Joel 1:12

1:12 The vine has dried up;

the fig tree languishes –

the pomegranate, date, and apple ¹  as well.

In fact, ²  all the trees of the field have dried up.

Indeed, the joy of the people ³  has dried up!

Joel 2:13-14

2:13 Return to the Lord your God,

for he is merciful and compassionate,

slow to anger and boundless in loyal love ⁴  – often relenting from calamitous punishment. ⁵ 

2:14 Who knows?

Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, ⁶ 

and leave blessing in his wake ⁷  –

a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God! ⁸ 

Joel 2:23

2:23 Citizens of Zion, ⁹  rejoice!

Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! ¹⁰ 

For he has given to you the early rains ¹¹  as vindication.

He has sent ¹²  to you the rains –

both the early and the late rains ¹³  as formerly.

Joel 2:25

2:25 I will make up for the years ¹⁴ 

that the ‘arbeh-locust ¹⁵  consumed your crops ¹⁶  –

the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust –

my great army ¹⁷  that I sent against you.

[1:12]  ¹ tn This Hebrew word וְתַפּוּחַ (vÿtappuakh) probably refers to the apple tree (so most English versions), but other suggestions that scholars have offered include the apricot, citron, or quince.

[1:12]  ² tn These words are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:12]  ³ tn Heb “the sons of man.”

[2:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “and great of loyal love.”

[2:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he relents from calamity.”

[2:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “turn” or “turn back.”

[2:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “leave a blessing behind him.”

[2:14]  ⁹ tn The phrase “for you to offer” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[2:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “sons of Zion.”

[2:23]  ¹¹ tn Heb “be glad in the Lord your God.”

[2:23]  ¹² tn Normally the Hebrew word הַמּוֹרֶה (hammoreh) means “the teacher,” but here and in Ps 84:7 it refers to “early rains.” Elsewhere the word for “early rains” is יוֹרֶה (yoreh). The phrase here הַמּוֹרֶה לִצְדָקָה (hammoreh litsdaqah) is similar to the expression “teacher of righteousness” (Heb., מוֹרֶה הַצֶּדֶק , moreh hatsedeq) found in the Dead Sea Scrolls referring to a particular charismatic leader, although the Qumran community seems not to have invoked this text in support of that notion.

[2:23]  ¹³ tn Heb “caused to come down.”

[2:23]  ¹⁴ sn For half the year Palestine is generally dry. The rainy season begins with the early rains usually in late October to early December, followed by the latter rains in March and April. Without these rains productive farming would not be possible, as Joel’s original readers knew only too well.

[2:25]  ¹³ tn Heb “I will restore to you the years.”

[2:25]  ¹⁴ sn The same four terms for locust are used here as in 1:4, but in a different order. This fact creates some difficulty for the notion that the four words refer to four distinct stages of locust development.

[2:25]  ¹⁵ tn The term “your crops” does not appear in the Hebrew, but has been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[2:25]  ¹⁶ sn Here Joel employs military language to describe the locusts. In the prophet’s thinking this invasion was far from being a freak accident. Rather, the Lord is pictured here as a divine warrior who leads his army into the land as a punishment for past sin and as a means of bringing about spiritual renewal on the part of the people.