sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the residents of the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming; q
in fact, it is near—
2 a day of darkness and gloom, r
a day of clouds and total darkness, s
like the dawn spreading over the mountains;
a great and strong people t appears,
such as never existed in ages past u
and never will again
in all the generations to come. v
3 A fire devours in front of them, w
and behind them a flame blazes.
The land in front of them
is like the garden of Eden, x
but behind them,
it is like a desert wasteland; y
there is no escape from them.
4 Their appearance is like that of horses, z
and they gallop like war horses.
5 They bound on the tops of the mountains.
Their sound is like the sound of chariots, a
like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, b
like a mighty army deployed for war.
6 Nations writhe in horror before them; c
all faces turn pale.
7 They attack as warriors attack;
they scale walls as men of war do.
Each goes on his own path, d
and they do not change their course.
8 They do not push each other;
each proceeds on his own path.
They dodge the arrows, never stopping.
they run on the wall;
they climb into the houses; e
they enter through the windows like thieves. f
10 The earth quakes before them; g
the sky shakes.
The sun and moon grow dark, h
and the stars cease their shining. i
11 The LORD makes his voice heard j
in the presence of his army. k
His camp is very large;
those who carry out his command are powerful. l
Indeed, the day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful m—
who can endure it? n
God’s Call for Repentance
12 Even now—
this is the LORD’S declaration—
turn to me with all your heart, o
with fasting, weeping, and mourning. p
13 Tear your hearts, q
not just your clothes, r
and return to the LORD your God.
For he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger, abounding in faithful love,
and he relents from sending disaster. s
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent t
and leave a blessing behind him, u
so you can offer grain and wine
to the LORD your God. v
15 Blow the horn in Zion! w
Announce a sacred fast; x
proclaim an assembly.
sanctify the congregation; y
gather the infants,
even babies nursing at the breast.
Let the groom leave his bedroom, a
and the bride her honeymoon chamber.
17 Let the priests, b the LORD’S ministers,
weep between the portico and the altar. c
Let them say:
“Have pity on your people, LORD, d
and do not make your inheritance a disgrace, e
an object of scorn among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
‘Where is their God? ’ ” f
God’s Response to His People
18 Then the LORD became jealous for his land g and spared his people. h 19 The LORD answered his people:
Look, I am about to send you
grain, new wine, and fresh oil. i
You will be satiated with them,
and I will no longer make you
a disgrace among the nations. j
20 I will drive the northerner far from you k
and banish him to a dry and desolate land,
his front ranks into the Dead Sea, l
and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. m
His stench will rise;
yes, his rotten smell will rise, n
for he has done astonishing things.
21 Don’t be afraid, land; o
rejoice and be glad,
for the LORD has done astonishing things. p
22 Don’t be afraid, wild animals,
for the wilderness pastures have turned green, q
the trees bear their fruit,
and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.
23 Children of Zion, r rejoice and be glad
in the LORD your God, s
because he gives you the autumn rain
He sends showers for you,
both autumn and spring rain u as before.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain, v
and the vats will overflow
with new wine and fresh oil.
25 I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust ate, w
the young locust, the destroying locust,
and the devouring locust—
my great army that I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. x
You will praise the name of the LORD your God, y
who has dealt wondrously with you. z
My people will never again be put to shame. a
27 You will know that I am present in Israel b
and that I am the LORD your God,
and there is no other. c
My people will never again be put to shame. d
God’s Promise of His Spirit
I will pour out my Spirit f on all humanity; g
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your old men will have dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 I will even pour out my Spirit
on the male and female slaves in those days. h
30 I will display wonders
in the heavens and on the earth: i
blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood j
before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. k
on the name of the LORD will be saved, l
for there will be an escape
for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
as the LORD promised, m
among the survivors the LORD calls.