Yu'AL (Joel) — 2

Locusts Invade like an Army

1 Sound the trumpet in Yahushalam! Raise the alarm on my Qadash mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is upon us.

2 It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness, suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears, nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again.

3 Fire burns in front of them, and flames follow after them, ahead of them the land lies as beautiful as the Garden of Adan, behind them is nothing but desolation; not one thing escapes.

4 They look like horses; they charge forward like warhorses.

5 Look at them as they leap along the mountain tops, Listen to the noise they make, like the rumbling of chariots, like the roar of fire sweeping across a field of stubble, or like a mighty army moving into battle.

6 Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror.

7 The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers, straight forward they march, never breaking rank.

8 They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position, they break through defenses without missing a step.

9 They swarm over the city and run along its walls, they enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.

10 The Arath quakes as they advance, and the Shamaym tremble, the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine.

11 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is at the head of the column, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH leads them with a shout, this is 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH's mighty army, and they follow His orders, the day of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is an awesome and terrible thing, who can possibly survive?

A Call to Repentance

12 That is why 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar, “Turn to me now, while there is time, give me your hearts, Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

13 Do not tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead, ”Return to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is eager to relent and not punish.

14 Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a Barakah instead of this curse, Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH as before.

15 Blow the ram’s horn in Yahushalam! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting.

16 Gather all the people, the elders, the children, and even the babies, call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room.

17 Let the Kuhanym, who minister in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar, Let them pray, “Spare your people, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH! Do not let your special possession become an object of mockery, do not let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL left them?’”

YAHUAH’s Promise of Restoration

18 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of His land.

19 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar, “Look! I AM sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs, you will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.

20 I will drive away these armies from the north, I will send them into the parched wastelands, those in the front will be driven into the Dead Sea, and those at the rear into the Mediterranean, the stench of their rotting bodies will rise over the land.” Surely 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has done great things!

21 Do not be afraid, O land, be glad now and rejoice, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has done great things.

22 Do not be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green, the trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more.

23 Rejoice, you people of Yahushalam! Rejoice in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring.

24 The threshing floors will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

25 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.

26 Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will Yadah  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, who does these miracles for you, Never again will My people be dishonored.

27 Then you will know that I Am among My people Yashar'AL, that I AM  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, and there is no other. Never again will my people be put to shame.

YAHUAH’s Promise of His RUACH 

28 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar,  in the last days, I will pour out my RUACH upon all flesh, your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

29 In those days I will pour out my RUACH even on servants, men and women alike.

30 And I will cause wonders in the Shamaym and on the Arath, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

31 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  arrives.

32 But anyone who calls on the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will be saved, for some on Mount Ziun in Yahushalam will escape, just as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has Dabar. These will be among the survivors whom 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has called.