Joel 2:18–32

The Lord Answers the Prayer of His People

¹⁸Then the Lord will show concern for his land.

He will take pity on his people.

¹⁹He will reply,

“I will send you grain, olive oil and fresh wine.

It will be enough to satisfy you completely.

I will never allow other nations

to make fun of you again.

²⁰“I will drive far away from you

the army that comes from the north.

I will send some of its forces

into a dry and empty land.

Those in front will be pushed into the Dead Sea.

The ones in back will be driven into the Mediterranean Sea.

Their dead bodies will give off a bad smell.”

The Lord has done great things.

²¹Land, don’t be afraid.

Be glad and full of joy.

The Lord has done great things.

²²Wild animals, don’t be afraid.

The grasslands are turning green again.

The trees are bearing their fruit.

The vines and fig trees are producing rich crops.

²³People of Zion, be glad.

Be joyful because of what the Lord your God has done.

He has given you the right amount of rain in the fall.

He has sent you plenty of showers.

He has sent fall and spring rains alike,

just as he did before.

²⁴Your threshing floors will be covered with grain.

Olive oil and fresh wine will spill over

from the places where they are stored.

²⁵The Lord says,

“I sent a great army of locusts to attack you.

They included common locusts, giant locusts,

young locusts and other locusts.

I will make up for the years

they ate your crops.

²⁶You will have plenty to eat.

It will satisfy you completely.

Then you will praise me.

I am the Lord your God.

I have done wonderful miracles for you.

My people will never be put to shame again.

²⁷You will know that I am with you in Israel.

I am the Lord your God.

There is no other God.

So my people will never be put to shame again.

The Day of the Lord Is Coming

²⁸“After that, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your old men will have dreams.

Your young men will have visions.

²⁹In those days I will pour out my Spirit

on those who serve me, men and women alike.

³⁰I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth.

There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

³¹The sun will become dark.

The moon will turn red like blood.

It will happen before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.

³²Everyone who calls out to me will be saved.

On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem

some of my people will be left alive.

I have chosen them.

That is what I have promised.