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sound the alarm on My holy mountain!
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the Day of the Lord is coming.
For it is at hand—
2a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness.
Like the dawn spreading across the mountains
a great and mighty army comes,
such as has never been from of old,
nor will ever be again in ages to come.
3 Before them a fire devours,
behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the Garden of Eden,
behind them, a desert wasteland—
nothing escapes them.
4 They have the appearance of horses;
speedily they gallop along like war horses.
5 With a noise like that of chariots
they bound across the tops of the mountains,
like the crackling of fiery flames consuming stubble,
like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
6 Before them nations writhe in terror;
every face turns pale.
7 They charge like warriors;
they scale walls like soldiers.
Each marches in formation
without breaking ranks.
8 They do not jostle one another;
each marches straight ahead.
They lunge through the defensive lines of weaponry
without being cut down.
9 They storm the city;
they run along the walls.
They climb into the houses;
they enter through the windows like thieves.
10 The earth quakes before them,
the sky trembles,
the sun and moon are darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
11 The Lord raises His voice
at the head of His army,
for His camp is vast and enormous,
and mighty are those who carry out His commands.
Truly the Day of the Lord is great
and very terrible.
Who can endure it?
12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to Me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 Rend your hearts,
and not just your clothes.
Return to the Lord your God,
for He is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and He relents from sending disaster.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent,
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the Lord your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
consecrate a fast,
call a sacred assembly.
16 Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
even those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the temple porch and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord.
Do not make Your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”
18 Then the Lord will be jealous for His land;
He will take pity on His people.
19 The Lord will answer His people:
“Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil,
sufficient to satisfy you fully,
and I no longer will I make you
an object of scorn among the nations.
20 “I will drive the northern army far from you,
pushing it into a parched and desolate land,
its front ranks into the eastern sea,
and the rear guard into the western sea.
Its stench will go up;
their stink will rise.”
Surely He has done great things.
21Do not be afraid, O land;
rejoice and be glad,
for the Lord has done great things!
22Do not be afraid, O wild animals,
for the pastures of the wilderness have turned green.
The trees are bearing their fruit,
and the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
23 Be glad, O children of Zion
both the autumn rains and the spring rains, as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25 “I will repay you for the years the swarming locusts have eaten—
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,
and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders for you;
never again will My people be put to shame.
27 Then you will know that I am present in Israel,
that I am the Lord your God,
and there is no other;
never again will My people be put to shame.
28 “Then afterward,
I will pour My Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 On My servants, both men and women,
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 I will display wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and terrible Day of the Lord comes.
32 Then anyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the Lord has said,
among the survivors
whom the Lord calls.”