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 2:22

2:22 Do not fear, wild animals! ⁴ 

For the pastures of the wilderness are again green with grass.

Indeed, the trees bear their fruit;

the fig tree and the vine yield to their fullest. ⁵ 

Joel 1:7

1:7 They ⁶  have destroyed our ⁷  vines; ⁸ 

they have turned our ⁹  fig trees into mere splinters.

They have completely stripped off the bark ¹⁰  and thrown them aside;

the ¹¹  twigs are stripped bare. ¹² 

Joel 1:19

1:19 To you, O Lord, I call out for help, ¹³ 

for fire ¹⁴  has burned up ¹⁵  the grassy pastures, ¹⁶ 

flames have razed ¹⁷  all the trees in the fields.

Joel 3:18

3:18 On that day ¹⁸  the mountains will drip with sweet wine, ¹⁹ 

and the hills will flow with milk. ²⁰ 

All the dry stream beds ²¹  of Judah will flow with water.

A spring will flow out from the temple ²²  of the Lord,

watering the Valley of Acacia Trees. ²³ 

[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.”

[2:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “beasts of the field.”

[2:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “their strength.” The trees and vines will produce a maximum harvest, in contrast to the failed agricultural conditions previously described.

[1:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “it.” Throughout vv. 6-7 the Hebrew uses singular forms to describe the locust swarm, but the translation uses plural forms because several details of the text make more sense in English as if they are describing the appearance and effects of individual locusts.

[1:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “my.”

[1:7]  ⁹ tn Both “vines” and “fig trees” are singular in the Hebrew text, but are regarded as collective singulars.

[1:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “my.”

[1:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “it has completely stripped her.”

[1:7]  ¹² tn Heb “her.”

[1:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “grow white.”

[1:19]  ¹⁰ tn The phrase “for help” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[1:19]  ¹¹ sn Fire here and in v. 20 is probably not to be understood in a literal sense. The locust plague, accompanied by conditions of extreme drought, has left the countryside looking as though everything has been burned up (so also in Joel 2:3).

[1:19]  ¹² tn Heb “consumed.” This entire line is restated at the end of v. 20.

[1:19]  ¹³ tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”

[1:19]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “a flame has set ablaze.” This fire was one of the effects of the drought.

[3:18]  ¹³ tn Heb “and it will come about in that day.”

[3:18]  ¹⁴ tn Many English translations read “new wine” or “sweet wine,” meaning unfermented wine, i.e., grape juice.

[3:18]  ¹⁵ sn The language used here is a hyperbolic way of describing both a bountiful grape harvest (“the mountains will drip with juice”) and an abundance of cattle (“the hills will flow with milk”). In addition to being hyperbolic, the language is also metonymical (effect for cause).

[3:18]  ¹⁶ tn Or “seasonal streams.”

[3:18]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “house.”

[3:18]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “valley of Shittim.” The exact location of the Valley of Acacia Trees is uncertain. The Hebrew word שִׁטִּים (shittim) refers to a place where the acacia trees grow, which would be a very arid and dry place. The acacia tree can survive in such locations, whereas most other trees require more advantageous conditions. Joel’s point is that the stream that has been mentioned will proceed to the most dry and barren of locations in the vicinity of Jerusalem.