Christian Standard Bible
Joel 2:1
1Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; in fact, it is near —
Joel 2:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
- New International Version (NIV)Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand—
- English Standard Version (ESV)Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand:
Context of Joel 2:1
Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the residents of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; in fact, it is near — 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come. 3A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them.
Read all of Joel 2Joel 2:1 word by word
תִּקְע֨וּ שׁוֹפָ֜ר בְּצִיּ֗וֹן וְהָרִ֙יעוּ֙ בְּהַ֣ר קָדְשִׁ֔י יִרְגְּז֕וּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־בָ֥א יוֹם־יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֥י קָרֽוֹב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Blowתָּקַעtâqa‛ · to blowH8628
- ye the trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
- in Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
- and sound an alarmרוּעַrûa‛ · to shoutH7321
- in my holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- mountainהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- let all the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- trembleרָגַזrâgaz · to trembleH7264
- for the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- comethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- nigh at handקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
Cross-references for Joel 2:1
- Joel 2:15Blow the ram’s horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim a solemn assembly.
- Numbers 10:3When both are sounded in long blasts, the entire community is to gather before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
- Jeremiah 4:5Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry out loudly and say, “Assemble yourselves, and let’s flee to the fortified cities.”
- Hosea 8:1Put the ram’s horn to your mouth! One like an eagle comes against the house of the Lord, because they transgress my covenant and rebel against my law.
- 1 Chronicles 15:28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, the sound of the ram’s horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres.
- Hosea 5:8Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the war cry in Beth-aven: Look behind you, Benjamin!
- Numbers 10:5“When you sound short blasts, the camps pitched on the east are to set out.
- Ezekiel 33:3And suppose he sees the sword coming against the land and blows his ram’s horn to warn the people.
- Amos 3:6If a ram’s horn is blown in a city, aren’t people afraid? If a disaster occurs in a city, hasn’t the Lord done it?
- Zephaniah 1:16a day of ram’s horn and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.
- Joel 3:17Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never overrun it again.
- Psalms 87:1The city he founded is on the holy mountains.
- Daniel 9:16Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.
- Zephaniah 3:11On that day you will not be put to shame because of everything you have done in rebelling against me. For then I will remove from among you your jubilant, arrogant people, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.
- Zechariah 8:3The Lord says this: “I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.”
- Ezra 9:3When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.
Commentaries on Joel 2:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion - This verse also shows that the temple was still standing. All assemblies of the people were collected by the sound of the trumpet. The day of the Lord cometh - This phrase generally means a day of judgment or punishment.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Blow ye the trumpet - The trumpet was accustomed to sound in Zion, only for religious uses; to call together the congregations for holy meetings, to usher in the beginnings of their months and their solemn days with festival gladness. Now in Zion itself, the stronghold of the kingdom, the Holy City, the place which God chose to put His Name there, which He had promised to establish, the trumpet was to be used, only for sounds of alarm and fear. Alarm…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God's judgments. (Joel 2:1-14) Exhortations to fasting and prayer; blessings promised. (Joel 2:15-27) A promise of the Holy Spirit, and of future mercies. (Joel 2:28-32) Verses 1-14 The priests were to alarm the people with the near approach of the Divine judgments. It is the work of ministers to warn of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal the wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The striking description which…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1When attackers threatened an ancient city, the watchmen on the city wall would sound the alarm by blowing a trumpet. This trumpet was a ram’s horn instrument called a shofar (see also Joel 2:15). The sound called all the defenders to fight the enemy.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-32A more terrific judgment than that of the locusts is foretold, under imagery drawn from that of the calamity then engrossing the afflicted nation. He therefore exhorts to repentance, assuring the Jews of Jehovah's pity if they would repent. Promise of the Holy Spirit in the last days under Messiah, and the deliverance of all believers in Him. 1. Blow ... trumpet--to sound an alarm of coming war (Nu 10:1-10; Ho 5:8; Am 3:6); the office of the priests. Joe…Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 2:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joel 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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