Berean Standard Bible

Joel 2

(Amos 7:1–9)

1BlowH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 in ZionH6726;sound the alarmH7321 on My holyH6944 mountainH2022!Let allH3605 who dwellH3427 in the landH776 trembleH7264,forH3588 the DayH3117 of the LORDH3068 is comingH935;indeedH3588, it is nearH7138—2a dayH3117 of darknessH2822 and gloomH653,a dayH3117 of cloudsH6051 and blacknessH6205.Like the dawnH7837 overspreadingH6566 H5921 the mountainsH2022a greatH7227 and strongH6099 armyH5971 appears,such asH3644 neverH3808 wasH1961 ofH4480 oldH5769 ,nor will ever beH3808 H3254 H5704 in ages to comeH8141 H1755.

3Before themH6440 a fireH784 devoursH398,and behind themH310 a flameH3852 scorchesH3857.The landH776 before themH6440 is like the GardenH1588 of EdenH5731,but behind themH310, it is like a desertH4057 wastelandH8077—surelyH1571 nothingH3808 willH1961 escapeH6413 them.4Their appearanceH4758 is like thatH4758 of horsesH5483,and they gallopH7323 like swift steedsH6571 H3651.15With a sound likeH6963 that of chariotsH4818they boundH7540 overH5921 the mountaintopsH7218 H2022,like the cracklingH6963 of fireH784 H3851 consumingH398 stubbleH7179,like a mightyH6099 armyH5971 deployedH6186 for battleH4421.

6NationsH5971 writhe in horrorH2342 before themH6440;everyH3605 faceH6440 turns paleH6908 H6289.7They chargeH7323 like mighty menH1368;they scaleH5927 the wallsH2346 like menH582 of warH4421.Each oneH376 marchesH1980 in formationH1870,notH3808 swervingH5670 from the courseH734.8They do notH3808 jostleH1766 oneH376 anotherH251;eachH1397 proceedsH1980 H1157 in his pathH4546.They burst throughH5307 the defensesH7973,neverH3808 breaking ranksH1214.9They stormH8264 the cityH5892;they runH7323 along the wallH2346;they climbH5927 into housesH1004,enteringH935 throughH1157 windowsH2474 like thievesH1590.

10Before themH6440 the earthH776 quakesH7264;the heavensH8064 trembleH7493.The sunH8121 and moonH3394 grow darkH6937,and the starsH3556 loseH622 their brightnessH5051.

11The LORDH3068 raisesH5414 His voiceH6963 in the presenceH6440 of His armyH2428. IndeedH3588, His campH4264 is veryH3966 largeH7227, forH3588 mightyH6099 are those who obeyH6213 His commandH1697. ForH3588 the DayH3117 of the LORDH3068 is greatH1419 and veryH3966 dreadfulH3372. WhoH4310 can endure itH3557?

12“Yet evenH1571 nowH6258,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068,“returnH7725 to MeH5704 with allH3605 your heartH3824,with fastingH6685, weepingH1065, and mourningH4553.”

13So rendH7167 your heartsH3824 and notH408 your garmentsH899,and returnH7725 toH413 the LORDH3068 your GodH430.ForH3588 HeH1931 is graciousH2587 and compassionateH7349,slowH750 to angerH639, aboundingH7227 in loving devotionH2617.2And He relentsH5162 fromH5921 sending disasterH7451.14WhoH4310 knowsH3045? He may turnH7725 and relentH5162and leaveH7604 a blessingH1293 behind HimH310—grainH4503 and drink offeringsH5262for the LORDH3068 your GodH430.

15BlowH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 in ZionH6726,consecrateH6942 a fastH6685,proclaimH7121 a sacred assemblyH6116.16GatherH622 the peopleH5971, sanctifyH6942 the congregationH6951,assembleH6908 the agedH2205, gatherH622 the childrenH5768,even those nursingH3243 at the breastH7699.Let the bridegroomH2860 leaveH3318 his roomH2315,and the brideH3618 her chamberH2646.

17Let the priestsH3548 who ministerH8334 before the LORDH3068 weepH1058 betweenH996 the porticoH197 and the altarH4196, sayingH559, “SpareH2347 Your peopleH5971, O LORDH3068, and do notH408 makeH5414 Your heritageH5159 a reproachH2781, an object of scornH4910 among the nationsH1471. WhyH4100 should they sayH559 among the peoplesH5971, ‘WhereH346 is their GodH430?’”

