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Texts -- Joel 1:1-12 (NET)

Context
Introduction
1:1 This is the Lord’s message that was given to Joel the son of Pethuel :
A Locust Plague Foreshadows the Day of the Lord
1:2 Listen to this , you elders ; pay attention , all inhabitants of the land . Has anything like this ever happened in your whole life or in the lifetime of your ancestors ? 1:3 Tell your children about it, have your children tell their children , and their children the following generation . 1:4 What the gazam-locust left the ‘arbeh-locust consumed , what the ‘arbeh-locust left the yeleq-locust consumed , and what the yeleq-locust left the hasil-locust consumed ! 1:5 Wake up , you drunkards , and weep ! Wail , all you wine drinkers , because the sweet wine has been taken away from you. 1:6 For a nation has invaded our land . There are so many of them they are too numerous to count . Their teeth are like those of a lion ; they tear apart their prey like a lioness . 1:7 They have destroyed our vines ; they have turned our fig trees into mere splinters . They have completely stripped off the bark and thrown them aside ; the twigs are stripped bare .
A Call to Lament
1:8 Wail like a young virgin clothed in sackcloth , lamenting the death of her husband-to-be . 1:9 No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of the Lord anymore. So the priests , those who serve the Lord , are in mourning . 1:10 The crops of the fields have been destroyed . The ground is in mourning because the grain has perished . The fresh wine has dried up ; the olive oil languishes . 1:11 Be distressed , farmers ; wail , vinedressers , over the wheat and the barley . For the harvest of the field has perished . 1:12 The vine has dried up ; the fig tree languishes – the pomegranate , date , and apple as well . In fact, all the trees of the field have dried up . Indeed , the joy of the people has dried up !

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • Joel

    [nave] JOEL 1. Son of Samuel, 1 Sam. 8:2; 1 Chr. 6:33; 15:17. Called Vashni, 1 Chr. 6:28. 2. A Simeonite, 1 Chr. 4:35. 3. A Reubenite, 1 Chr. 5:4, 8. 4. A Gadite, 1 Chr. 5:12. 5. A Kohathite Levite, 1 Chr. 6:36. 6. Descendant...

  • Nation

    [nave] NATION Sins of, Isa. 30:1, 2. Chastised, Isa. 14:26, 27; Jer. 5:29; 18:6-10; 25:12-33; Ezek. 2:3-5; 39:23, 24; Dan. 7:9-12; 9:3-16; Hos. 7:12; Joel 1:1-20; Amos 9:9; Zeph. 3:6, 8. Perish, Psa. 9:17; Isa. 60:12. National a...

  • Locust

    [isbe] LOCUST - lo'-kust: The translation of a large number of Hebrew and Greek words: 1. Names: (1) 'arbeh from the root rabhah, "to increase" (compare Arabic raba', "to increase"). (2) sal`am, from obsolete [?] cal`am, "to swallo...
    [smith] a well-known insect, of the grasshopper family, which commits terrible ravages on vegetation in the countries which it visits. "The common brown locust is about three inches in length, and the general form is that of a grassh...
    [nave] LOCUST Authorized as food, Lev. 11:22; used as, Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6. Plague of, Ex. 10:1-19; Psa. 105:34, 35. Devastation by, Deut. 28:38; 1 Kin. 8:37; 2 Chr. 7:13; Isa. 33:4; Joel 1:4-7; Rev. 9:7-10. Sun obscured by, Joe...

  • Caterpillar

    [ebd] the consumer. Used in the Old Testament (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chr. 6:28; Ps. 78:46; Isa. 33:4) as the translation of a word (hasil) the root of which means "to devour" or "consume," and which is used also with reference to the lo...
    [isbe] CATERPILLAR - kat'-er-pil-er (chacil (Ps 78:46; Joel 1:4, etc.); yeleq (Ps 105:34 the King James Version, the American Standard Revised Version "grasshopper"; Jer 51:14,27 the King James Version; elsewhere "canker-worm")): A...
    [smith] The representative in the Authorized Version of the Hebrew word chasil and yelek . Chasil occurs in (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28; Psalms 78:46; Isaiah 33:4; Joel 1:4) and seems to be applied to a locust, perhaps in...
    [nave] CATERPILLAR Sent as a judgment, 1 Kin. 8:37; Psa. 78:46; Psa. 105:34; Jer. 51:27; Joel 1:4; 2:25.

  • Pethuel

    [ebd] vision of God, the father of Joel the prophet (Joel 1:1).
    [isbe] PETHUEL - pe-thu'-el (pethu'el, "God's opening"): Father of Joel the prophet (Joel 1:1).
    [smith] (vision of God), the father of the prophet Joel. (Joel 1:1) (B.C. before 800.)
    [nave] PETHUEL, father of the prophet Joel, Joel 1:1.

