² A day of darkness and gloom,
    a day of cloud and thick darkness,
like the dawn spreads on the mountains,
    a great and strong army!
There has been nothing like it from old,
    and after it nothing will be again for generations to come.^[a]
3 Before them^[b] a fire devours,
    and behind them a flame burns.
Like the garden of Eden is the land before them,^[c]
    and after them it is like a desolate desert,
    and nothing can escape them.
⁴ Like the appearance of horses is their appearance,
    and like horsemen they run;