Jeremiah 30:7

30:7 Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is! ¹ 

There has never been any like it.

It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob,

but some of them will be rescued out of it. ² 

Amos 5:18

The Lord Demands Justice

5:18 Woe ³  to those who wish for the day of the Lord!

Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come?

It will bring darkness, not light.

Amos 5:20

5:20 Don’t you realize the Lord’s day of judgment will bring ⁴  darkness, not light –

gloomy blackness, not bright light?

Zephaniah 1:15

1:15 That day will be a day of God’s anger, ⁵ 

a day of distress and hardship,

a day of devastation and ruin,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and dark skies,

[30:7]  ¹ tn Heb “Alas [or Woe] for that day will be great.” For the use of the particle “Alas” to signal a time of terrible trouble, even to sound the death knell for someone, see the translator’s note on 22:13.

[30:7]  ² tn Heb “It is a time of trouble for Jacob but he will be saved out of it.”

[5:18]  ³ tn The term הוֹי (hoy, “woe”) was used when mourning the dead (see the note on the word “dead” in 5:16). The prophet here either engages in role playing and mourns the death of the nation in advance or sarcastically taunts those who hold to this misplaced belief.

[5:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “Will not the day of the Lord be.”

[1:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “a day of wrath.” The word “God’s” is supplied in the translation for clarification.