  • PALESTINE, 1

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 1 - pal'-es-tin (pelesheth; Phulistieim, Allophuloi; the King James Version Joel 3:4 (the Revised Version (British and American) "Philistia"), "Palestina"; the King James Version Ex 15:14; Isa 14:29,31; compare Ps...

  • Palmer-worm

    [ebd] (Heb. gazam). The English word may denote either a caterpillar (as rendered by the LXX.), which wanders like a palmer or pilgrim, or which travels like pilgrims in bands (Joel 1:4; 2:25), the wingless locusts, or the migrato...
    [isbe] PALMER-WORM - pam'-er-wurm (gazam; Septuagint kampe (Am 4:9; Joel 1:4; 2:25)): "Palmer-worm" means "caterpillar," but the insect meant is probably a kind of locust. See INSECTS; LOCUST.
    [nave] PALMER-WORM, Joel 1:4; 2:25; Amos 4:9.

  • POMEGRANATE

    [ebd] i.e., "grained apple" (pomum granatum), Heb. rimmon. Common in Egypt (Num. 20:5) and Palestine (13:23; Deut. 8:8). The Romans called it Punicum malum, i.e., Carthaginian apple, because they received it from Carthage. It belo...
    [isbe] POMEGRANATE - pom'-gran-at, pom-gran'-at, pum'-gran-at (rimmon (tree and fruit); the Hebrew name is similar to the Arabic, Aramaic and Ethiopic; rhoa): 1. A Tree Characteristic of Palestine: One of the most attractive and mo...

  • Agriculture

    [nave] AGRICULTURE Divine institution of, Gen. 2:15; 3:19, 23. Practiced by Cain, Gen. 4:2; Noah, Gen. 9:20; Elisha, 1 Kin. 19:19; David, 1 Chr. 27:26-31; Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:10; Solomon, Eccl. 2:4-6. God to be acknowledged in, Jer...

  • Apple

    [ebd] (Heb. tappuah, meaning "fragrance"). Probably the apricot or quince is intended by the word, as Palestine was too hot for the growth of apples proper. It is enumerated among the most valuable trees of Palestine (Joel 1:12), ...
    [nave] APPLE, a fruit, Prov. 25:11; Song 2:3, 5; 7:8; 8:5; Joel 1:12.

  • JOEL (2)

    [isbe] JOEL (2) - (yo'el; Ioel): I. THE PROPHET II. THE BOOK 1. Literary Form 2. Outline of Contents 3. Interpretation (1) Literal (2) Allegorical 4. Indications of Date (1) Place in the Canon (2) Language and Style (3) Quotations ...

  • Wine

    [ebd] The common Hebrew word for wine is yayin, from a root meaning "to boil up," "to be in a ferment." Others derive it from a root meaning "to tread out," and hence the juice of the grape trodden out. The Greek word for wine is ...
    [nave] WINE Made from grapes, Gen. 40:11; 49:11; Isa. 25:6; Jer. 40:10, 12; from pomegranates, Song 8:2. Kept in jars, Jer. 13:12; 48:12; in skins, Josh. 9:4, 13; Job 32:19; Matt. 9:17; Luke 5:37, 38; in bottles, Josh. 9:4, 13; Jo...

  • Cankerworm

    [ebd] (Heb. yelek), "the licking locust," which licks up the grass of the field; probably the locust at a certain stage of its growth, just as it emerges from the caterpillar state (Joel 1:4; 2:25). The word is rendered "caterpill...
    [nave] CANKERWORM, sent as a judgment, Joel 1:4; 2:25; Nah. 3:15, 16.

  • VIRGIN, VIRGINITY

    [isbe] VIRGIN, VIRGINITY - vur'-jin; vur-jin'-i-ti: (1) bethulah, from a root meaning "separated," is "a woman living apart," i.e. "in her father's house," and hence "a virgin." Bethulah seems to have been the technical term for "v...

  • Drink-offering

    [ebd] consisted of wine (Num. 15:5; Hos. 9:4) poured around the altar (Ex. 30:9). Joined with meat-offerings (Num. 6:15, 17; 2 Kings 16:13; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:14), presented daily (Ex. 29:40), on the Sabbath (Num. 28:9), and on feast...

  • PALMERWORM

    [smith] (Heb. gazam) occurs (Joel 1:4; 2:25; Amos 4:9) It is maintained by many that gazam denotes some species of locust. but it is more probably a caterpillar.

  • MINISTER

    [smith] This term is used in the Authorized Version to describe various officials of a religious and civil character. Its meaning, as distinguished from servant, is a voluntary attendant on another. In the Old Testament it is applied...

