Joel 2 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all who live in the land tremble for the day of the Lord is coming—it's definitely near!
1 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 Yahweh comes, for it is close at hand:
2 It's a gloomy day of darkness, a day of thick clouds and heavy shadows. Like the dawn spreading over the mountains, an army appears, so large and powerful that there has never ever been anything like it before, nor will there ever be anything like it again.
2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.
3 Fire blazes in front of them, behind them flames are burning. In front of them the land looks like the Garden of Eden, behind them is a desert of total desolation: not a single survivor remains.
3 A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.
4 They have the appearance of horses; they charge like cavalry.
4 Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.
5 Listen to the sound: they are like rumbling chariots leaping over the mountain tops, they are like crackling flames burning stubble, they are like a mighty army marching in formation into battle.
5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.
6 Terror seizes all those in their path; all the people's faces grow pale.
6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.
7 They attack like mighty warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march as one, never breaking ranks.
7 They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don’t swerve off course.
8 They do not jostle one another, they stay on track; and even if some are cut down, they are not stopped.
8 One doesn’t jostle another. They each march in their own path. They burst through the defenses and don’t break ranks.
9 They rush to and fro in the city; they run along the walls; they climb into houses, entering through the windows like thieves.
9 They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.
10 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, the stars stop shining.
10 The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
11 The Lord shouts his commands at the head of his army. His camp is immense, and those who carry out his orders are powerful. The day of the Lord is totally terrifying—who can stand it?
11 Yahweh thunders his voice before his army, for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
12 “Yet even now,” says the Lord, “Come back to me while there is still time. Come to me with all your heart, with fasting and prayer.
12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 Repent in your minds, and not by tearing your clothes.” Come back to the Lord your God for he is gracious and kind. He is slow to get angry and full of faithful love, and changes his mind about sending punishment.
13 Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? Maybe he will change his mind, leaving behind a blessing so that you will be able to make grain and wine offerings to the Lord your God.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast; call a solemn assembly.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.
16 Gather the people together: the elders, the children, even the babies. Let the bridegroom leave his room; let the bride leave her room.
16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar of the Temple. Let them say, “Lord, please take pity on your people, and do not let your inheritance be disgraced, ruled over by foreign nations, so that the people of these nations could ask, ‘Where is their God?’”
17 Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
18 Now the Lord is very protective of his land and takes pity on his people.
18 Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.
19 The Lord will reply, saying to his people, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, and you will be satisfied. You will no longer be a disgrace among the foreign nations.
19 Yahweh answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
20 I will remove from you the army from the north; I will drive them into the desolate wilderness—the front into the eastern sea, and the rear into the western sea. The stench of the dead army will rise up—a real stink—for it has done terrible things.”
20 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.
21 Don't be afraid, people of the land! Be happy and celebrate, for the Lord has done incredible things!
21 Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.
22 Don't be afraid, wild animals! For the pastures of the wilderness are turning green. The trees are fruiting again—the fig trees and the grapevines are producing a good crop.
22 Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
23 People of Jerusalem! Celebrate and be happy in the Lord your God because he has given you rain to show his goodness. As before he sends the autumn and the spring rains.
23 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain, the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25 “I will give back to you what you lost over the years to the swarming, hopping, destroying, and cutting locusts, this great army that I sent against you.
25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, and you will be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God who has done miracles for you. My people will never again be ashamed.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.
27 You will know that I am in the midst of my people Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other. My people will never again be ashamed.
27 You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.
28 After this I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will be my prophets, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
28 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.
29 In those days I will also pour out my Spirit on male slaves and female slaves.
29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.
30 I will place wonders in the heavens and on earth: blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn red like blood at the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord.”
31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, rescued from Mount Zion and Jerusalem, as the Lord has said—these are among the survivors the Lord has called.
