An Army of Locusts

2 Blow the trumpetz in Zion;a

sound the alarm on my holy hill.b

Let all who live in the land tremble,

for the day of the Lordc is coming.

It is close at handd—

2 a day of darknesse and gloom,f

a day of cloudsg and blackness.h

Like dawn spreading across the mountains

a large and mighty armyi comes,

such as never was in ancient timesj

nor ever will be in ages to come.

3 Before them firek devours,

behind them a flame blazes.

Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,l

behind them, a desert wastem—

nothing escapes them.

4 They have the appearance of horses;n

they gallop along like cavalry.

5 With a noise like that of chariotso

they leap over the mountaintops,

like a crackling firep consuming stubble,

like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;q

every face turns pale.r

7 They charge like warriors;s

they scale walls like soldiers.

They all march in line,t

not swervingu from their course.

8 They do not jostle each other;

each marches straight ahead.

They plunge through defenses

without breaking ranks.

9 They rush upon the city;

they run along the wall.

They climb into the houses;v

like thieves they enter through the windows.w

10 Before them the earth shakes,x

the heavens tremble,y

the sun and moon are darkened,z

and the stars no longer shine.a

11 The Lordb thundersc

at the head of his army;d

his forces are beyond number,

and mighty is the army that obeys his command.

The day of the Lord is great;e

it is dreadful.

Who can endure it?f

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,

“returng to me with all your heart,h

with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your hearti

and not your garments.j

Returnk to the Lord your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,l

slow to anger and abounding in love,m

and he relents from sending calamity.n

14 Who knows? He may turno and relentp

and leave behind a blessingq—

grain offerings and drink offeringsr

for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpets in Zion,t

declare a holy fast,u

call a sacred assembly.v

16 Gather the people,

consecratew the assembly;

bring together the elders,x

gather the children,

those nursing at the breast.

Let the bridegroomy leave his room

and the bride her chamber.

17 Let the priests, who ministerz before the Lord,

weepa between the portico and the altar.b

Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.

Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,c

a bywordd among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?e’ ”

The Lord’s Answer

18 Then the Lord was jealousf for his land

and took pityg on his people.

19 The Lord replieda to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wineh and olive oil,i

enough to satisfy you fully;j

never again will I make you

an object of scornk to the nations.

20 “I will drive the northern hordel 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 stenchm will go up;

its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!

21 Do not be afraid,n land of Judah;

be glad and rejoice.o

Surely the Lord has done great things!p

22 Do not be afraid, you wild animals,

for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.q

The trees are bearing their fruit;

the fig treer and the vines yield their riches.t

23 Be glad, people of Zion,

rejoiceu in the Lord your God,

for he has given you the autumn rains

because he is faithful.v

He sends you abundant showers,w

both autumnx and spring rains,y as before.

24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;

the vats will overflowz with new winea and oil.

25 “I will repay you for the years the locustsb have eatenc—

the great locust and the young locust,

the other locusts and the locust swarmb—

my great armyd that I sent among you.