Joel
Joel 2 ©
1 The prophet describeth the locusts as a mighty army led by God to destroy the land: 12 he exhorteth to repentance, 15 prescribeth a general fast and humiliation, 18 and promiseth mercy from God: 21 he comforteth Zion with present blessings, 28 and prophesieth the effusion of the holy Spirit, and other blessings of the gospel.
aBLOW ye the 1trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in bmy holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for cthe day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
A dday of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as ethe morning spread upon the mountains: a fgreat people and a strong; gthere hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years 2of many generations.
A hfire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is ias the garden of Eden before them, and behind them ja desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Before their lface the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather 3blackness.
And the LORD sshall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the tday of the LORD is great and very terrible; and uwho can abide it?
And xrend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is ygracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and zrepenteth him of the evil.
Gather the people, esanctify the congregation, fassemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: glet the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her *closet.
hLet the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep ibetween the porch and the altar, and jlet them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should 5rule over them: kwherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
Yea, the LORD mwill answer and say unto his people, nBehold, I will send you ocorn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
But I will remove far off from you pthe northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward qthe east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because 6he hath done great things.
sBe not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for tthe tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
uBe glad then, ye children of Zion, and vrejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you 8the former rain 9moderately, and whe will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain xin the first month.
And bye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath cdealt wondrously with you: and dmy people shall never ebe ashamed.
¶hAnd it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and iyour sons and your jdaughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And kalso upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And lI will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
And it shall come to pass, that qwhosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: rfor in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the sremnant whom the LORD shall call.