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
Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run.
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 people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color.
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
They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not cut down.
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 quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness.
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
"Now, therefore," says the Lord, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
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 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, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
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, 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 rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' "
18
Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people.
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
"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 monstrous things."
21
Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things!
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
Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the 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.