< Joel 2 >

1 Blow trumpets on Zion [Hill], God’s sacred hill [in Jerusalem]! Tell the people of Judah that they should tremble, because it will soon be the time for Yahweh [to punish us further].
Give a blast on a ram's horn in Zion and sound a battle signal on [the] mountain of holiness my let them tremble all [the] inhabitants of the land for [is] about to come [the] day of Yahweh for [it is] near.
2 [That will be a very] dark and gloomy day; there will be [black] clouds and it will be very dark. A huge [swarm of locusts] has covered the mountains like [SIM] a black [cloud]. Nothing like this has ever happened before, and nothing like this will ever [happen] again.
A day of darkness and gloom a day of cloud and thick darkness like dawn spread out over the mountains a people numerous and mighty like it not it has occurred since antiquity and after it not it will repeat until years of a generation and a generation.
3 [It is as though the locusts bring] flames of fire from which no one can escape. In front of them, the land was [beautiful] like [SIM] the garden of Eden, but behind them [the land is like] a desert and nothing survives.
Before it it has consumed fire and after it it sets ablaze a flame [is] like [the] garden of Eden the land before it and after it a wilderness of desolation and also escape not it belongs to it.
4 [The locusts] resemble horses, and they run like [SIM] war horses.
[is] like [the] appearance of Horses appearance its and like horsemen so they run!
5 Leaping over the mountaintops, they make a noise like rumbling chariots, like [SIM] a mighty army that is preparing for a battle, or like [SIM] the roar of a fire that burns up stubble [in a field].
Like [the] sound of chariots over [the] tops of the mountains they leap! like [the] sound of a flame of fire consuming stubble like a people mighty deployed of battle.
6 When people see them coming, they become very pale and frightened.
From before it they are in anguish peoples all faces they gather a glow.
7 [The locusts] climb over walls like soldiers do; they march along in columns and never turn aside [from their columns].
Like warriors they run! like men of war they go up a wall and each on ways its they go! and not they exchange! paths their.
8 They rush straight ahead without pushing each other. [Even though people throw] spears and javelins at them, that will not cause them to stop.
And each brother its not they crowd! a man on track its they go! and through the weapon[s] they fall not they stop.
9 They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses; they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.
On the city they rush on the wall they run! in the houses they go up through the windows they go like thief.
10 [It is as though] they cause the earth to shake and the sky to tremble. The sun and the moon become dark and the stars do not shine [because there are so many locusts in the sky].
Before it it trembles [the] earth they shake [the] heavens sun and moon they become dark and [the] stars they withdraw brightness their.
11 Yahweh leads this army [of countless locusts], and they obey his commands. This time when he is judging and punishing us is very terrible, [with the result that it seems that] no one [RHQ] can survive it.
And Yahweh he gives forth voice his before army his for [is] great very camp his for [is] mighty [the] [one who] does word his for [is] great [the] day of Yahweh and awesome exceedingly and who? will he endure it.
12 But Yahweh says, “In spite of [these disasters that you have experienced], you can return to me with all your inner beings. Weep, and mourn, and (fast/abstain from eating food) [to show that you are sorry for having abandoned me].
And also now [the] utterance of Yahweh return to me with all heart your and with fasting and with weeping and with wailing.
13 Do not tear your clothes [to show that you are sorry]; instead, show [MET] that you are sorry.” Yahweh is merciful and kind; he does not quickly become angry; he faithfully loves [people]. He does not quickly become angry; instead, he greatly and faithfully loves [you], and he does not like to punish you.
And tear heart your and may not [it be] garments your and return to Yahweh God your for [is] gracious and compassionate he long of anger and great of covenant loyalty and relenting on harm.
14 No one knows [RHQ] if he will change his mind [about punishing you] and if instead he will act mercifully [toward you]. If he does that, he will bless you [by giving you plenty of grain and wine] in order that you can offer [some of] those things as sacrifices to him.
Who? [is] knowing he will turn and he will relent and he will leave behind him a blessing a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh God your.
15 Blow the trumpets on Zion [Hill]! Gather the people together! Show by fasting that you are sorry [for the sins that you have committed].
Give a blast on a ram's horn in Zion consecrate a fast call an assembly.
16 Perform the rituals to cause yourselves to be acceptable to Yahweh. Gather everyone together— the old people and the children, even the babies, and summon brides and bridegrooms from their rooms.
Gather [the] people consecrate an assembly gather [the] elders gather children and sucking children of breasts let him go out [the] bridegroom from room his and [the] bride from chamber her.
