Joel 2:1-14

Authorized (King James) Version

2 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,
and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:
let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:
for the day of the Lord cometh,
for it is nigh at hand;
² a day of darkness and of gloominess,
a day of clouds and of thick darkness,
as the morning spread upon the mountains:
a great people and a strong;
there hath not been ever the like,
neither shall be any more after it,
even to the years of many generations.
³ A fire devoureth before them;
and behind them a flame burneth:
the land is as the garden of Eden before them,
and behind them a desolate wilderness;
yea, and nothing shall escape them.
⁴ The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;
and as horsemen, so shall they run.
⁵ Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap,
like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble,
as a strong people set in battle array.
⁶ Before their face the people shall be much pained:
all faces shall gather blackness.
⁷ They shall run like mighty men;
they shall climb the wall like men of war;
and they shall march every one on his ways,
and they shall not break their ranks:
⁸ neither shall one thrust another;
they shall walk every one in his path:
and when they fall upon the sword,
they shall not be wounded.
⁹ They shall run to and fro in the city;
they shall run upon the wall,
they shall climb up upon the houses;
they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
¹⁰ The earth shall quake before them;
the heavens shall tremble:
the sun and the moon shall be dark,
and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
¹¹ and the Lord shall utter his voice before his army:
for his camp is very great:
for he is strong that executeth his word:
for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
and who can abide it?

¹² Therefore also now, saith the Lord,
turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting,
and with weeping, and with mourning:
¹³ and rend your heart, and not your garments,
and turn unto the Lord your God:
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness,
and repenteth him of the evil.
¹⁴ Who knoweth if he will return and repent,
and leave a blessing behind him;
even a meat offering and a drink offering
unto the Lord your God?