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Joel 2

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ Blow the horn in Zion; ⓐ sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; ⓑ in fact, it is near —

² a day of darkness and gloom, ⓒ a day of clouds and dense overcast, ⓓ like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people ⓔ appears, such as never existed in ages past ⓕ and never will again in all the generations to come. ⓖ

³ A fire destroys [1] in front of them, ⓗ and behind them a flame devours. The land in front of them is like the Garden of Eden, ⓘ but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; ⓙ there is no escape from them.

⁴ Their appearance is like that of horses, ⓚ and they gallop like war horses.

⁵ They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, ⓛ like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, ⓜ like a mighty army deployed for war.

⁶ Nations writhe in horror before them; ⓝ all faces turn pale.

⁷ They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, ⓞ and they do not change their course.

⁸ They do not push each other; each man proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping.

⁹ They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; ⓟ they enter through the windows like thieves. ⓠ

¹⁰ The earth quakes before them; ⓡ the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, ⓢ and the stars cease their shining. ⓣ

¹¹ The LORD raises His voice ⓤ in the presence of His army. ⓥ His camp is very large; Those who carry out His command are powerful. ⓦ Indeed, the Day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful ⓧ — who can endure it? ⓨ

¹² Even now — — this is the LORD’s declaration — turn to Me with all your heart, ⓩ with fasting, weeping, and mourning. ⓐ

¹³ Tear your hearts, ⓑ not just your clothes, ⓒ and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. ⓓ

¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent ⓔ and leave a blessing behind Him, ⓕ so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD your God. ⓖ

¹⁵ Blow the horn in Zion! ⓗ Announce a sacred fast; ⓘ proclaim an assembly.

¹⁶ Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; ⓙ assemble the aged; [2] ⓚ gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, ⓛ and the bride her honeymoon chamber.

¹⁷ Let the priests, ⓜ the LORD’s ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. ⓝ Let them say: “Have pity on Your people, LORD, ⓞ and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, ⓟ an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” ⓠ

¹⁸ Then the LORD became jealous for His land ⓡ and spared His people. ⓢ

¹⁹ The LORD answered His people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil. ⓣ You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. ⓤ

²⁰ I will drive the northerner far from you ⓥ and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, ⓦ and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. ⓧ His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, ⓨ for he has done catastrophic things.

²¹ Don’t be afraid, land; ⓩ rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. ⓐ

²² Don’t be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, ⓑ the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.

²³ Children of Zion, ⓒ rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, ⓓ because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. [3] ⓔ He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain ⓕ as before.

²⁴ The threshing floors will be full of grain, ⓖ and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

²⁵ I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, ⓗ the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust — My great army that I sent against you.

²⁶ You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. ⓘ You will praise the name of Yahweh your God, ⓙ who has dealt wondrously with you. ⓚ My people will never again be put to shame. ⓛ

²⁷ You will know that I am present in Israel ⓜ and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is no other. ⓝ My people will never again be put to shame. ⓞ

²⁸ [4] After this ⓟ I will pour out My Spirit ⓠ on all humanity; ⓡ then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.

²⁹ I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. ⓢ

³⁰ I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: ⓣ blood, fire, and columns of smoke.

³¹ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood ⓤ before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the LORD comes. ⓥ

³² Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved, ⓦ for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD promised, ⓧ among the survivors the LORD calls.

#	HCSB
1	Blow the horn in Zion; ⓐ sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; ⓑ in fact, it is near —
2	a day of darkness and gloom, ⓒ a day of clouds and dense overcast, ⓓ like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people ⓔ appears, such as never existed in ages past ⓕ and never will again in all the generations to come. ⓖ
3	A fire destroys [1] in front of them, ⓗ and behind them a flame devours. The land in front of them is like the Garden of Eden, ⓘ but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; ⓙ there is no escape from them.
4	Their appearance is like that of horses, ⓚ and they gallop like war horses.
5	They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, ⓛ like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, ⓜ like a mighty army deployed for war.
6	Nations writhe in horror before them; ⓝ all faces turn pale.
7	They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, ⓞ and they do not change their course.
8	They do not push each other; each man proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping.
9	They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; ⓟ they enter through the windows like thieves. ⓠ
10	The earth quakes before them; ⓡ the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, ⓢ and the stars cease their shining. ⓣ
11	The LORD raises His voice ⓤ in the presence of His army. ⓥ His camp is very large; Those who carry out His command are powerful. ⓦ Indeed, the Day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful ⓧ — who can endure it? ⓨ
12	Even now — — this is the LORD’s declaration — turn to Me with all your heart, ⓩ with fasting, weeping, and mourning. ⓐ
13	Tear your hearts, ⓑ not just your clothes, ⓒ and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. ⓓ
14	Who knows? He may turn and relent ⓔ and leave a blessing behind Him, ⓕ so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD your God. ⓖ
15	Blow the horn in Zion! ⓗ Announce a sacred fast; ⓘ proclaim an assembly.
16	Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; ⓙ assemble the aged; [2] ⓚ gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, ⓛ and the bride her honeymoon chamber.
17	Let the priests, ⓜ the LORD’s ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. ⓝ Let them say: “Have pity on Your people, LORD, ⓞ and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, ⓟ an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” ⓠ
18	Then the LORD became jealous for His land ⓡ and spared His people. ⓢ
19	The LORD answered His people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil. ⓣ You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. ⓤ
20	I will drive the northerner far from you ⓥ and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, ⓦ and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. ⓧ His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, ⓨ for he has done catastrophic things.
21	Don’t be afraid, land; ⓩ rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. ⓐ
22	Don’t be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, ⓑ the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.
23	Children of Zion, ⓒ rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, ⓓ because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. [3] ⓔ He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain ⓕ as before.
24	The threshing floors will be full of grain, ⓖ and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
25	I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, ⓗ the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust — My great army that I sent against you.
26	You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. ⓘ You will praise the name of Yahweh your God, ⓙ who has dealt wondrously with you. ⓚ My people will never again be put to shame. ⓛ
27	You will know that I am present in Israel ⓜ and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is no other. ⓝ My people will never again be put to shame. ⓞ
28	[4] After this ⓟ I will pour out My Spirit ⓠ on all humanity; ⓡ then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.
29	I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. ⓢ
30	I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: ⓣ blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
31	The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood ⓤ before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the LORD comes. ⓥ
32	Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved, ⓦ for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD promised, ⓧ among the survivors the LORD calls.

Footnotes & Cross-References

Cross-References

^{Joel 2:18 [5]} Or LORD will be jealous… / and take pity… / 19 The LORD will reply

^{Joel 2:25 [6]} The precise meaning of the four Hebrew words used here for locusts is uncertain.

^{Joel 2:32 [7]} In Hebrew texts 2:28-32 is numbered 3:1-5.

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