17 Tell the priests who serve Yahweh to cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple and to pray [this]: “Yahweh, rescue/save [us] your people; do not allow people from other nations to despise us; do not allow them to ridicule us and say, ‘Why has [RHQ] their God [abandoned them]?’”
Between the porch and to the altar let them weep the priests [the] servants of Yahweh and let them say have compassion! O Yahweh on people your and may not you make inheritance your into a reproach to mock on them nations why? will people say among the peoples where? [is] God their.
18 But Yahweh [showed that he] was concerned about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.
And he became jealous Yahweh for land his and he had compassion on people his.
19 When the people prayed, Yahweh answered and said, “I will give you [plenty of] grain and wine and [olive] oil, and you will be satisfied. And I will no longer allow other nations to insult you.
And he answered Yahweh and he said to people his here I [am] about to send to you grain and new wine and fresh oil and you will be satisfied with it and not I will make you again a reproach among the nations.
20 Another army [of locusts will come] from the north [to attack you], but I will force them to continue [past Jerusalem] into the desert. Some will go into the Dead Sea in the east and some will go into the [Mediterranean] Sea in the west. [There] they will [all die, and their bodies] will stink.” Yahweh does great things!
And the northerner[s] I will remove far away from with you and I will drive away it into a land dry and desolation face its into the sea eastern and end its into the sea western and it will go up stench its and it will go up foul smell its for he has made great to do.
21 He does wonderful things! So even the ground should rejoice!
May not you fear O land be glad and rejoice for he has made great Yahweh to do.
22 And the wild animals should not be afraid, because the meadows will soon become green again; the fig trees and [other] trees will be full of fruit, and the grapevines will be covered with grapes.
May not you fear O animals of [the] field for they are green [the] pastures of [the] wilderness for [the] tree[s] it has borne fruit its [the] fig tree and [the] vine they have given strength their.
23 You people of Jerusalem, rejoice about what Yahweh, your God, [will be doing for you]. He will send abundant rain at the (right time/time when it is needed)— (in the spring/early in the year) and (in the autumn/late in the year) like he did previously.
And O people of Zion be glad and rejoice in Yahweh God your for he has given to you the early rain for righteousness and he has sent down for you rain early rain and spring rain in the first [month].
24 The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain, and your vats where you store grape juice and [olive] oil will be full.
And they will be full the threshing floors grain and they will overflow the wine-vats new wine and fresh oil.
25 [Yahweh said, ] “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts that I sent to attack you.
And I will restore to you the years which it has eaten the locust[s] the locust[s] and the locust[s] and the locust[s] army my great which I sent among you.
26 You, my people, will eat until your stomachs are full. Then you will praise me [MTY], Yahweh, your God, for the wonderful things that I have done for you. And never again will you be disgraced.
And you will eat completely and being satisfied and you will praise [the] name of Yahweh God your who he has dealt with you by doing wonderfully and not they will be ashamed people my for ever.
27 When that happens, you will know that I am [always] among you, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and that there is no other [God]. Never again will you be disgraced.”
And you will know that [am] in [the] midst of Israel I and I [am] Yahweh God your and there not [is] yet and not they will be ashamed people my for ever.
28 “Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many [HYP] people. Your sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me. Your old men will have dreams [that come from me], and your young men will have visions [that come from me].
And it will be after thus I will pour out spirit my on all flesh and they will prophesy sons your and daughters your old [men] your dreams they will dream! young men your visions they will see.
29 At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.
And also on the [male] servants and on the female servants in the days those I will pour out spirit my.
30 I will do unusual/amazing things on the earth and in the sky. [On the earth] [CHI], there will be much blood [shed] and [there will be very large] fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds.
And I will put wonders in the heavens and on the earth blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31 [In the sky, ] the sun will become dark and the moon will become [as red as] [MET] blood. [Those things will happen] before that great and terrible day when [I], Yahweh, appear.
The sun it will be changed into darkness and the moon into blood before comes [the] day of Yahweh great and awesome.
32 But at that time [I] will save everyone who worships me. I promise that some people in Jerusalem [DOU] will escape [those disasters]; those whom I have chosen will survive.”
And it will be every [one] who he will call on [the] name of Yahweh he will escape for on [the] mountain of Zion and in Jerusalem it will be an escaped remnant just as he has said Yahweh and among the survivors whom Yahweh [will be] calling.

< Joel 2 >