32 It will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.
Cross references (32)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Joel 2:15; Joel 1:15; 1 Peter 4:7; Malachi 4:1; Zephaniah 1:14
- 2 Joel 1:6; Zephaniah 1:14–15; Joel 2:10–11; Amos 5:18–20; Joel 2:5
- 3 Isaiah 51:3; Genesis 2:8; Joel 1:19–20; Zechariah 7:14; Amos 7:4
- 4 Revelation 9:7
- 5 Isaiah 5:24; Revelation 9:9; Isaiah 30:30; Matthew 3:12; Nahum 2:3–4
- 6 Nahum 2:10; Isaiah 13:8; Jeremiah 30:6; Lamentations 4:8; Psalm 119:83
- 7 Proverbs 30:27; Jeremiah 5:10; 2 Samuel 2:18–19; Isaiah 5:26–29; 2 Samuel 1:23
- 8 2 Chronicles 23:10; Job 33:18; Nehemiah 4:23; 2 Chronicles 32:5; Nehemiah 4:17
- 9 Jeremiah 9:21; John 10:1; Exodus 10:6
- 10 Matthew 24:29; Isaiah 13:10; Joel 3:15–16; Psalm 18:7; Acts 2:20
- 11 Malachi 3:2; Nahum 1:6; Revelation 18:8; Joel 3:16; Jeremiah 30:7
- 12 James 4:8–9; Isaiah 55:6–7; 2 Chronicles 7:13–14; Hosea 12:6; Jeremiah 29:12–13
- 13 Psalm 86:15; Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 57:15; Exodus 34:6–7; Matthew 5:3–4
- 14 Jonah 3:9; Haggai 2:19; 2 Samuel 12:22; 2 Kings 19:4; Amos 5:15
- 15 Joel 1:14; Joel 2:1; Numbers 10:3; 1 Kings 21:12; 1 Kings 21:9
- 16 2 Chronicles 20:13; 2 Chronicles 29:5; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Samuel 16:5; Exodus 19:22
- 17 Psalm 115:2; Psalm 79:10; Ezekiel 8:16; Hosea 14:2; Exodus 34:9
- 18 Zechariah 8:2; Psalm 103:13; Zechariah 1:14; James 5:11; Lamentations 3:22
- 19 Ezekiel 34:29; Ezekiel 36:15; Jeremiah 31:12; Isaiah 62:8–9; Joel 2:24
- 20 Zechariah 14:8; Amos 4:10; Isaiah 34:3; Deuteronomy 11:24; Ezekiel 47:18
- 21 Zephaniah 3:16–17; Isaiah 54:4; Psalm 126:1–3; Isaiah 41:10; 1 Samuel 12:16
- 22 Zechariah 8:12; Psalm 65:12; Isaiah 51:3; Psalm 67:6; Amos 9:14–15
- 23 James 5:7–8; Philippians 4:4; Leviticus 26:4; Hosea 6:3; Deuteronomy 11:14
- 24 Malachi 3:10; Amos 9:13; Joel 3:18; Joel 3:13; Leviticus 26:10
- 25 Zechariah 10:6; Joel 1:4–7; Joel 2:2–11
- 26 Romans 10:11; Psalm 22:26; Romans 5:5; Deuteronomy 12:7; Isaiah 49:23
- 27 Ezekiel 37:26–28; Leviticus 26:11–12; Zephaniah 3:17; Ezekiel 39:28; Isaiah 45:5
- 28 Acts 2:16–21; Ezekiel 39:29; Isaiah 32:15; Acts 2:39; Acts 2:2–4
- 29 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11
- 30 Acts 2:19–20; Luke 21:11; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25–26; Judges 20:40
- 31 Revelation 6:12–13; Matthew 24:29; Malachi 4:1; Malachi 4:5; Joel 3:15
- 32 Romans 10:11–14; Acts 2:20–21; Isaiah 46:13; Romans 11:26; Jeremiah 33:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… for it was the third hour of the day; but that this was what had been spoken by the prophet: "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and they shall prophesy." The God, therefore, who did promise by the prophet, that He would send His Spirit …
… pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream, and your young men shall see visions: and even on my servants and mine handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit." Chapter 31 — Of the Predictions Concerning the Salvation of the World in Christ, in… …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Do thou also then groan, even as that holy one, I forbid it not. "Rend," as the prophet commanded, "thine heart, and not thy garments." Out of deeps call upon God, for it is said, "Out of the depths have I cried to Thee, O Lord." From beneath, out of the heart, draw forth a voice, make thy prayer a …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
"The day of the Lord," Scripture says, "is great and very terrible," and elsewhere "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)