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(A)Blow a trumpet in Zion,
And make a loud shout on My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
For the (B)day of Yahweh is coming;
Surely it is near,
A day of (C)darkness and thick darkness,
A day of clouds and dense gloom.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains,
So there is a (D)numerous and mighty people;
There has (E)never been anything like it,
Nor will there be again after it
For the years from generation to generation.
A (F)fire consumes before them,
And behind them a flame burns.
The land is (G)like the garden of Eden before them
But a (H)desolate wilderness behind them,
And nothing at all escapes them.
Their (I)appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like war horses, so they run.
[a]With a (J)noise as of chariots
They leap on the tops of the mountains,
Like the [b]crackling of a (K)flame of fire consumes the stubble,
Like a mighty people arranged for battle.
Before them the peoples are (L)writhing;
All (M)faces [c]turn pale.
They run like mighty men;
They climb up the wall like men of war;
And they each (N)march [d]in line,
And they do not deviate from their paths.
They do not crowd each other;
They march everyone in his path;
When they fall against the defending weapons,
They do not break ranks.
They rush on the city;
They run on the wall;
They climb up into the (O)houses;
They (P)enter through the windows like a thief.
10 Before them the earth (Q)trembles;
The heavens quake;
The (R)sun and the moon grow dark,
And the stars [e]lose their brightness.
11 But Yahweh (S)gives forth His voice before (T)His military force;
Surely His camp is very numerous,
For (U)mighty is he who does His word.
The (V)day of Yahweh is indeed great and very awesome,
And (W)who can endure it?

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:5 Lit Like the noise of chariots
  2. Joel 2:5 Lit noise
  3. Joel 2:6 Lit gather their radiance
  4. Joel 2:7 Lit in his ways
  5. Joel 2:10 Lit gather together

An Army of Locusts

Blow the trumpet(A) in Zion;(B)
    sound the alarm on my holy hill.(C)

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord(D) is coming.
It is close at hand(E)
    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.

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.
They have the appearance of horses;(O)
    they gallop along like cavalry.
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.

At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;(R)
    every face turns pale.(S)
They charge like warriors;(T)
    they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,(U)
    not swerving(V) from their course.
They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
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)

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