18Then the LORDH3068 became jealousH7065 for His landH776,and He sparedH2550 H5921 His peopleH5971.

19And the LORDH3068 H559 answeredH6030 His peopleH5971:

“BeholdH2005, I will sendH7971 yougrainH1715, new wineH8492, and oilH3323,and by themH854 you will be satisfiedH7646.I will never againH3808 H5750 make youH5414 a reproachH2781 among the nationsH1471.

20 The northernH6830 army I will drive awayH7368 from youH5921,banishing itH5080 toH413 a barrenH6723 and desolateH8077 landH776,its frontH6440 ranksH413 into the EasternH6931 SeaH3220,3and its rear guardH5490 intoH413 the WesternH314 SeaH3220.4And its stenchH889 will riseH5927;its foul odorH6709 will ascendH5927.

ForH3588 He has doneH6213 great thingsH1431.

21Do notH408 be afraidH3372, O landH127;rejoiceH1523 and be gladH8055,forH3588 the LORDH3068 has doneH6213 great thingsH1431.22Do notH408 be afraidH3372, O beastsH929 of the fieldH7704,forH3588 the openH4057 pasturesH4999 have turned greenH1876 ,the treesH6086 bearH5375 their fruitH6529,and the fig treeH8384 and vineH1612 yieldH5414 their bestH2428.523Be gladH1523, O childrenH1121 of ZionH6726,and rejoiceH8055 in the LORDH3068 your GodH430,forH3588 He has givenH5414 you the autumn rainsH4175for your vindicationH6666.He sendsH3381 you showersH1653,both autumnH4175 and spring rainsH4456, as beforeH7223.24The threshing floorsH1637 will be full ofH4390 grainH1250,and the vatsH3342 will overflowH7783 with new wineH8492 and oilH3323.

25I will repayH7999 you for the yearsH8141 eatenH398 by locusts—the swarming locustH697, the young locustH3218,the destroying locustH2625, and the devouring locustH1501 6—My greatH1419 armyH2428 thatH834 I sentH7971 against you.26You will have plenty to eatH398,until you are satisfiedH7646.You will praiseH1984 the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430,whoH834 has workedH6213 wondersH6381 for youH5973.My peopleH5971 will never againH3808 H5769be put to shameH954.

27Then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am present inH7130 IsraelH3478 and that IH589 am the LORDH3068 your GodH430, and there is noH369 otherH5750. My peopleH5971 will never againH3808 H5769 be put to shameH954.

28AndH1961 afterwardH310 H3651, I will pour outH8210 My SpiritH7307 onH5921 allH3605 peopleH1320.Your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 will prophesyH5012,your oldH2205 men will dream dreamsH2492 H2472,your young menH970 will seeH7200 visionsH2384.29EvenH1571 onH5921 My menservantsH5650 andH5921 maidservantsH8198,I will pour outH8210 My SpiritH7307 in thoseH1992 daysH3117.30I will showH5414 wondersH4159 in the heavensH8064 and on the earthH776,bloodH1818 and fireH784 and columnsH8490 7 of smokeH6227.31The sunH8121 will be turnedH2015 to darknessH2822and the moonH3394 to bloodH1818beforeH6440 the comingH935 of the greatH1419 and awesomeH3372 8 DayH3117 of the LORDH3068.32AndH1961 everyoneH3605 whoH834 callsH7121 on the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068will be savedH4422;9forH3588 on MountH2022 ZionH6726 and in JerusalemH3389there will beH1961 deliveranceH6413, asH834 the LORDH3068 has promisedH559,among the remnantH8300 calledH7121 by the LORDH3068.

1. Joel 2:4 Or like charioteers or like cavalry ↩
2. Joel 2:13 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant. ↩
3. Joel 2:20 That is, the Dead Sea ↩
4. Joel 2:20 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea ↩
5. Joel 2:22 Literally their strength ↩
6. Joel 2:25 The precise identification of the four kinds of insects mentioned here is uncertain. ↩
7. Joel 2:30 LXX clouds or billows ↩
8. Joel 2:31 Or dreadful; LXX glorious ↩
9. Joel 2:32 Cited in Acts 2:17–21 and Romans 10:13 ↩