Joel 2:7-25

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.’

18Then the Lord will be careful for his land. He will be kind to his people.

19He will answer them and he will say, ‘I am giving you new wine and food and oil. You will have enough to fill you up. I will never again let people in other countries laugh about you.

20I will send the army from the north far from you. I will push it into empty land where nothing grows. I will make the front of it go into the sea on the east. And I will make the back of it go into the sea on the west. I will make its smell rise up high because it has done great things.’

21Do not be afraid, my own land! Be very happy. Be sure that the Lord has done great things.

22Do not be afraid, wild animals. The fields in the wilderness are becoming green. Fruit is growing on the trees. The fig tree and the vine are giving much fruit.

23Shout with joy, people in Zion! Be very happy because of the things that the Lord your God has done. He has given you just enough autumn rain. He has given you the winter rain, and the summer rain, as before.

24He will fill your stores with seeds to make bread. And he will fill your jars with new wine and oil.

25‘I will give you back the years that the locusts have eaten. I will give you all that the great locust and the young locust, and other locusts and their groups have eaten. All that my great army has eaten I will give you.