)
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.(CV)
32 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord(CW) will be saved;(CX)
for on Mount Zion(CY) and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,(CZ)
as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors(DA)
whom the Lord calls.[c](DB)
Expanded Bible (EXB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.