Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

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--

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 darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, 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.

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.

3A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. 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.

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.

4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses.

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

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.

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.

6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale.

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

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.

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

8They do not push each other; each proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows, never stopping.

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

9They storm the city; they run on the wall; they climb into the houses; they enter through the windows like thieves.

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

10The earth quakes before them; the sky shakes. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars cease their shining.

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

11The LORD makes his voice heard 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?

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?

12Even now--this is the LORD's declaration--turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, 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 just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster.

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 may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him, so you can offer grain and wine to 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?

15Blow the horn in Zion! Announce a sacred fast; proclaim an assembly.

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

16Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the infants, even babies nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom, and the bride her honeymoon chamber.

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.

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?'"

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 became jealous for his land and spared his people.

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

19The LORD answered his people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and fresh oil. You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you 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.

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 astonishing 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.

21Don't be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done astonishing things.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil.

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

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.

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 be satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame.

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.

27You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. 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.

28After 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.

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.

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

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

30I will display wonders 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 turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.

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

32Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD 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.

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 Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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.