| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near, | 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-- |
| 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. | 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. |
| 3Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. | 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. |
| 4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run. | 4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses. |
| 5As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. | 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. |
| 6Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale. | 6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale. |
| 7Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths. | 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. |
| 8They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted. | 8They do not push each other; each man proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping. |
| 9They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief. | 9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves. |
| 10The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. | 10The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining. |
| 11The LORD utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it? | 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? |
| 12“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; | 12Even now-- this is the LORD's declaration-- turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. |
| 13and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. | 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. |
| 14Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? | 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. |
| 15Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; | 15Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly. |
| 16gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. | 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. |
| 17Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” | 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?'" |
| 18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. | 18Then the LORD became jealous for His land and spared His people. |
| 19The LORD answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. | 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. |
| 20“I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things. | 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. |
| 21“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things! | 21Don't be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. |
| 22Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield. | 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. |
| 23“Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. | 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. |
| 24“The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. | 24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil. |
| 25I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. | 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. |
| 26“You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. | 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. |
| 27You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again 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. |
| 28“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. | 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. |
| 29Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. | 29I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. |
| 30“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. | 30I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. |
| 31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. | 31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the LORD comes. |
| 32And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls. | 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. |
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