1. Blow 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 comes, for it is near at hand;
2. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great and strong people; there has not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, through the years of many generations.
3. A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
4. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
5. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
6. Before their face the people shall be in great pain: all faces are drained of color.
7. They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march each one on his way, and they shall not break their ranks:
8. Neither shall one jostle another; they shall walk each one in his path: and when they lunge between the swords, they shall not be wounded.