Joel 2: A day of judgement, doom and gloom from mighty men of war, new Covenanters are sated and Yehoweh slips them away to Zion.  

1: Blast a trumpet in Zion. Sound an alarm in My Holy mountain.  All residents of the land quiver for a day of Yehoweh traversing, for it is near. 

2: A darkness and calamity day, a thunderclouds and gloom day like spreading break of dawn over the mountains, great and innumerable people, like as never has been from the ancient times and never added after years, generation to generation. 

3: Before their faces, a fire had consumed and after them a flame had blazed (Jacob fire, Joseph flame Obad 1:19, Light fire, Holy flame Isaiah 10:18) . The land was like a garden of Eden before them and a desolate desert after them.  And also there was no escape from them.

4: Their appearance was like appearance of horses and like Parashim (steeds) – so they still (paragogic nun Pn) run.

5: Like a sound of chariots on the mountain tops they still (pn) bound, like a sound of flame fire eating straw (Obadiah 1:18, Esau being eaten straw  finds a Koranic reference in Surah al-Fil  105^1-5 ‘chapter of elephants’  –  the story of a Yemeni king 20000 strong with elephants attacking Mohammed and being defeated, On 11/3/2026 Hezbollah launched 100 missiles against Israel in an operation named from this Surah called Operation Eaten Straw https://www.palestinechronicle.com/hezbollah-announces-eaten-straw-operation-launches-100-missiles-at-israel/   They challenge v 18 with their narrative on one hand but also identify  themselves as of the house of Esau), like a strong people arrayed in battle.

6: Before their faces, people writhe, their facial hue gathers-to-remove (kavatz).  

7: They still run like mighty men. They ascend  walls like men of war. And each man still walks in their way  and still do not borrow tracks (no help needed).

8: And each man still does not press upon another. A great one still walks in his lane/highway. And they do not fall (crouch) and break in between missiles.

9:  They rush about in a city. They still run on a wall. They ascend up to the windows. They traverse like a thief.

10: Land quivers before their faces, Heavens quake, sun and moon darken and stars gathers-to- remove (asaf) brightness.

11: Yehoweh gives His Voice to His army’s face. For very great is His company. For strong (are)  do-ers of His word. For a day of Yehoweh (is) great and much-feared. And who causes to contain/comprehend it?

12: And also now, Word-Yehoweh, turn back to me with all your heart. And in a fast and in a cry(Weep) and in a lamentation.

13: Rend yours heart and not yours garment. And return to Yehoweh your God.  For He is gracious (khanoon) and motherly-compassionate (rakhoom), slow to lose temper (erek afreem)  and great in covenant-kindness rab-kesedh) and can be convinced (nifal of nakam – to relent) not to do troublesome-evil. (Ps 86: 15: And You are supportive-compassionate, (*Rakhoom – all 13 times used only for God) and gracious (khanoon), slow to lose temper (erek affeem) and great in covenant-kindness (rab-kesedh). All 4 descriptions are together used for God in Ex 34:6, Neh 9:17, Ps 103:8, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2) and truth (emeth))

14: Who knows? He repents and is convinced? And cause to leave behind Him a blessing, gift aid and libation for Yehoweh  your God. Phew!

15: Blast a trumpet in Zion.  Consecrate a fast. Call an assembly.

16: Gather -to-remove (asaf) people.  Consecrate a company, gather to assemble (kavatz) elders.  Gather -to-remove (asaf) infants and suckling at breasts.  A bridegroom emerges from his bedroom and a bride from her canopy (coupé).

17: Between porch (of temple 1Ki 6:2, first step of faith) and altar (full commitment), the priests who minister to Yehoweh weep and say, “Yehoweh, Take pity on Your people and do not give your inheritance to reproach (disgrace/shamefulness/privates). Why should ruling unbelieving nations  say among the people, “Where is their God?”.  

18: Yehoweh is jealous (kana) for His land and takes pity (kamal) on His people.

19:  And Yehoweh answers and says to His people, “Behold I send out the increase/ produce/grain and the squeezed-out/extract/new wine and the Anointing-oil/fresh-oil and you were sated (sva’a) by them and I no longer send you reproach among unbelieving nations.

20:  And I cause the/time of the Northern to be distanced from you and I cause him to be pushed off to a dry (Tsi as in Zion) and desolate land and the/time of His face to the ancient/eastern (kadmon) sea and his rear to the latter sea and his stench had  ascended and a foul odour ascends for he had caused development to be done. 

21: Root-Soil, do not fear. Rejoice and be glad for Yehoweh had caused development to be done.

22: You beasts of the field, do not fear for meadows had sprouted in a desert, for a tree carried its fruit, a fig tree and a vine gave their army/might/efficiency.

23: And sons of Zion (barren hill), rejoice and be glad in Yehoweh your God for He had given you the early autumn light rain (mora from yara prepares for planting before Trumpets) for righteousness and He caused to bring down heavy winter rain (geshem for helping seeds germinate but also Noah’s 40 day rain Gen 7), moray and latter spring rain (malkosh helps ripen harvest around Passover).

24: And the threshing floors were filled with winnowed grain (bar) and the vats caused to overflow with new wine and Anointing oil. 

 25: And I made whole (shalom) to you the/time of the years which the the locust swarm, the caterpillar, the consuming locust and the chewing locust had eaten (As in Joel 1:4), My great army which I had sent to you.

26: And you had eatingly eaten and were sated and had raved (Halel) of the/time of the name Yehoweh your God who had dealt with you causing extraordinaringly.  And He does not shame my people for perpetuity.

27: And, in the midst of Israel, you had known I – and I am Yehoweh your God and there is noone else.  And He does not shame my people for perpetuity.

Pause and think about that!

28: And it then happened latterly I pour out the/time of My Spirit on all flesh and your sons were inspired to sing/speak (nifal of nabi – prophesy) and your daughters, elders still dream dreams, your young men see visions.

29: And also in those days I pour out the/time of My Spirit on the servants and the maids.

30: And I had given signs in skies  and  in land: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31: The sun overturns to darkness and the moon to blood in the face of the great and the fearsome traversing day of Yehoweh.

32: And it happened that all who call on Yehoweh’s name are slipped away. For in Mount Tsion and in Jerusalem escape which Yehoweh had said happens and in survivors whom Yehoweh called.  

Prayer:

Slip us away to Zion.

Pour Your Spirit on us all.

You make us escape a day of judgement.

Hallelu-Yah.