2. a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains – a people many and strong, the like of whom has never been, nor shall there ever be again after them, to the years of many generations.
3. Ahead of them a fire has consumed, and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the Garden of Ěḏen, and behind them a desert waste. And from them there is no escape.
4. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and they run like steeds.
5. As the noise of chariots they leap over mountaintops, as the noise of a flaming fire consuming stubble, as a mighty people set in battle array.
6. Before them peoples are in anguish, all faces become flushed.
7. They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of battle, every one goes on his way, and they do not break ranks.
8. And they do not press one another, every one goes in his path. They fall among the weapons, but they do not stop.
9. They rush on the city, they run on the wall. They climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief.
10. The earth shall tremble before them, the heavens shall shake. Sun and moon shall be darkened, and the stars withdraw their brightness.
11. And יהוה shall give forth His voice before His army, for His camp is very great, for mighty is the doer of His word. For the day of יהוה is great and very awesome, and who does bear it?
12. “Yet even now,” declares יהוה, “turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
13. And tear your heart and not your garments, and turn back to יהוה your Elohim, for He shows favour and is compassionate, patient, and of great kindness, and He shall relent concerning the evil.
14. Who knows – He might turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him, a grain offering and a drink offering for יהוה your Elohim?
15. Blow a ram’s horn in Tsiyon, set apart a fast, call an assembly.
16. Gather the people, set the assembly apart, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes. Let a bridegroom come out from his room, and a bride from her dressing room.
17. Let the priests, servants of יהוה, weep between the porch and the altar. And let them say, “Spare Your people, O יהוה, and do not give Your inheritance to reproach, for the gentiles to rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their Elohim?’ ”