Joel 2:12–27

¹²Yet even now, says the Lord,

return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;^*

¹³rend your hearts and not your clothing.

Return to the Lord your God,

for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,

and relenting from punishment.^*

¹⁴Who knows whether he will not turn and relent

and leave a blessing behind him,

a grain offering and a drink offering

for the Lord your God?^*

¹⁵Blow the trumpet in Zion;

consecrate a fast;

call a solemn assembly;^*

¹⁶gather the people.

Consecrate the congregation;

assemble the aged;

gather the children,

even infants at the breast.

Let the bridegroom leave his room

and the bride her canopy.^*

¹⁷Between the vestibule and the altar,

let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.

Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord,

and do not make your heritage a mockery,

a byword among the nations.

Why should it be said among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’ ”^*

God’s Response and Promise

¹⁸Then the Lord became jealous for his land

and had pity on his people.^*

¹⁹In response to his people the Lord said:

“I am sending you

grain, wine, and oil,

and you will be satisfied;

and I will no more make you

a mockery among the nations.^*

²⁰I will remove the northern army far from you

and drive it into a parched and desolate land,

its front into the eastern sea

and its rear into the western sea;

its stench and foul smell will rise up.”

Surely he has done great things!^*

²¹Do not fear, O soil;

be glad and rejoice,

for the Lord has done great things!

²²Do not fear, you animals of the field,

for the pastures of the wilderness are green;

the tree bears its fruit;

the fig tree and vine give their full yield.^*

²³O children of Zion, be glad,

and rejoice in the Lord your God,

for he has given the early rain^d for your vindication;

he has poured down for you abundant rain,

the early and the later rain, as before.^*

²⁴The threshing floors shall be full of grain;

the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

²⁵I will repay you for the years

that the swarming locust has eaten,

the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,

my great army that I sent against you.^*

²⁶You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied

and praise the name of the Lord your God,

who has dealt wondrously with you.

And my people shall never again be put to shame.^*

²⁷You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel

and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.

And my people shall never again be put to shame.^*