1 B low the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh comes, for it is close at hand:

Blow a horn in Zion! Give the sound of danger on My holy mountain! Let all the people of the land shake in fear, for the day of the Lord is coming. The day is near.

2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

It will be a day of darkness, a day of clouds and much darkness. A large and powerful army will come like darkness spreading over the mountains. There has never been anything like it, and there will never be anything like it again for all time to come.

3 A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.

Fire destroys in front of them and behind them. The land is like the garden of Eden in front of them, but a desert waste is left behind them. Nothing gets away from them.

4 T heir appearance is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run.

They look like horses. They run like war horses.

5 L ike the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

As they jump on the tops of the mountains they sound like war-wagons. They sound like a fire burning up the dry grass, like a powerful army ready for battle.

6 A t their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

Nations suffer in front of them. All faces turn white.

7 T hey run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.

They run like strong men. They go over the wall like soldiers. They each walk straight on, and do not turn from their paths.

8 N either does one jostle another; they march everyone in his path, and they burst through the defenses, and don’t break ranks.

They do not push each other. Each one walks in his path. When they break through those who fight against them, their path is not changed.

9 T hey rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

They rush upon the city. They run on the wall. They go into the houses through the windows like a robber.

10 T he earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

The earth shakes in front of them. The heavens shake. The sun and the moon become dark, and the stars stop shining.

11 Y ahweh thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

The Lord thunders in front of His army. His army has too many to number. Those who obey His Word are powerful. The day of the Lord is very great and fills people with fear and wonder. Who can live through it? A Call to Turn from Sin

12 “ Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart, crying in sorrow and eating no food.

13 T ear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

Tear your heart and not your clothes.” Return to the Lord your God, for He is full of loving-kindness and loving-pity. He is slow to anger, full of love, and ready to keep His punishment from you.

14 W ho knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.

It may be that He will turn and have pity, and leave good behind for you. He may leave you a grain gift and a drink gift for the Lord your God.

15 B low the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

Blow a horn in Zion. Set apart a time when no food will be eaten. Call together a holy meeting.

16 G ather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her room.

Gather the people and make them holy. Gather together the leaders, the children, and the nursing babies. Let the man to be married come out of his room, and the bride come out of her room.

17 L et the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Let the religious leaders who serve the Lord cry between the porch and the altar. Let them say, “Have pity on Your people, O Lord. Do not put your people to shame. And do not make the nations speak against them. Why should the people of the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” The Lord Gives Food Again

18 T hen Yahweh was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people.

Then the Lord will be jealous for His land and have pity on His people.

19 Y ahweh answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

The Lord will say to His people, “I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be filled with them. I will never again put you to shame among the nations.

20 B ut I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.

I will take the army from the north far from you, and will drive it into a hot and dry land. The ones in front will be driven into the sea in the east. The ones in the back will be driven into the sea in the west. And a bad smell will rise up from their dead bodies. For He has done great things.”

21 L and, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.

Do not be afraid, O land. Have joy and be glad, for the Lord has done great things.

22 D on’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

Do not be afraid, you animals of the field. For the fields of the desert have turned green and there is fruit on the trees. The fig trees and vines are full of fruit.

23 “ Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh, your God; for he gives you the former rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, as before.

Be glad, O sons of Zion. Be happy in the Lord your God. For He has given the early rain to help you. He has poured down much rain for you, both fall and spring rains, as before.

24 T he threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

The grain-floors will be full of grain, and the crushing-places will flow over with new wine and oil.

25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.

“I will pay you back for the years that your food was eaten by the flying locust, the jumping locust, the destroying locust, and the chewing locust, My large army which I sent among you.

26 Y ou will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied, and will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.

You will have much to eat and be filled. And you will praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has done wonderful things for you. Then My people will never be put to shame.

27 Y ou will know that I am among Israel, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.

You will know that I am in Israel. You will know that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other. And My people will never be put to shame. God Sends His Spirit

28 “ It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.

“In the last days I will send My Spirit on all men. Then your sons and daughters will speak God’s Word. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see special dreams.

29 A nd also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.

Yes, on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

I will show powerful works in the heavens and on the earth, like blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

31 T he sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.

The sun will turn dark and the moon will turn to blood before the day of the Lord. His coming will be a great and troubled day.

32 I t will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.

It will be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem some will be taken out of trouble, as the Lord has said. Those whom the Lord calls will be kept alive.