Joel 2:1-17

1Blow the trumpet in Zion. Tell the people on the Lord's hill that they must watch for trouble. All the people who live in this country will be afraid. They will be afraid because the day of the Lord is coming. It is very near.

2That day will be sad and dark. There will be dark clouds. A great big army is coming. It comes across the sky like light in the morning. A great army like this has never come before. And it will never come again in future years.

3Fire goes in front of the army. It burns everything behind them. The land in front of them is like the Garden of Eden. Behind them it is like a desert. They leave nothing behind them.

4They look like horses. And they run fast to the war.

5Their noise is like the noise of many feet. They jump over the mountains as fast as fire burns dry grass. They are like a great army ready for a fight.

6Nations that see them are very afraid. Every face changes colour.

7They run together like an army into a fight. They climb walls like soldiers. They march on in a straight line. They do not turn away.

8They do not push each other away. Each one of them goes straight on. You can put weapons in their path but they go straight on.

9They run towards the city. They run along the wall. They climb into houses. They go through the windows like robbers.

10The earth in front of them moves. The sky itself moves. The sun and moon are dark and the stars do not give any light.

11The Lord shouts aloud as he leads his army. We cannot count his soldiers. Those who obey him are very strong. The day of the Lord is powerful. It makes us afraid. Not many of us will be alive after it has gone.

12‘Even now,’ the Lord says, ‘return to me and put me first. Eat no food. Cry and be very sad.

13Stop pulling your clothes to pieces. That does not help. Show me instead that you are really sorry.’ Return to the Lord, your God. He is kind and full of grace. He does not quickly become angry, and he is full of love. He is sad that he had to cause troubles for you.

14Perhaps he will change his mind and he will be sorry. He may send you blessings of food and drink. Then you can offer gifts to the Lord your God.

15Blow the trumpet in Zion. Tell the people that they must not eat any food. Tell the people that they must all come to worship him.

16Tell the people that they must all come. Make them all ready to serve the Lord. Bring the old people together. Bring the children – even the smallest ones. Every new husband must leave his room. Every wife must leave her secret room.

17There are priests who go in front of the Lord. They must cry as they go from the temple door to the altar. They must say to the Lord, ‘Do not hurt your people. Do not let the people in other countries laugh at your own people. They will point at them. And they will say that they have no value. They will say that we have no God.’