Joel 2:21-24

2:21 Do not fear, my land!

Rejoice and be glad,

because the Lord has accomplished great things!

2:22 Do not fear, wild animals! ¹ 

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. ² 

2:23 Citizens of Zion, ³  rejoice!

Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! ⁴ 

For he has given to you the early rains ⁵  as vindication.

He has sent ⁶  to you the rains –

both the early and the late rains ⁷  as formerly.

2:24 The threshing floors are full of grain;

the vats overflow with fresh wine and olive oil.

[2:22]  ¹ tn Heb “beasts of the field.”

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

[2:23]  ³ tn Heb “sons of Zion.”

[2:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “be glad in the Lord your God.”

[2:23]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “caused to come down.”

[2:23]  ⁷ 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.