Joel 1:19

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

for fire ²  has burned up ³  the grassy pastures, ⁴ 

flames have razed ⁵  all the trees in the fields.

Joel 2:1

The Locusts’ Devastation

2:1 Blow the trumpet ⁶  in Zion;

sound the alarm signal on my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land shake with fear,

for the day of the Lord is about to come.

Indeed, ⁷  it is near! 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 2:26-27

2:26 You will have plenty to eat,

and your hunger will be fully satisfied; ¹⁴ 

you will praise the name of the Lord your God,

who has acted wondrously in your behalf.

My people will never again be put to shame.

2:27 You will be convinced that I am in the midst of Israel.

I am the Lord your God; there is no other.

My people will never again be put to shame.

Joel 3:8

3:8 I will sell your sons and daughters to ¹⁵  the people of Judah. ¹⁶ 

They will sell them to the Sabeans, ¹⁷  a nation far away.

Indeed, the Lord has spoken!

Joel 3:17

The Lord’s Presence in Zion

3:17 You will be convinced ¹⁸  that I the Lord am your God,

dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain.

Jerusalem ¹⁹  will be holy –

conquering armies ²⁰  will no longer pass through it.

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

[1:19]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “consumed.” This entire line is restated at the end of v. 20.

[1:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”

[1:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “a flame has set ablaze.” This fire was one of the effects of the drought.

[2:1]  ⁶ tn The word translated “trumpet” here (so most English versions) is the Hebrew שׁוֹפָר (shofar). The shophar was a wind instrument made from a cow or ram’s horn and used as a military instrument for calling people to attention in the face of danger or as a religious instrument for calling people to occasions of communal celebration.

[2:1]  ⁷ tn Or “for.”

[2:1]  ⁸ sn The interpretation of 2:1-11 is very difficult. Four views may be mentioned here. (1) Some commentators understand this section to be describing a human invasion of Judah on the part of an ancient army. The exact identity of this army (e.g., Assyrian or Babylonian) varies among interpreters depending upon issues of dating for the book of Joel. (2) Some commentators take the section to describe an eschatological scene in which the army according to some is human, or according to others is nonhuman (i.e., angelic). (3) Some interpreters argue for taking the section to refer to the potential advent in the fall season of a severe east wind (i.e., Sirocco) that would further exacerbate the conditions of the land described in chapter one. (4) Finally, some interpreters understand the section to continue the discussion of locust invasion and drought described in chapter one, partly on the basis that there is no clear exegetical evidence in 2:1-11 to suggest a shift of referent from that of chapter one.

[2:23]  ¹¹ tn Heb “sons of Zion.”

[2:23]  ¹² tn Heb “be glad in the Lord your God.”

[2:23]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “caused to come down.”

[2:23]  ¹⁵ 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.

[2:26]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “you will surely eat and be satisfied.”

[3:8]  ²¹ tn Heb “into the hand of.”

[3:8]  ²² tn Heb “the sons of Judah.”

[3:8]  ²³ sn The Sabeans were Arabian merchants who were influential along the ancient caravan routes that traveled through Arabia. See also Job 1:15; Isa 43:3; 45:14; Ps 72:10.

[3:17]  ²⁶ tn Heb “know.”

[3:17]  ²⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:17]  ²⁸ tn Heb “strangers” or “foreigners.” In context, this refers to invasions by conquering armies.