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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. |
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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: |
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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. |
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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.
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| 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. |
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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: |
| 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. |
| 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. |
