2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;
they do so right 1 beside every altar!
They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;
they do so right in the temple 2 of their God! 3
3:3 and they cast lots for my people.
They traded 4 a boy for a prostitute;
they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink. 5
1 tn The words “They do so right” are supplied twice in the translation of this verse for clarification.
2 tn Heb “house.”
3 tn Or “gods.” The Hebrew term אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (’elohehem) may be translated “their gods” (referring to pagan gods), “their god” (referring to a pagan god, cf. NAB, NIV, NLT), or “their God” (referring to the God of Israel, cf. NASB, NRSV).
4 tn Heb “gave.”
5 sn Heb “and they drank.” Joel vividly refers to a situation where innocent human life has little value; its only worth is its use in somehow satisfying selfish appetites of wicked people who have control over others (cf. Amos 2:6 and 8:6).