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Joel 2:12-17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Joel 2:12-17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Return to the Lord
12 Yet even now—oracle of the Lord—
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
13 Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the Lord, your God,
For he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,
and relenting in punishment.(A)
14 Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind a blessing,[a]
Grain offering and libation
for the Lord, your God.(B)
15 Blow the horn in Zion!
Proclaim a fast,
call an assembly!(C)
16 Gather the people,
sanctify the congregation;
Assemble the elderly;
gather the children,
even infants nursing at the breast;
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride[b] her bridal tent.
17 Between the porch and the altar[c]
let the priests weep,
let the ministers of the Lord weep and say:
“Spare your people, Lord!
do not let your heritage become a disgrace,
a byword among the nations!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”(D)
Footnotes
- 2:14 Blessing: the rain that makes possible the grapes and grain (v. 19) that workers will process into Temple offerings.
- 2:16 Elderly…infants…bridegroom…bride: Jerusalem is in such great danger that even those normally excused from fasting or working are called upon to participate in activities to ward off the imminent catastrophe.
- 2:17 Between the porch and the altar: the priests stood in the open space between the outdoor altar for burnt offerings and the Temple building.
Joel 2:12-17
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Joel 2:12-17
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
12 “Yet even now,” says the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and repents of evil.
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and repent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a cereal offering and a drink offering
for the Lord, your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16 gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17 Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare thy people, O Lord,
and make not thy heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
Joel 2:12-17
Good News Translation
Joel 2:12-17
Good News Translation
A Call to Repentance
12 “But even now,” says the Lord,
“repent sincerely and return to me
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
13 Let your broken heart show your sorrow;
tearing your clothes is not enough.”
Come back to the Lord your God.
He is kind and full of mercy;
he is patient and keeps his promise;
he is always ready to forgive and not punish.
14 Perhaps the Lord your God will change his mind
and bless you with abundant crops.
Then you can offer him grain and wine.
15 Blow the trumpet on Mount Zion;
give orders for a fast and call an assembly!
16 Gather the people together;
prepare them for a sacred meeting;
bring the old people;
gather the children
and the babies too.
Even newly married couples
must leave their homes and come.
17 (A)The priests, serving the Lord
between the altar and the entrance of the Temple,
must weep and pray:
“Have pity on your people, Lord.
Do not let other nations despise us and mock us
by saying, ‘Where is your God?’”
Joel 2:12-17
New American Standard Bible
Joel 2:12-17
New American Standard Bible
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“(A)Return to Me with all your heart,
And with (B)fasting, weeping, and mourning;
13 And (C)tear your heart and not merely (D)your garments.”
Now return to the Lord your God,
For He is (E)gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in mercy
And (F)relenting of catastrophe.
14 Who knows, (G)He might turn and relent,
And leave a (H)blessing behind Him,
Resulting in (I)a grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God.
15 (J)Blow a trumpet in Zion,
(K)Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
16 Gather the people, (L)sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and the nursing infants.
Have the (M)groom come out of his room
And the bride out of her bridal chamber.
17 Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers,
Weep (N)between the porch and the altar,
And let them say, “[a](O)Spare Your people, Lord,
And do not make Your inheritance a (P)disgrace,
With the nations jeering at them.
Why should those among the peoples say,
‘(Q)Where is their God?’”
Footnotes
- Joel 2:17 Or Look compassionately on
Joel 2:12-17
New International Version
Joel 2:12-17
New International Version
Rend Your Heart
12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return(A) to me with all your heart,(B)
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13 Rend your heart(C)
and not your garments.(D)
Return(E) to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,(F)
slow to anger and abounding in love,(G)
and he relents from sending calamity.(H)
14 Who knows? He may turn(I) and relent(J)
and leave behind a blessing(K)—
grain offerings and drink offerings(L)
for the Lord your God.
15 Blow the trumpet(M) in Zion,(N)
declare a holy fast,(O)
call a sacred assembly.(P)
16 Gather the people,
consecrate(Q) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(R)
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(S) leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(T) before the Lord,
weep(U) between the portico and the altar.(V)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(W)
a byword(X) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?(Y)’”
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.