Joel 2:12–20

Return to the Lord

12  “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,

i“return to me with all your heart,

jwith fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

13  and krend your hearts and not lyour garments.”

Return to the Lord your God,

mfor he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;

nand he relents over disaster.

14  oWho knows whether he will not turn and relent,

and pleave a blessing behind him,

qa grain offering and a drink offering

for the Lord your God?

15  rBlow the trumpet in Zion;

sconsecrate a fast;

call a solemn assembly;

16  gather the people.

tConsecrate the congregation;

assemble the elders;

ugather the children,

even nursing infants.

vLet the bridegroom leave his room,

and the bride her chamber.

17  wBetween the xvestibule and the yaltar

zlet 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.1

aWhy should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Lord Had Pity

18  bThen the Lord became jealous for his land

cand had pity on his people.

19  The Lord answered and said to his people,

“Behold, dI am sending to you

grain, wine, and oil,

dand you will be satisfied;

and I will no more make you

a reproach among the nations.

20  “I will remove the northerner far from you,

and drive him into a parched and desolate land,

his vanguard2 into ethe eastern sea,

and his rear guard3 into fthe western sea;

gthe stench and foul smell of him will rise,

for he has done great things.