Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

The Army of Locusts

Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is at hand;

1

The Day of the Lord

Blow the [a]trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;
For the day of the Lord is coming,
For it is at hand:

2

a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; -- a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, to the years of generations and generations.

2

A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations.

3

A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as a garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness: yea, and nothing escapeth them.

3

A fire devours before them,
And behind them a flame burns;
The land is like the Garden of Eden before them,
And behind them a desolate wilderness;
Surely nothing shall escape them.

4

The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so they run.

4

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like [b]swift steeds, so they run.

5

Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains, they leap; like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

5

With a noise like chariots
Over mountaintops they leap,
Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble,
Like a strong people set in battle array.

6

Before them the peoples are in anguish: all faces turn pale.

6

Before them the people writhe in pain;
All faces [c]are drained of color.

7

They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and break not their ranks.

7

They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like men of war;
Every one marches in formation,
And they do not break ranks.

8

Neither doth one press upon another; they march every one in his path; and fall amid weapons, but are not wounded.

8

They do not push one another;
Every one marches in his own [d]column.
Though they lunge between the weapons,
They are not [e]cut down.

9

They spread themselves over the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in by the windows like a thief.

9

They run to and fro in the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into the houses,
They enter at the windows like a thief.

10

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

10

The earth quakes before them,
The heavens tremble;
The sun and moon grow dark,
And the stars diminish their brightness.

11

And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for strong is he that executeth his word: for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can bear it?

11

The Lord gives voice before His army,
For His camp is very great;
For strong is the One who executes His word.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
Who can endure it?

12

Return with All Your Heart

Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning;

12

A Call to Repentance

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

13

and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

13

So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.

14

Who knoweth? He might return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, an oblation and a drink-offering for Jehovah your God?

14

Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind Him —
A grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?

15

Blow the trumpet in Zion, hallow a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly;

15

Blow the [f]trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;

16

gather the people, hallow the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride from her closet.

16

Gather the people,
Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and nursing babes;
Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
And the bride from her dressing room.

17

Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare, O Jehovah, thy people, and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that they should be a byword of the nations. Wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?

17

Let the priests, who minister to the Lord,
Weep between the porch and the altar;
Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
That the nations should [g]rule over them.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”

18

Restoration Promised

Then Jehovah will be jealous for his land, and will have pity on his people.

18

The Land Refreshed

Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.

19

And Jehovah will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I send you corn, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

19

The Lord will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

20

And I will remove far off from you him [that cometh] from the north, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the hinder sea; and his stench shall come up, and his ill odour shall come up, for he hath exalted himself to do great things.

20

“But I will remove far from you the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
With his face toward the eastern sea
And his back toward the western sea;
His stench will come up,
And his foul odor will rise,
Because he has done [h]monstrous things.”

21

-- Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for Jehovah doeth great things.

21

Fear not, O land;
Be glad and rejoice,
For the Lord has done [i]marvelous things!

22

Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring; for the tree beareth its fruit; the fig-tree and the vine yield full increase.

22

Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;
For the open pastures are springing up,
And the tree bears its fruit;
The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

23

And ye, children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the early rain in due measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the early rain, and the latter rain at the beginning [of the season].

23

Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the [j]former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you —
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.

24

And the floors shall be full of corn, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

24

The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you.

25

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming [k]locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.

26

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of Jehovah your God, who hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall 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 be put to shame.

27

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, Jehovah, [am] your God, and there is none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

27

Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.

28

I will Pour Out My Spirit

And it shall come to pass afterwards [that] I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

28

God’s Spirit Poured Out

“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,
Your young men shall see visions.

29

Yea, even upon the bondmen and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.

29

And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

30

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31

The sun shall be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.

31

The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

32

And it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of Jehovah shall be saved: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Jehovah hath said, and for the residue whom Jehovah shall call.

32

And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be [l]saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be [m]deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Joel 2

Joel 2