The Day of the Lord

(A)Blow a trumpet in (B)Zion;
    sound an alarm on (C)my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
    for (D)the day of the Lord is coming; it is near,
(E)a day of darkness and gloom,
    (F)a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains
    (G)a great and powerful people;
(H)their like has never been before,
    nor will be again after them
    through the years of all generations.

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An Army of Locusts

Blow the trumpet(A) in Zion;(B)
    sound the alarm on my holy hill.(C)

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord(D) is coming.
It is close at hand(E)
    a day of darkness(F) and gloom,(G)
    a day of clouds(H) and blackness.(I)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army(J) comes,
such as never was in ancient times(K)
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

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Return to the Lord

12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
    (A)“return to me with all your heart,
(B)with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13     and (C)rend your hearts and not (D)your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
    (E)for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
    (F)and he relents over disaster.
14 (G)Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
    and (H)leave a blessing behind him,
(I)a grain offering and a drink offering
    for the Lord your God?

15 (J)Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    (K)consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16     gather the people.
(L)Consecrate the congregation;
    assemble the elders;
(M)gather the children,
    even nursing infants.
(N)Let the bridegroom leave his room,
    and the bride her chamber.

17 (O)Between the (P)vestibule and the (Q)altar
    (R)let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
    and make not your heritage a reproach,
    a byword among the nations.[a]
(S)Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?’”

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:17 Or reproach, that the nations should rule over them

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return(A) to me with all your heart,(B)
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart(C)
    and not your garments.(D)
Return(E) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,(F)
slow to anger and abounding in love,(G)
    and he relents from sending calamity.(H)
14 Who knows? He may turn(I) and relent(J)
    and leave behind a blessing(K)
grain offerings and drink offerings(L)
    for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet(M) in Zion,(N)
    declare a holy fast,(O)
    call a sacred assembly.(P)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate(Q) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(R)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(S) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(T) before the Lord,
    weep(U) between the portico and the altar.(V)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(W)
    a byword(X) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?(Y)’”

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