2a 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.
3Before 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.
4Their appearance is like that of horses,
and they gallop like swift steeds.
— Joel 2:2-4