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There hath not been ever the like,

Neither shall be any more after them,

Even to the years of many generations.

³A fire devoureth before them,

And behind them a flame blazeth;

The land is as the garden of Eden before them,

And behind them a desolate wilderness;

Yea, and nothing escapeth them.

 

⁴The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses,

And as horsemen, so do they run.

⁵Like the noise of chariots,

On the tops of the mountains do they leap,

Like the noise of a flame of fire

That devoureth the stubble,

As a mighty people set in battle array.

⁶At their presence the peoples are in anguish;

All faces have gathered blackness.

⁷They run like mighty men,

They climb the wall like men of war;

And they move on every one in his ways,

And they entangle not their paths.

⁸Neither doth one thrust another,

They march every one in his highway;

And they break through the weapons,

And suffer no harm

⁹They leap upon the city,

They run upon the wall,

They climb up into the houses;

They enter in at the windows like a thief.

¹⁰Before them the earth quaketh,

The heavens tremble;

The sun and the moon are become black,

And the stars withdraw their shining.

¹¹And the Lord uttereth His voice before His army;

For His camp is very great,

For he is mighty that executeth His word;

For great is the day of the LORD and very terrible;

And who can abide it?

 

¹²Yet even now, saith the Lord,

Turn ye unto Me with all your heart,

And with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation;

¹³And rend your heart, and not your garments,

And turn unto the Lord your God;

For He is gracious and compassionate,

Long-suffering, and abundant in mercy,

And repenteth Him of the evil.

¹⁴Who knoweth whether He will not turn and repent,

And leave a blessing behind Him,

Even a meal-offering and a drink-offering

Unto the Lord your God?

 

¹⁵Blow the horn in Zion,

Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly,

¹⁶Gather the people,

Sanctify the congregation,

Assemble the elders,

Gather the children,

And those that suck the breasts;

Let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber.

And the bride out of her pavilion.

¹⁷Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,

Weep between the porch and the altar,

And let them say: 'Spare Thy people, O Lord,

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