Joel 2:17–21

Between the vestibule and the altar

let 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.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

Then the Lord became jealous for his land

and had pity on his people.

The Lord answered and said to his people,

“Behold, I am sending to you

grain, wine, and oil,

and you will be satisfied;

and I will no more make you

a reproach among the nations.

“I will remove the northerner far from you,

and drive him into a parched and desolate land,

his vanguard into the eastern sea,

and his rear guard into the western sea;

the stench and foul smell of him will rise,

for he has done great things.

“Fear not, O land;

be glad and rejoice,

for the Lord has done great things!

Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,

weep between the portico and the altar.

Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.

Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,

a byword among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

Then the Lord was jealous for his land

and took pity on his people.

The Lord replied to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,

enough to satisfy you fully;

never again will I make you

an object of scorn to the nations.

“I will drive the northern horde far from you,

pushing it into a parched and barren land;

its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea

and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.

And its stench will go up;

its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!

Do not be afraid, land of Judah;

be glad and rejoice.

Surely the Lord has done great things!

Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers,

weep between the portico and the altar.

Let them say,

“Have pity on your people, Lord,

and do not make your inheritance a disgrace,

an object of scorn among the nations.

Why should it be said among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

Then the Lord became jealous for his land and spared his people. The Lord answered his people:

Look, I am about to send you

grain, new wine, and fresh oil.

You will be satiated with them,

and I will no longer make you

a disgrace among the nations.

I will drive the northerner far from you

and banish him to a dry and desolate land,

his front ranks into the Dead Sea,

and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea.

His stench will rise;

yes, his rotten smell will rise,

for he has done astonishing things.

Don’t be afraid, land;

rejoice and be glad,

for the Lord has done astonishing things.

Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence,

stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar.

Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord!

Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery.

Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say,

‘Has the God of Israel left them?’ ”

Then the Lord will pity his people

and jealously guard the honor of his land.

The Lord will reply,

“Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil,

enough to satisfy your needs.

You will no longer be an object of mockery

among the surrounding nations.

I will drive away these armies from the north.

I will send them into the parched wastelands.

Those in the front will be driven into the Dead Sea,

and those at the rear into the Mediterranean.

The stench of their rotting bodies will rise over the land.”

Surely the Lord has done great things!

Don’t be afraid, O land.

Be glad now and rejoice,

for the Lord has done great things.

Between the colonnade and the altar,

let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep.

And let them say, “Take pity, Yahweh, on your people.

Do not make your inheritance a reproach,

a byword among the nations.

Why should they say among the nations,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

Then Yahweh became jealous for his land

and took pity on his people.

And Yahweh answered and said to his people,

“Look at me, I am sending to you

grain, new wine, and olive oil,

and you will be satisfied by it.

I will not give you over any more

as a disgrace among the nations.

The northerners

I will remove from you;

I will drive them to a desert

and desolate land,

its front to the eastern sea,

and its rear into the western sea;

its stench and odor will rise up

because he has done great things.

Do not fear, O land,

rejoice and be glad,

because Yahweh has done great things.

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?

Then will the Lord be jealous for his land,

And pity his people.

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:

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.

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice:

For the Lord will do great things.