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Joel 2

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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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 total darkness, ⓔ 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 devours in front of them, ⓘ and behind them a flame blazes. 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 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 makes his voice heard ⓗ 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, abounding 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; [1] ⓙ gather the infants, even babies 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 fresh 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 astonishing things.

²¹ Don’t be afraid, land; ⓚ rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done astonishing 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. [2] ⓑ 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 fresh 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 the LORD 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 the LORD your God, and there is no other. ⓚ My people will never again be put to shame. ⓛ

²⁸ 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. ⓑ

³¹ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood ⓓ before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. ⓔ

³² Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD 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.

#	CSB
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 total darkness, ⓔ 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 devours in front of them, ⓘ and behind them a flame blazes. 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 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 makes his voice heard ⓗ 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, abounding 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; [1] ⓙ gather the infants, even babies 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 fresh 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 astonishing things.
21	Don’t be afraid, land; ⓚ rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done astonishing 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. [2] ⓑ 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 fresh 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 the LORD 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 the LORD your God, and there is no other. ⓚ My people will never again be put to shame. ⓛ
28	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 terrible day of the LORD comes. ⓔ
32	Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD 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

Footnotes

^{Joel 2:9 [3]} Or not raise them up

^{Joel 2:16 [4]} Hebrew every ship of Tarshish

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