1 Blow the horn in Zion and sound an alarm on My holy mountain {har kadshi: sacred location}; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD {YHWH, Approaching Judge} is coming, for it is near.
2 A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness; like dawn spread over the mountains, a great and mighty people—there has never been anyone like them{kammohu: in such manner}, nor will there be again after them{veakharav: future succession} through the years of all generations.
3 A fire {esh: consuming force} devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land before them is like the garden of Eden, but behind them it is desolation {shemamah: utter ruin}—and also, nothing has escaped them.
4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses {susim: cavalry imagery}, and like horsemen {parashim: mounted riders}, thus they run.
5 They leap on the mountaintops like the sound of chariots{markavot: war vehicles}, like the roar of a flame of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty people{atzum: formidable force} arrayed for battle.
6 Before it the peoples writhe {yachilu: quake in anguish}; all faces grow pale {pa'arur: drained color}.
7 Like mighty men {gibborim: strong or valiant}, they run; like men of war, they climb the wall; each man walks in his own path, and they do not swerve from their course {mislulom: roadway or track}.
8 And a man will not press his brother {yidhakun: crowd in}; a man will walk in his path, and through the weapons they will burst, yet they will not be halted {yivtseu: be stopped}.
9 In the city {ir: fortified town} they run, on the wall {chomah: defensive rampart} they rush, in the houses they climb; through the windows they enter like a thief.
10 Before them, the earth trembled {ragzah: shook violently}, the heavens quaked; the sun and the moon grew dark, and the stars withdrew their brightness {nagham: shining radiance}.
11 And the LORD{YHWH, Sovereign Commander} uttered His voice before His army{cheilo: organized force}, for His camp is exceedingly great, and mighty is the one who carries out His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
12 “And also now,” declares the LORD {YHWH, Call to Repentance}, “return to Me with all your heart {levav: inner self}, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 And tear your hearts {levav: moral center} and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikhem, Merciful Redeemer}, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness; and He relents concerning evil
14 Who knows whether He will turn back and relent, and leave a blessing {berakhah: gift of favor} behind Him—a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD {YHWH, Merciful Judge} your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast{tzom: ritual abstention}; call a solemn assembly{atzarah: sacred gathering}.
16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly {kahal: sacred gathering}, assemble the elders, gather the children and those nursing at the breasts; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber and the bride from her canopy {chuppah: wedding covering}.
17 Between the porch and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Protector} weep and say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not give Your inheritance {nachalatekha: allotted possession} to reproach, for a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
18 Then the LORD {YHWH, Zealous Protector} was jealous for His land and had compassion on His people {ammo: covenant community}.
19 And the LORD {YHWH, Sustainer and Deliverer} answered and said to His people, “Behold, I am sending you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with it; and I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations {goyim: non-Israelite peoples}.”
20 And I {YHWH, Invader Banisher} will remove the northerner far from you and drive him away into a land parched {tsiyah: waterless wasteland} and desolate. His face will be toward the eastern sea, and his end toward the western sea; his stench will go up, and his foul smell will rise, because he has done great things.
21 Do not fear, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD {YHWH, Mighty Deliverer} has done great things {higdil: acted mightily}.
22 Do not fear, you beasts of the field, for the pastures {neot: wilderness meadows} of the wilderness have grown green, and the fig tree and the vine have given their strength {cheilam: sustaining vigor}.
23 You sons of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Rain-Giver} your God, for He has given you the former rain for righteousness {litzdakah: in just measure}, and He causes the rain to come down for you—the former rain and the latter rain as at the first.
24 And the threshing floors will be filled with grain {bar: cleaned threshed grain}, and the wine vats will overflow with new wine {tirosh: freshly pressed grape juice} and oil.
25 And I {YHWH, Restorer of Years} will repay to you the years {shanim: seasons of time} that the locust, the hopper, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar—my great army that I sent among you—have eaten.
26 And you shall eat fully and be satisfied, and you shall praise the name of the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheichem, Wonder-Worker for His People}, who has done wondrous deeds with you: and My people shall never be ashamed {yevoshu: publicly disgraced} forever.
27 And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikhem, Personal Covenant God}, and there is no other; my people shall never be ashamed {yevoshu: brought to disgrace}.
28 And it will come to pass after this that I {YHWH, Promise Keeper} will pour out My Spirit {ruach: life-giving breath} upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions.
29 And also upon the servants and upon the maidservants, in those days I {YHWH, Generous Outpourer} will pour out My Spirit {ruach: empowering presence}.
30 And I will give wonders {moftim: extraordinary signs} in the heavens and on the earth, blood, fire and pillars {vetimarot: rising columns} of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood {dam: sign of judgment}, before the coming of the great and awe-inspiring day of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}.
32 And it will happen that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance {pletah: escape}, just as the LORD has said, and among the survivors whom the LORD calls.