Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Blow the 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--

1Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near,

2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dense overcast, 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.

2A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations.

3A fire destroys in front of them, and behind them a flame devours. 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.

3A fire consumes before them And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them.

4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses.

4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run.

5They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war.

5With a noise as of chariots They leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle.

6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale.

6Before them the people are in anguish; All faces turn pale.

7They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course.

7They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths.

8They do not push each other; each man proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping.

8They do not crowd each other, They march everyone in his path; When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks.

9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves.

9They rush on the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through the windows like a thief.

10The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining.

10Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness.

11The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. His camp is very large; Those who carry out His command are powerful. Indeed, the Day of the LORD is terrible and dreadful-- who can endure it?

11The LORD utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?

12Even now-- this is the LORD's declaration-- turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

12"Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;

13Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster.

13And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.

14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, so you can offer grain and wine to the LORD your God.

14Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?

15Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly.

15Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,

16Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber.

16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber.

17Let the priests, the LORD's ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say:" Have pity on Your people, LORD, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, Where is their God?'"

17Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'"

18Then the LORD became jealous for His land and spared His people.

18Then the LORD will be zealous for His land And will have pity on His people.

19The LORD answered His people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.

19The LORD will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied in full with them; And I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.

20I will drive the northerner far from you and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea, and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise, for he has done catastrophic things.

20"But I will remove the northern army far from you, And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land, And its vanguard into the eastern sea, And its rear guard into the western sea. And its stench will arise and its foul smell will come up, For it has done great things."

21Don't be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

21Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things.

22Don't be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.

22Do not fear, beasts of the field, For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green, For the tree has borne its fruit, The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full.

23Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God, because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain as before.

23So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the LORD your God; For He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before.

24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

24The threshing floors will be full of grain, And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.

25I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust-- My great army that I sent against you.

25"Then I will make up to you for the years That the swarming locust has eaten, The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you.

26You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame.

26"You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame.

27You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.

27"Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the LORD your God, And there is no other; And My people will never be put to shame.

28 After this I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.

28"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.

29I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days.

29"Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke.

30"I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke.

31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the LORD comes.

31"The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

32Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the LORD promised, among the survivors the LORD calls.

32"And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org