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12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart,
    and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 Tear your heart, and not your garments,
    and turn to Yahweh, your God;
    for he is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness,
    and relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent,
    and leave a blessing behind him,
    even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion!
    Sanctify a fast.
    Call a solemn assembly.
16 Gather the people.
    Sanctify the assembly.
    Assemble the elders.
    Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts.
Let the bridegroom go out of his room,
    and the bride out of her room.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar,
    and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh,
    and don’t give your heritage to reproach,
    that the nations should rule over them.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?’”

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Return to the Lord

12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
    (A)“return to me with all your heart,
(B)with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13     and (C)rend your hearts and not (D)your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
    (E)for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
    (F)and he relents over disaster.
14 (G)Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
    and (H)leave a blessing behind him,
(I)a grain offering and a drink offering
    for the Lord your God?

15 (J)Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    (K)consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16     gather the people.
(L)Consecrate the congregation;
    assemble the elders;
(M)gather the children,
    even nursing infants.
(N)Let the bridegroom leave his room,
    and the bride her chamber.

17 (O)Between the (P)vestibule and the (Q)altar
    (R)let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
    and make not your heritage a reproach,
    a byword among the nations.[a]
(S)Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?’”

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:17 Or reproach, that the nations should rule over them