International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1"Sound the ram's horn in Zion! Sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Tremble, all of you inhabitants of the land, because the Day of the LORD is coming. Oh, how near it is!

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,

2A day of doom and gloom, a day of clouds and shadows like the dawn spreads out to cover the mountains— a people strong and robust. Never has there been anything like it, neither will anything follow to compare with it, even through the lifetime of generation upon generation."

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.

3"A fire blazes in their presence, and behind them a conflagration rages. Before they come, the land is like the garden in Eden; after they leave, there is only a barren wasteland. Indeed, nothing escapes them.

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.

4As to their form, they're like horses; and like chariot horses, how they can run!

4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run.

5They leap like the rumbling of chariots echoing from mountain tops, like the roar of wild fire that devours the chaff, as an army firmly established in battle array.

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.

6The people are terrified in their presence; every face grows pale.

6Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale.

7They run like elite soldiers, climbing ramparts like men trained for war. Each man advances in proper order, never breaking rank.

7Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.

8Neither does a man crowd his fellow soldier; each one marches in his own path. When they fall by the sword they are not injured.

8They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted.

9They swarm through the city, running upon its ramparts. Climbing atop the houses, they enter through windows like a thief."

9They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.

10"The land quivers in their presence; even the heavens shake. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will stop shining.

10The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

11The LORD will shout in the presence of his forces, because his encampment is very great; for powerful is he who carries out his message. Truly the Day of the LORD is great, and very terrifying. Who will be able to survive it?"

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?

12"Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Turn back to me with your whole heart, with fasting, tears, and mourning.

12“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

13Tear your hearts, not your garments; and turn back to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to become angry, overflowing in gracious love, and grieves about this evil.

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.

14Who knows? He will turn back and relent, will he not, leaving behind a blessing, even a grain offering and drink offering for the LORD your God?"

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?

15"Sound the ram's horn in Zion! Dedicate a fast and call for a solemn assembly!

15Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;

16Gather the people! Dedicate the congregation! Bring in the elders. Gather the youngsters and even the nursing infants. Call the bridegroom from his wedding preparations, and the bride from her dressing room.

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.

17As they serve between the porch and the altar, let the priests and ministers of the LORD weep and pray: 'Spare your people, LORD, and do not make your heritage a disgrace so that nations ridicule them. Why should they say among the people, "Where is their God?"'"

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?’”

18Then the LORD will show great concern for his land, and will have compassion on his people.

18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.

19The LORD will say to his people, "Look! I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be content with them. I will no longer cause you to be a disgrace among the nations."

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.

20"I will remove the northerners from you, driving them to a barren and desolate land— the front toward the Dead Sea and the back toward the Mediterranean. Their stench will rise, and their stinking odor will ascend, because they have done great things."

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.

21"Stop being afraid, land! Rejoice and be glad, because the LORD will do great things.

21“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!

22Stop being afraid, beasts of the field, because the desert pastures will bloom, the trees will bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine will deliver their wealth.

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.

23And so be glad, children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, because he has given you the right amount of early rain, and he will cause the rain to fall for you, both the early rain and the later rain as before.

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.

24The threshing floors will be smothered in grain, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil.

24“The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25"Then I will restore to you the years that the locust swarm devoured, as did the young locust, the other locusts, and the ravaging locust, that great army of mine that I sent among you.

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.

26You will have plenty to eat, and will be fully satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has performed wonders specifically for you. And my people will never be ashamed.

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.

27As a result, you will know that I am in the midst of Israel; that I myself am the LORD your God— and there is none other! And my people will never be ashamed."

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.

28 "Then it will come about at a later time that I will pour out my Spirit on every person. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your elderly people will dream dreams, and your young people will see visions.

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.

29Also at that time I will pour out my Spirit upon men and women servants.

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

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

30“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

31The sun will be given over to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and terrifying Day of the LORD.

31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

32And everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be delivered. For as the LORD has said, 'In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, the survivors whom the LORD is calling.'"

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.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.