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;

Indeed, it is near,

2A day of darkness and gloom,

A day of clouds and thick darkness.

As 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 consumes before them,

And behind them a flame devours.

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 the appearance of horses;

And like war horses, so they run.

5[a]With a noise as of chariots

They leap about on the tops of the mountains,

Like the [b]crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble,

Like a mighty people drawn up for battle.

6Before them the people are in anguish;

All faces [c]turn pale.

7They run like warriors,

They climb the wall like soldiers;

And each of them marches [d]in line,

Nor do they lose their way.

8They do not crowd each other,

Every warrior of them marches in his path;

When they [e]burst through the [f]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 a thief.

10Before them the earth quakes,

The heavens tremble,

The sun and the moon become dark,

And the stars lose their brightness.

11The LORD utters His voice before His army;

His camp is indeed very great,

For mighty is one who carries out His word.

The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome,

And who can endure it?

12“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,

“Return to Me with all your heart,

And with fasting, weeping, and mourning;

13And tear your heart and not merely your garments.”

Now return to the LORD your God,

For He is gracious and compassionate,

Slow to anger, abounding in mercy

And relenting of catastrophe.

14Who knows, He might turn and relent,

And leave a blessing behind Him,

Resulting in a grain offering and a drink offering

For the LORD your God.

15Blow a trumpet in Zion,

Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,

16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,

Assemble the elders,

Gather the children and the nursing infants.

Have the groom come out of his room

And the bride out of her bridal chamber.

17Let the priests, the LORD’S ministers,

Weep between the porch and the altar,

And let them say, “[g]Spare Your people, LORD,

And do not make Your inheritance a disgrace,

With the nations jeering at them.

Why should those among the peoples say,

‘Where is their God?’”

Deliverance Promised