| | Chapter 2
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1 | Blow ye the
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 cometh, for it is nigh
at hand; |
2 | A day of
darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the
morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not
been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of
many generations. |
3 | A
fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the
garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and
nothing shall escape them. |
4 |
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so
shall they run. |
5 | Like
the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise
of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle
array. |
6 | Before their
face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. |
7 | They shall run like mighty
men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one
on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: |
8 | Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk
every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be
wounded. |
9 | They shall run
to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon
the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. |
10 | The earth shall quake before them; the
heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall
withdraw their shining: |
11 |
And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very
great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is
great and very terrible; and who can abide it? |
12 | Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to
me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with
mourning: |
13 | And rend
your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is
gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him
of the evil. |
14 | Who
knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a
meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? |
15 | Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a
fast, call a solemn assembly: |
16
| Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders,
gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go
forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. |
17 | Let the priests, the ministers of the
LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people,
O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule
over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? |
18 | Then will the LORD be
jealous for his land, and pity his people. |
19 | Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people,
Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied
therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: |
20 | But I will remove far off from
you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with
his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and
his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done
great things. |
21 | Fear
not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. |
22 | Be not afraid, ye beasts of
the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth
her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. |
23 | Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and
rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the
latter rain in the first month. |
24 | And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall
overflow with wine and oil. |
25
| And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the
cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent
among you. |
26 | And ye
shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your
God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be
ashamed. |
27 | And ye shall
know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and
none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. |
28 |
And it shall come to pass afterward, 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:
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29 |
And also
upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my
spirit. |
30 | And I will
shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of
smoke.
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31 | The sun shall
be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible
day of the LORD come.
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32 |
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD
shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as
the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
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