2:1 Blow the trumpet in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]; ·shout a warning [sound the alarm; or raise the battle cry] on my holy mountain. Let all the people who live in the land shake with fear, because the ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord; 1:15] is coming; it is near.
2:2 It will be a ·dark, gloomy day [day/time of darkness and gloom], cloudy and black. Like ·the light at sunrise [spreading dawn; or spreading darkness], a great and powerful army will spread over the mountains. There has never been anything like it before, and there will never be anything like it ·again [L for generations to come].
2:3 In front of them a fire ·destroys [devours]; in back of them a flame burns. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden [Gen. 2:8–14]; the land behind them is like an ·empty desert [desolate wilderness]. Nothing will escape from them.
2:4 ·They look [Their appearance is] like horses, and they ·run [charge] like ·war horses [or cavalry].
2:5 It is like the noise of chariots ·rumbling [or leaping] over the tops of the mountains, like the noise of a roaring fire ·burning dry stalks [devouring stubble]. They are like a ·powerful army [mighty nation] lined up for battle.
2:6 ·When they see them [Before them], ·nations [people] shake with fear, and everyone’s face becomes pale.
2:7 They charge like soldiers; they ·climb over [scale] the wall like warriors. They all march ·straight ahead [in formation] and do not ·move off their path [swerve from their course; break ranks].
2:8 They do not ·run into [jostle; push] each other, because each walks ·in line [straight ahead; in his column]. They ·break through all efforts to stop them [burst through defences; or fall upon the sword; L fall upon weapons] and ·keep coming [do not halt/break ranks].
2:9 They ·run [rush; swarm] into the city. They run at the wall and climb into the houses, entering through windows like thieves.
2:10 Before them the earth shakes and sky trembles. The sun and the moon become dark, and the stars ·stop shining [L withhold their brightness; 3:15].
2:11 The Lord ·shouts out orders [cries out; thunders] ·to [or at the head of] his army. His ·army [encampment] is very large! Those who ·obey him [execute his word] are very strong! The ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord; 1:15] is an ·overwhelming [awesome; great] and terrible day. ·No one can stand up against it! [L Who can endure it?]
2:12 The Lord says, “Even now, come back to me with all your heart. Fast, ·cry [weep], and ·be sad [mourn].”
2:13 ·Tearing your clothes is not enough to show you are sad; let your heart be broken [L Tear/Rend your hearts and not your garments; C true repentance, not just a show of grief]. Come back to the Lord your God, because he is ·kind [gracious; merciful] and ·shows mercy [compassionate]. ·He doesn’t become angry quickly […slow to anger], and he has great ·love [loyalty; mercy; lovingkindness]. He ·can change his mind about [relents from] doing harm.
2:14 Who knows? Maybe he will ·turn back to you [grant a reprieve; L turn and relent] and leave behind a blessing for you. ·Grain [L Gift; Tribute; Lev. 2:1] and drink offerings ·belong to [or for] the Lord your God.
2:15 Blow the trumpet in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 2:1]; ·call for [declare; appoint; consecrate] a ·day when everyone fasts [fast; 1:14]. ·Tell everyone to stop work [L Call a sacred assembly]!
2:16 ·Bring the people together [Assemble/Gather the people] and ·make the meeting holy for the Lord [consecrate/sanctify the congregation/assembly]. Bring together the elders, as well as the children, and even babies that still feed at their mothers’ breasts. ·The bridegroom should [L Let the bridegroom] come from his room [C indicating urgency; newly married men were exempt from military service; Deut. 20:7; 24:5], the bride from her ·bedroom [chamber].
2:17 ·The [L Let the] priests, ·the Lord’s servants [who minister before the Lord], should ·cry [weep] between the altar and the ·entrance to the Temple [portico; vestibule]. ·They should [L Let them] say, “Lord, ·have mercy on [spare] your people. Don’t let ·them [L your inheritance/possession] be ·put to shame [mocked; a reproach]; don’t let other nations make ·fun of them [them a byword]. ·Don’t let [L Why should the] people in other nations ask, ‘Where is their God?’”
2:18 Then the Lord became ·concerned about [jealous/zealous for] his land and ·felt sorry [had compassion] for his people.
2:19 He ·said to [answered] them: “[L Look; T Behold] I will send you grain, new wine, and olive oil, so that you will ·have plenty [be satisfied]. No more will I ·shame you [make you a reproach/object of scorn] among the nations.
2:20 I will ·force the army from the north to leave your land [L drive the northern one far from you] and go into a dry, ·empty [desolate] land. ·Their soldiers [L Those] in front will be forced into the ·Dead [L Eastern] Sea, and those in the rear into the ·Mediterranean [L Western] Sea. ·Their bodies will rot and stink [His stench and foul smell will rise]. The Lord has surely done ·a wonderful thing [great things]!”
2:21 Land, don’t be afraid; be ·happy [glad] and ·full of joy [rejoice], because the Lord has done ·a wonderful thing [great things].
2:22 ·Wild animals [L Beasts of the field], don’t be afraid, because the ·open [wilderness] pastures ·have grown grass [L are sprouting green]. The trees ·have given [bear] fruit; the fig trees and the grapevines ·have grown much fruit [provide riches].
2:23 So be happy, ·people of Jerusalem [L sons/children of Zion; 2:1]; ·be joyful [rejoice] in the Lord your God. Because he ·does what is right, he has brought you rain [or has vindicated you by giving you rain]; he has sent the ·fall [L early] rain and the ·spring [L late] rain for you, as before.
2:24 And the threshing floors will be full of grain; the ·barrels [vats] will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
2:25 “Though I sent my great army against you— those ·swarming [or great] locusts and ·hopping [or crawling; or young] locusts, the ·destroying [consuming] locusts and the ·cutting [chewing; or swarming] locusts that ate your crops [see 1:4]— I will ·pay you back for [or restore to you] those ·years of trouble [L years].
2:26 Then you will have plenty to eat and be ·full [satisfied]. You will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has ·done miracles [or acted wondrously/marvelously] for you. My people will never again be shamed.
2:27 Then you will know that I am ·among [in the midst of] the people of Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and there is no ·other God [L other]. My people will never be shamed again.
2:28 “After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all ·kinds of people [humanity; flesh; Acts 2:17–21; Is. 32:15; Ezek. 39:29; Zech. 12:10]. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
2:29 ·At that time [L In those days] I will pour out my Spirit ·also [even] on male ·slaves [servants] and female ·slaves [servants].
2:30 I will show ·miracles [wonders; portents] in the ·sky [heavens] and on the earth: blood, fire, and ·thick [columns/billows of] smoke.
2:31 The sun will ·become dark [turn to darkness], the moon ·red as blood [L to blood; Rev. 6:12], before the ·overwhelming [great] and ·terrible [awesome] day of the Lord comes.
2:32 ·Then [L And it will happen that] ·anyone [all] who calls on the [L name of the] Lord will be ·saved [rescued], because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be people who will ·be saved [escape; be delivered], just as the Lord has said. ·Those left alive after the day of punishment [The remnant/survivors] are the people whom the Lord called.
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