Joel 2:12-13

Return to the Lord

12 "Yet even now," declares the Lord,
i "return to me with all your heart,
j with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
 13 and k rend your hearts and not l your garments."
Return to the Lord your God,
m for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
n and he relents over disaster.

  1. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:30
    When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice.
    1 Samuel 7:3
    And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
    Jeremiah 4:1
    If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver.
    Hosea 12:6
    "So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God."
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:6
    So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, "We have sinned against the Lord." And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 34:18
    The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 34:6
    The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
    Psalms 86:5
    For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
    Psalms 86:15
    But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
    Jonah 4:2
    And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
  6. Cross References
    Numbers 23:19
    God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
    Ezekiel 24:14
    I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.