Joel:2

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* Blow the trumpet in Zion , And sound an alarm in My holy mountain ! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble ; For the day of the LORD is coming , For it is at hand : * A day of darkness and gloominess , A day of clouds and thick darkness , Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains . A people come , great and strong , The like of whom has never been ; Nor will there ever be any such after them , Even for many successive generations . * A fire devours before them , And behind them a flame burns ; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them , And behind them a desolate wilderness ; Surely nothing shall escape them . * Their appearance is like the appearance of horses ; And like swift steeds , so they run . * With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap , Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble , Like a strong people set in battle array . * Before them the people writhe in pain ; All faces are drained of color . * They run like mighty men , They climb the wall like men of war ; Every one marches in formation , And they do not break ranks . * They do not push one another ; Every one marches in his own column . Though they lunge between the weapons , They are not cut down . * They run to and fro in the city , They run on the wall ; They climb into the houses , They enter at the windows like a thief . * The earth quakes before them , The heavens tremble ; The sun and moon grow dark , And the stars diminish their brightness . * The LORD gives voice before His army , For His camp is very great ; For strong is the One who executes His word . For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible ; Who can endure it ? * "Now , therefore ," says the LORD , "Turn to Me with all your heart , With fasting , with weeping , and with mourning ." * So rend your heart , and not your garments ; Return to the LORD your God , For He is gracious and merciful , Slow to anger , and of great kindness ; And He relents from doing harm . * Who knows if He will turn and relent , And leave a blessing behind Him -- A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God ? * Blow the trumpet in Zion , Consecrate a fast , Call a sacred assembly ; * Gather the people , Sanctify the congregation , Assemble the elders , Gather the children and nursing babes ; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber , And the bride from her dressing room . * Let the priests , who minister to the LORD , Weep between the porch and the altar ; Let them say , "Spare Your people , O LORD , And do not give Your heritage to reproach , That the nations should rule over them . Why should they say among the peoples , "Where is their God ?"' * Then the LORD will be zealous for His land , And pity His people . * The LORD will answer and say to His people , "Behold , I will send you grain and new wine and oil , And you will be satisfied by them ; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations . * "But I will remove far from you the northern army , And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land , With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea ; His stench will come up , And his foul odor will rise , Because he has done monstrous things ." * Fear not , O land ; Be glad and rejoice , For the LORD has done marvelous things ! * Do not be afraid , you beasts of the field ; For the open pastures are springing up , And the tree bears its fruit ; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength . * Be glad then , you children of Zion , And rejoice in the LORD your God ; For He has given you the former rain faithfully , And He will cause the rain to come down for you -- The former rain , And the latter rain in the first month . * The threshing floors shall be full of wheat , And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil . * "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten , The crawling locust , The consuming locust , And the chewing locust , My great army which I sent among you . * You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied , And praise the name of the LORD your God , Who has dealt wondrously with you ; And My people shall never be put to shame . * Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel : I am the LORD your God And there is no other . My people shall never be put to shame . * "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh ; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy , Your old men shall dream dreams , Your young men shall see visions . * And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days . * "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth : Blood and fire and pillars of smoke . * The sun shall be turned into darkness , And the moon into blood , Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD . * And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved . For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance , As the LORD has said , Among the remnant whom the LORD calls .

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