The Day of Yahweh is Near

¹ Blow the trumpet¹ in Zion, and sound the alarm on ⌞my holy mountain⌟!² Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh is coming —it is indeed near.

1. Hebrew “shofar”
2. Literally “mountain of my holiness”

² A day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick darkness, like the dawn spreads on the mountains, a great and strong army! There has been nothing like it from old, and after it nothing will be again ⌞for generations to come⌟.¹

1. Literally “until years of generations”

³ ⌞Before them⌟¹ a fire devours, and behind them a flame burns. Like the garden of Eden is the land ⌞before them⌟,² and after them it is like a desolate desert, and nothing can escape them.

1. Literally “before the presence of it”
2. Literally “before the presence of it”

⁴ Like the appearance of horses is their appearance, and like horsemen they run;

⁵ like the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap about; like the sound of a flame of fire devouring stubble; like a strong army arranged in rows for battle.

⁶ ⌞From before them⌟¹ nations writhe, all faces ⌞turn pale⌟.²

1. Or “From in front of it,” or “From the presence of it”
2. Literally “gather paleness”

⁷ They run like mighty warriors,¹ they scale the wall like men of war; each goes on its own way, and they do not swerve from their paths.

1. That is, the “great and strong army” (see 2:2)

⁸ They do not jostle ⌞one another⌟;¹ each goes on its own trail; and through the falling weapons,² they are not halted.

1. Literally “each man his brother”
2. Hebrew “weapon”

⁹ In the city they rush forth; on the walls¹ they run. Into the houses they climb up; through the windows they enter like a thief.

1. Hebrew “wall”

¹⁰ ⌞Before them⌟¹ the earth quakes; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars ⌞have withheld⌟² their splendor

1. Literally “Before the presence of it”
2. Literally “gathered”

A Call to Repentance

¹¹ And Yahweh ⌞utters⌟¹ his voice before his army, because his encampment is very large; strong is the one who carries out his decree, for great is the day of Yahweh and exceedingly fearful. Who can endure it?

1. Literally “gives”

¹² “And even now,” ⌞declares⌟¹ Yahweh, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, and weeping, and wailing.”

1. Literally “a declaration of”

¹³ Rend your hearts¹ and not your garments, and return to Yahweh your God, because he is gracious and compassionate, ⌞slow to anger⌟² and great in loyal love, and relenting from harm.

1. Hebrew “heart”
2. Or “patient”; literally “long of anger”

¹⁴ Who knows whether he will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, an offering and a libation, for Yahweh your God?

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet¹ in Zion, sanctify a fast, call an assembly;

1. Hebrew “Shofar”

¹⁶ gather the people, consecrate the assembly; assemble the elders, gather the children, even those who are breast-feeding; let the bridegroom come out from his private room, and the bride from her canopy.

The Response and Promise of Yahweh

¹⁷ Between the colonnade and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep. And let them say, “Take pity, Yahweh, on your people. Do not make your inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the nations, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

¹⁸ Then Yahweh became jealous for his land and took pity on his people.

¹⁹ And Yahweh answered and said to his people, “Look at me, I am sending to you grain, new wine, and olive oil, and you will be satisfied by it. I will not give you over any more as a disgrace among the nations.

²⁰ ⌞The northerners⌟¹ I will remove from you; I will drive them to a desert and desolate land, its² front to the eastern sea, and its rear into the western sea; its stench and odor will rise up because he³ has done great things.

1. Or “The northern army”
2. That is, the northern army
3. That is, Yahweh (see v. 21)

²¹ Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, because Yahweh has done great things.

²² Do not fear, wild animals of the field, because the pastures of the desert have put forth new green shoots, because the tree has produced its fruit, the fig tree and the vine have yielded their produce.

²³ Be glad, O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Yahweh your God, because he has given for you the autumn rains for your righteousness,¹ and he has ⌞poured down⌟² for you rainwater, the autumn and spring rains, as before.

1. Or “vindication”
2. Literally “brought down”

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

²⁵ I will repay you the years that the locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my mighty troops that I sent against you.

²⁶ And you will eat abundantly and be satisfied, and praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has dealt with you ⌞wondrously⌟.¹ My people ⌞will never be ashamed⌟.²

1. Literally “to do a wonder”
2. Literally “will forever not be ashamed”

Yahweh’s Spirit Poured Out

²⁷ And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am Yahweh, your God, and there is no other. My people ⌞will never be ashamed again⌟.¹

1. Literally “will forever no longer be ashamed”

^{28 1} And it will happen afterward thus: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your elders will dream dreams; your young men shall see visions.

1. Joel 2:28–32 in the English Bible is 3:1–5 in the Hebrew Bible

²⁹ And also on the male slaves and on the female slaves, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

³⁰ And I will ⌞set⌟¹ wonders in the heavens, and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

1. Literally “give”

³¹ The sun will be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh.

³² And it will happen—everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be rescued, because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be ⌞those who escape⌟,¹ as Yahweh said, and among the survivors whom Yahweh is calling.

1. Literally, “an escape”