Study Desk

Even now— this is the Lord 's declaration— turn to Me with all your heart,^(z) with fasting, weeping, and mourning.^(aa)

Tear your hearts,^(ab) not just your clothes,^(ac) and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster.^(ad)

Who knows? He may turn and relent^(ae) and leave a blessing behind Him,^(af) so you can offer grain and wine to the Lord your God.^(ag)

Blow the horn in Zion!^(ah) Announce a sacred fast;^(ai) proclaim an assembly.

Gather the people; sanctify the congregation;^(aj) assemble the aged;^[b](ak) gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom,^(al) and the bride her honeymoon chamber.

Let the priests,^(am) the Lord 's ministers, weep between the portico and the altar.^(an) Let them say: "Have pity on Your people, Lord ,^(ao) and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace,^(ap) an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?'"^(aq)

Then the Lord became jealous for His land^(ar) and spared His people.^(as)

The Lord answered His people: Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine, and olive oil.^(at) You will be satiated with them, and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.^(au)

I will drive the northerner far from you^(av) and banish him to a dry and desolate land, his front ranks into the Dead Sea,^(aw) and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea.^(ax) His stench will rise; yes, his rotten smell will rise,^(ay) for he has done catastrophic things.

Don't be afraid, land;^(az) rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has done great things.^(ba)

Don't be afraid, wild animals, for the wilderness pastures have turned green,^(bb) the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.

Children of Zion,^(bc) rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God,^(bd) because He gives you the autumn rain for your vindication.^[c](be) He sends showers for you, both autumn and spring rain^(bf) as before.

The threshing floors will be full of grain,^(bg) and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust ate,^(bh) the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust— My great army that I sent against you.

You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied.^(bi) You will praise the name of Yahweh your God,^(bj) who has dealt wondrously with you.^(bk) My people will never again be put to shame.^(bl)

You will know that I am present in Israel^(bm) and that I am Yahweh your God, and there is no other.^(bn) My people will never again be put to shame.^(bo)

^[d] After this^(bp) I will pour out My Spirit^(bq) on all humanity;^(br) then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.

I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days.^(bs)

I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth:^(bt) blood, fire, and columns of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood^(bu) before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the Lord comes.^(bv)

Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved,^(bw) for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord promised,^(bx) among the survivors the Lord calls.