1A Locust Plague Devours the Land
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
1This is the message from the LORD that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel.
2Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
2Listen to this, you elders, and pay attention, everyone who lives in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your lifetime, or even in the days of your ancestors?
3Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
3Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children tell the generation after them.
4That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
4What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten; and what the hopping locust left, the stripping locust has eaten.
5Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
5Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; wail, all you wine drinkers, over the sweet new wine, because it has been snatched away from your lips.
6For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
6A nation has invaded my land, powerful and too many to count. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion; it has the fangs of a lioness.
7He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
7It has stripped my vine bare and splintered my fig tree. It has peeled off the bark and thrown it aside, leaving the branches white.
8Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
8Mourn like a young bride dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband she married in her youth.
9The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’s ministers, mourn.
9The grain offering and the drink offering have been cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, who serve the LORD, are in mourning.
10The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
10The fields are ruined and the ground is in mourning, for the grain is destroyed, the new wine has dried up, and the oil has run out.
11Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
11Be ashamed, you farmers; wail, you vine growers, for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field has been lost.
12The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
12The vine has dried up and the fig tree is dying; the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple tree, every tree in the field, have withered. Yes, joy itself has withered away from the people.
13Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
13Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests; wail, you who serve at the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who serve my God, because the grain offering and the drink offering are being held back from the house of your God.
14Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.
14Set apart a holy fast, call a solemn meeting, gather the elders and everyone who lives in the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
15Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
15What a terrible day! For the day of the LORD is near, and it will come like destruction from the Almighty.
16Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
16Hasn't our food been cut off right before our eyes, and joy and gladness from the house of our God?
17The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
17The seeds have rotted under the dry clods of earth, the storehouses stand empty, and the barns have fallen apart, because the grain has withered.
18How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
18How the animals groan! The herds of cattle wander in confusion because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
19O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
19To you, O LORD, I cry out, for fire has devoured the open pastures, and flames have burned up every tree in the field.
20The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
20Even the wild animals cry out to you, for the streams of water have dried up, and fire has devoured the open pastures.
2The Army and the Outpoured Spirit
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
1Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone who lives in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is close at hand.
2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
2It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick blackness. Like the dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and powerful people comes. There has never been anything like it, and there never will be again, through all the generations to come.
3A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
3Fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame burns. Ahead of them the land is like the garden of Eden; behind them it is an empty wasteland. Nothing escapes them.
4The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
4They look like horses, and they charge like cavalry.
5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
5They leap over the mountaintops with a sound like chariots, like the crackle of fire eating up dry stalks, like a mighty army lined up for battle.
6Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
6At the sight of them the people writhe in terror; every face turns pale.
7They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
7They charge like warriors; they scale the walls like soldiers. Each one marches straight ahead, and they never break formation.
8Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
8They do not shove one another; each one walks in its own lane. Even when they run into the sword, they are not wounded.
9They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
9They rush through the city; they run along the wall; they climb up into the houses; they slip in through the windows like a thief.
10The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
10The earth shakes in front of them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon go dark, and the stars stop shining.
11And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
11The LORD thunders out his voice at the head of his army, for his camp is very large, and mighty is the one who carries out his word. The day of the LORD is great and very terrible. Who can endure it?
12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
12"Yet even now," says the LORD, "come back to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
13Tear your hearts and not your clothes. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and overflowing with kindness, and he relents from sending disaster.
14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
14Who knows? He may turn back 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, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
15Blow the trumpet in Zion; set apart a holy fast; call a solemn meeting.
16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
16Gather the people; make the congregation holy; bring together the elders; gather the children, even the nursing babies. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
17Let 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?
17Let the priests, who serve the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not let your own inheritance become a mockery, with the nations ruling over them. Why should people say, 'Where is their God?'"
18Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
18Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and will take pity on his people.
19Yea, 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:
19The LORD will answer his people: "Look, I am sending you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will have all you need. I will never again make you a laughingstock among the nations.
20But 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.
20I will drive the army from the north far away from you, pushing it into a dry and empty land, its front ranks toward the eastern sea and its rear toward the western sea. Its stench will rise, its foul smell will go up, because it has done such great things."
21Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
21Do not be afraid, O land; be glad and celebrate, for the LORD will do great things.
22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
22Do not be afraid, you animals of the field, for the open pastures are turning green again; the trees are bearing their fruit, and the fig tree and the vine are giving their full yield.
23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
23Be glad, you people of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rain in the right measure. He sends down showers for you, the autumn rain and the spring rain, in the first month.
24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
24The threshing floors will be heaped with wheat, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil.
25And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
25"I will pay you back for the years the swarming locust ate, along with the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the cutting locust, my great army that I sent among you.
26And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
26You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never be put to shame.
27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
27Then you will know that I am right there in the middle of Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never be put to shame.
28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
28And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
29In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on the servants, both men and women.
30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
30I will show wonders in the sky and on the earth: blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD arrives."
32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
32And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be rescued, for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be a way of escape, just as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
3Judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
1"Look, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
2I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my people, my inheritance Israel, whom they scattered among the nations. They divided up my land,
3And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
3and they gambled for my people. They traded a boy to pay for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine so they could drink.
4Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
4What do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you trying to pay me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily turn your payback onto your own heads.
5Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:
5You took my silver and my gold and carried my finest treasures into your temples.
6The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.
6You sold the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem to the Greeks so that you could send them far from their homeland.
7Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:
7Watch: I will stir them up from the places where you sold them, and I will turn your payback onto your own heads.
8And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.
8I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away." The LORD has spoken.
9Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
9Announce this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men come near and march up.
10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
10Hammer your plow blades into swords and your pruning knives into spears. Let the weakling say, "I am strong."
11Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
11Hurry and come, all you nations from every side, and gather there. Bring down your mighty warriors, O LORD!
12Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
12"Let the nations be roused and march up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
13Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats are overflowing, because their wickedness is so great."
14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
14Crowds upon crowds in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
15The sun and the moon will go dark, and the stars will stop shining.
16The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
16The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the LORD will be the hope of his people and the strength of the people of Israel.
17So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
17"Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who lives in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never march through her again.
18And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
18In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah will run with water. A spring will flow out of the house of the LORD and water the Valley of Shittim.
19Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
19Egypt will become a wasteland and Edom a desolate desert, because of the violence they did to the people of Judah, shedding innocent blood in their land.
20But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
20But Judah will be lived in forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.
21I will wash away their bloodguilt that I have not yet washed away, for the LORD lives in Zion."