Part 19 (1/2)

The seeds rot under their clods: The garners are laid desolate, The barns are broken down; For the corn is withered.

How do the beasts groan!

The herds of cattle are perplexed, Because they have no pasture; Yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

O LORD, to thee do I cry: For the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, And the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.

Yea, the beasts of the field pant unto thee: For the water brooks are dried up, And the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

ii

The Judgment Advancing

Blow ye 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 cometh, for it is nigh at hand; a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; a great people and a strong, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations!

A fire devoureth before them; And behind them a flame burneth: The land is as the garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness!

Yea, and none hath escaped them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as hors.e.m.e.n, so do they run. Like 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 strong people set in battle array.

At their presence the peoples are in anguish: All faces are waxed pale: They run like mighty men; They climb the wall like men of war; And they march every one on his ways.

And they break not their ranks: neither doth one thrust another; they march every one in his path: and they burst through the weapons, and break not off their course.

They leap upon the city; They run upon the wall; They climb up into the houses; They enter in at the windows like a thief.

The earth quaketh before them; The heavens tremble: The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw their s.h.i.+ning.

And the LORD uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word: for the Day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

iii

Repentance at the Last Moment

THE LORD

Yet even now, saith the LORD, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your G.o.d: for he is gracious and full of compa.s.sion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, and repenteth him of the evil.

THE PEOPLE

Who 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 G.o.d?

Blow the trumpet in Zion, Sanctify a fast, Call a solemn a.s.sembly: Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, a.s.semble the old men, Gather the children, and those that suck the b.r.e.a.s.t.s: Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, And the bride out of her closet.

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say:

PRIESTS

Spare thy people, O LORD, And give not thine heritage to reproach, That the nations should use a byword against them, Wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their G.o.d?

iv