  • Animals

    [nave] ANIMALS Creation of, Gen. 1:24, 25; 2:19; Jer. 27:5. Food of, Gen. 1:30. Named, Gen. 2:20. Ordained as food for mankind, Gen. 9:2, 3; Lev. 11:3, 9, 21, 22; Deut. 14:4-6, 9, 11, 20. God's care of, Gen. 9:9, 10; Deut. 25:4...

  • WINE; WINE PRESS

    [isbe] WINE; WINE PRESS - win, win'-pres: I. Terms. 1. Wine: (1) (~yayin), apparently from a non-Tsere root allied to Greek oinos, Latin vinum, etc. This is the usual word for "wine" and is found 141 times in Massoretic Text. (2) c...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Midianites were Bedouin nomads and descendants of Abraham and Keturah (Gen. 25:2) who occupied the plains that bordered the Arabian desert to the east of Moab and Ammon. They were raiders who descended on the Israelites a...
  • The date of Joel is its largest introductory problem. There are four most likely possibilities. First, some scholars advocate an early pre-exilic dateduring the reign of King Jehoshaphat (872-848 B.C.) or possibly his grandso...
  • Joel's frequent references to Judah and Jerusalem suggest that he lived and ministered in the Southern Kingdom (cf. 1:2, 9, 13-14, 16, 23, 32; 2:1, 14-15, 17, 23; 3:1-8, 12, 14, 17-21)."Joel was a man of vitality and spiritua...
  • The Book of Joel contains a threefold vision.The first part of Joel's vision concerned a locust plague that had recently swept over the Promised Land. Joel prophesied about this plague because of the desolation that it had pr...
  • I. Introduction 1:1II. A past day of the Lord: a locust invasion 1:2-20A. An initial appeal 1:2-4B. A call to mourn 1:5-13C. A call to repent 1:14D. The significance of the plague 1:15-20III. A near future day of the Lord: a ...
  • The rest of chapter 1 describes the effects of a severe locust plague that had recently destroyed the agriculture of the land.
  • 1:2-3 Joel called on everyone, from the most respected ruling elders of the land (cf. 1 Sam. 30:26-31; 2 Sam. 19:11-15; 2 Kings 23:1; Ezra 10:8; Prov. 31:23; Jer. 26:17; Lam. 5:12, 14) to the ordinary inhabitants, to pay atte...
  • Joel called on four different entities to mourn the results of the locust invasion: drunkards (vv. 5-7), the land (vv. 8-10), farmers (vv. 11-12), and priests (v. 13). In each section there is a call to mourn followed by reas...
  • The prophet ordered a trumpet (Heb. shophar, ram's horn) to be blown in Zion (Jerusalem), specifically on the temple mount, to sound an alarm (cf. Jer. 4:5-6; Ezek. 33:2-6).18This shophar was the ancient equivalent of an air ...
  • 2:12-13a Speaking for the Lord, Joel urged his hearers even now--even though judgment was threatened--to repent. However, he clarified that their repentance needed to be wholehearted, not just external. Fasting, weeping, and ...
  • Having given His essential response to the people's repentance, the Lord now explained what He would do in more detail. This section is chiastic with the focus of emphasis on verses 21-24. Verses 19 and 26-27 promise a restor...
  • 2:28-29 After this, namely, after the deliverance from the northern invader just described, God promised to pour out His Spirit on all mankind without gender, age, class, or position distinction.29In Old Testament times God g...
  • 3:18 Joel continued to describe the future day of the Lord, but now he passed from the judgments of the Tribulation to the blessings of the Millennium. The mountains of Israel would be so full of grapevines that they could be...
  • 7:1 Sovereign Yahweh showed Amos a mass of locusts swarming in the springtime after the first harvest and before the second. The Lord was forming this swarm of locusts. The very first crops harvested in the spring went to fee...
  • This section, evidently another message that Nahum delivered concerning Nineveh's fall, begins by comparing it to the fall of another great city. Nahum proceeded to use many figures of speech to describe how various segments ...
  • The Book of Zephaniah has been called "a compendium of the oracles of the prophets."9This is true for two reasons. First, Zephaniah's general message is similar to that of most of the other writing prophets. Second, he used t...
  • What follows is the word that Yahweh gave to Zephaniah during the reign of King Josiah of Judah (640-609 B.C.). This "word"includes all that the Lord told the prophet that He also led him to record for posterity (cf. Hos. 1:1...
  • 9:1 Again John saw a "star"(cf. 6:13; 8:10), but this time the "star"was an intelligent being. If "fallen"(Gr. peptokota) has theological connotations, the "star"may refer to Satan (vv. 2, 11; cf. 1:20; Job. 38:7; Luke 10:18)...
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