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2 A day of darkness and gloom,
a day of cloud and thick darkness,
like the dawn spreads on the mountains,
a great and strong army!
There has been nothing like it from old,
and after it nothing will be again ⌊for generations to come⌋.c
3 ⌊Before them⌋d a fire devours,
and behind them a flame burns.
Like the garden of Eden is the land ⌊before them⌋,e
and after them it is like a desolate desert,
and nothing can escape them.
4 Like the appearance of horses is their appearance,
and like horsemen they run;
5 like the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap about;
like the sound of a flame of fire
devouring stubble;
like a strong army arranged
in rows for battle.
6 ⌊From before them⌋f nations writhe,
all faces ⌊turn pale⌋.g
7 They run like mighty warriors,h
they scale the wall like men of war;
each goes on its own way,
and they do not swerve from their paths.
8 They do not jostle ⌊one another⌋;i
each goes on its own trail;
and through the falling weapons,j
they are not halted.
9 In the city they rush forth;
on the wallsk they run.
Into the houses they climb up;
through the windows
they enter like a thief.
10 ⌊Before them⌋l the earth quakes;
the heavens tremble;
the sun and the moon grow dark,
and the stars ⌊have withheld⌋m their splendor
11 And Yahweh ⌊utters⌋n his voice before his army,
because his encampment is very large;
strong is the one who carries out his decree,
for great is the day of Yahweh
and exceedingly fearful.
Who can endure it?
c | Literally “until years of generations” |
d | Literally “before the presence of it” |
e | Literally “before the presence of it” |
f | Or “From in front of it,” or “From the presence of it” |
g | Literally “gather paleness” |
h | That is, the “great and strong army” (see 2:2) |
i | Literally “each man his brother” |
j | Hebrew “weapon” |
k | Hebrew “wall” |
l | Literally “Before the presence of it” |
m | Literally “gathered” |
n | Literally “gives” |
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