Joel 2:3-11

English Standard Version

^3 (A)Fire devours before them,
    and behind them a flame burns.
The land is like ^(B)the garden of Eden before them,
    but ^(C)behind them a desolate wilderness,
    and nothing escapes them.

^4 (D)Their appearance is like the appearance of horses,
    and like war horses they run.
^5 (E)As with the rumbling of chariots,
    they leap on the tops of the mountains,
like the crackling of ^(F)a flame of fire
    devouring the stubble,
^(G)like a powerful army
    drawn up for battle.

⁶ Before them peoples are in anguish;
    ^(H)all faces grow pale.
⁷ Like warriors they charge;
    like soldiers they scale the wall.
They march each on his way;
    they do not swerve from their paths.
⁸ They do not jostle one another;
    ^(I)each marches in his path;
they burst through the weapons
    and are not halted.
^9 (J)They leap upon the city,
    they run upon the walls,
^(K)they climb up into the houses,
    ^(L)they enter through the windows ^(M)like a thief.

^10 (N)The earth quakes before them;
    the heavens tremble.
^(O)The sun and the moon are darkened,
    and the stars withdraw their shining.
^11 (P)The Lord utters his voice
    before ^(Q)his army,
for his camp is exceedingly great;
    ^(R)he who executes his word is powerful.
^(S)For the day of the Lord is ^(T)great and very awesome;
    ^(U)who can endure it?