2 ^aA day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
^bA people come, great and strong,
^cThe like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations. ‡

3 A fire devours before them,
And behind them a flame burns;
The land is like ^athe Garden of Eden before them,
^bAnd behind them a desolate wilderness;
Surely nothing shall escape them. ‡

4 ^aTheir appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like¹ swift steeds, so they run. ‡