The Army of Locusts (Amos 7:1–9)
1 ULT Blow the shofar in Zion, and shout on the mountain of my holiness! Let all of the dwellers of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh is coming, for{ it is} near, BSB BSB: Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near—
2 ULT a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. Like the dawn being spread upon the mountains, a great and mighty people. Like it there has not been from antiquity, and after it there will not be again to years of generation and generation. BSB BSB: a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
3 ULT A fire is devouring to its face, and behind it a flame is burning. To its face the land is like the garden of Eden, but behind it{ is} a wilderness of desolation, and indeed,{ there} is no escape from it. BSB BSB: Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.
4 ULT Like the appearance of horses{ is} its appearance, and like steeds, thus they run. BSB BSB: Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.
5 ULT Like the sound of chariots, they leap on the tops of the hills; like the sound of a flame of fire devouring stubble, like a mighty people arrayed{ for} war. BSB BSB: With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.
6 ULT From its face peoples writhe; all of{ their} faces gather beauty. BSB BSB: Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.
7 ULT They run like warriors; like men of war, they climb the wall. And they walk, a man in his ways, and they do not pledge their paths. BSB BSB: They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.
8 ULT And a man does not crowd his brother; they walk, a man in his road. Among the weapons they fall, and they do not break off. BSB BSB: They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.
9 ULT Upon the city they rush; on the wall they run; into the houses they climb; through the windows they enter like thieves. BSB BSB: They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.
10 ULT The earth shakes to their face, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon become dark, and the stars withdraw their brightness. BSB BSB: Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
11 ULT Yahweh utters his voice to the face of his army, for very great{ is} his camp, for mighty{ is} the doer of his word. For the day of Yahweh is great and very fearful, and who will endure it? BSB BSB: The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?
Return with All Your Heart 12 ULT “Yet even now,” the declaration of Yahweh,“return to me with all of your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning.” BSB BSB: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
13 ULT And tear your heart and not your garments, and return to Yahweh your God. For he{ is} gracious and merciful, long of nostrils and great of kindness, and relenting from harm. BSB BSB: So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
14 ULT Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing after him, a grain offering and a drink offering for Yahweh your God. BSB BSB: Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
15 ULT Blow the shofar in Zion, consecrate a fast, call an assembly. BSB BSB: Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.
16 ULT Gather the people, consecrate the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the ones sucking the breasts. May the bridegroom come out from his chamber and the bride from her room. BSB BSB: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged, gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
17 ULT Let the priests, the servants of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar. And let them say,“Have pity upon your people, Yahweh, and do not give your inheritance to reproach, for the nations to rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples,‘Where{ is} their God?’” BSB BSB: Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
Restoration Promised 18 ULT Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, and he had pity on his people. BSB BSB: Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people.
19 ULT And Yahweh answered and said to his people,“Behold me, sending to you grain and new wine and oil, and you will have enough with it, and I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations. BSB BSB: And the LORD answered His people: “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and by them you will be satisfied. I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.
20 ULT And I will distance the northerner from upon you, and I will banish him into a land of dryness and desolation, his face into the eastern sea and his back into the western sea. And his stench will rise, and his odor will rise, for he has been great in doing.” BSB BSB: The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.
21 ULT Do not fear, land! Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has been great in doing. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.
22 ULT Do not fear, beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness have sprouted, for the tree has borne its fruit, the fig tree and the vine have yielded their strength. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.
23 ULT And be glad, sons of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh your God, for he has given to you the early rain for vindication and has brought down the shower to you, the early rain and the late rain in the first. BSB BSB: Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
24 ULT And the threshing floors will be full{ of} grain, and the vats will overflow{ with} new wine and oil. BSB BSB: The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25 ULT “And I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust, the hopping locust and the destroying locust and the cutting locust have eaten— my great army that I sent among you. BSB BSB: I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts—the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust—My great army that I sent against you.
26 ULT And eating, you will eat and be full, and you will praise the name of Yahweh your God, who has done with you working wondrously, and forever my people will not feel shame. BSB BSB: You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to shame.
27 ULT And you will know that I{ am} in the midst of Israel, that I{ am} Yahweh your God and there is no other, and forever my people will not feel shame. BSB BSB: Then you will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.
I Will Pour Out My Spirit (Acts 2:14–36)
28 ULT And it will happen after this, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. BSB BSB: And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
29 ULT And even on male servants and on female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit. BSB BSB: Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 ULT And I will give wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. BSB BSB: I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31 ULT The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, to the face of the coming of the great and terrible day of Yahweh. BSB BSB: The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
32 ULT And it will be, everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be escape, just as Yahweh has said, and among the survivors whom Yahweh{ is} calling. BSB BSB: And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD.