Joel 2:25

2:25 I will make up for the years ¹ 

that the ‘arbeh-locust ²  consumed your crops ³  –

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

my great army ⁴  that I sent against you.

Joel 3:4

3:4 Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon? ⁵ 

Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia? ⁶ 

I will very quickly repay you for what you have done! ⁷ 

[2:25]  ¹ tn Heb “I will restore to you the years.”

[2:25]  ² 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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.

[3:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “What [are] you [doing] to me, O Tyre and Sidon?”

[3:4]  ⁶ tn Or “districts.”

[3:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “quickly, speedily, I will return your recompense on your head.” This is an idiom for retributive justice and an equitable reversal of situation.