Yoel 1:15
Konteks1:15 How awful that day will be! 1
For the day of the Lord is near;
it will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer. 2
Yoel 1:2
Konteks1:2 Listen to this, you elders; 3
pay attention, 4 all inhabitants of the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your whole life 5
or in the lifetime 6 of your ancestors? 7
Yoel 1:1-20
Konteks1:1 This 8 is the Lord’s message 9 that was given 10
to Joel 11 the son of Pethuel:
1:2 Listen to this, you elders; 12
pay attention, 13 all inhabitants of the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your whole life 14
or in the lifetime 15 of your ancestors? 16
1:3 Tell your children 17 about it,
have your children tell their children,
and their children the following generation. 18
1:4 What the gazam-locust left the ‘arbeh-locust consumed, 19
what the ‘arbeh-locust left the yeleq-locust consumed,
and what the yeleq-locust left the hasil-locust consumed! 20
1:5 Wake up, you drunkards, 21 and weep!
Wail, all you wine drinkers, 22
because the sweet wine 23 has been taken away 24 from you. 25
1:6 For a nation 26 has invaded 27 our 28 land.
There are so many of them they are too numerous to count. 29
Their teeth are like those 30 of a lion;
they tear apart their prey like a lioness. 31
1:7 They 32 have destroyed our 33 vines; 34
they have turned our 35 fig trees into mere splinters.
They have completely stripped off the bark 36 and thrown them aside;
the 37 twigs are stripped bare. 38
1:8 Wail 39 like a young virgin 40 clothed in sackcloth,
lamenting the death of 41 her husband-to-be. 42
1:9 No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings
to the temple 43 of the Lord anymore. 44
So the priests, those who serve the Lord, are in mourning.
1:10 The crops of the fields 45 have been destroyed. 46
The ground is in mourning because the grain has perished.
The fresh wine has dried up;
the olive oil languishes.
1:11 Be distressed, 47 farmers;
wail, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley.
For the harvest of the field has perished.
1:12 The vine has dried up;
the fig tree languishes –
the pomegranate, date, and apple 48 as well.
In fact, 49 all the trees of the field have dried up.
Indeed, the joy of the people 50 has dried up!
1:13 Get dressed 51 and lament, you priests!
Wail, you who minister at the altar!
Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God,
because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings
to the temple of your God anymore. 52
proclaim a sacred assembly.
Gather the elders and 54 all the inhabitants of the land
to the temple of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
1:15 How awful that day will be! 55
For the day of the Lord is near;
it will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer. 56
1:16 Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! 57
There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God! 58
1:17 The grains of seed 59 have shriveled beneath their shovels. 60
Storehouses have been decimated
and granaries have been torn down, for the grain has dried up.
1:18 Listen to the cattle groan! 61
The herds of livestock wander around in confusion 62
because they have no pasture.
Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
1:19 To you, O Lord, I call out for help, 63
for fire 64 has burned up 65 the grassy pastures, 66
flames have razed 67 all the trees in the fields.
1:20 Even the wild animals 68 cry out to you; 69
for the river beds 70 have dried up;
fire has destroyed 71 the grassy pastures. 72
Yoel 1:1-20
Konteks1:1 This 73 is the Lord’s message 74 that was given 75
to Joel 76 the son of Pethuel:
1:2 Listen to this, you elders; 77
pay attention, 78 all inhabitants of the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your whole life 79
or in the lifetime 80 of your ancestors? 81
1:3 Tell your children 82 about it,
have your children tell their children,
and their children the following generation. 83
1:4 What the gazam-locust left the ‘arbeh-locust consumed, 84
what the ‘arbeh-locust left the yeleq-locust consumed,
and what the yeleq-locust left the hasil-locust consumed! 85
1:5 Wake up, you drunkards, 86 and weep!
Wail, all you wine drinkers, 87
because the sweet wine 88 has been taken away 89 from you. 90
1:6 For a nation 91 has invaded 92 our 93 land.
There are so many of them they are too numerous to count. 94
Their teeth are like those 95 of a lion;
they tear apart their prey like a lioness. 96
1:7 They 97 have destroyed our 98 vines; 99
they have turned our 100 fig trees into mere splinters.
They have completely stripped off the bark 101 and thrown them aside;
the 102 twigs are stripped bare. 103
1:8 Wail 104 like a young virgin 105 clothed in sackcloth,
lamenting the death of 106 her husband-to-be. 107
1:9 No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings
to the temple 108 of the Lord anymore. 109
So the priests, those who serve the Lord, are in mourning.
1:10 The crops of the fields 110 have been destroyed. 111
The ground is in mourning because the grain has perished.
The fresh wine has dried up;
the olive oil languishes.
1:11 Be distressed, 112 farmers;
wail, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley.
For the harvest of the field has perished.
1:12 The vine has dried up;
the fig tree languishes –
the pomegranate, date, and apple 113 as well.
In fact, 114 all the trees of the field have dried up.
Indeed, the joy of the people 115 has dried up!
1:13 Get dressed 116 and lament, you priests!
Wail, you who minister at the altar!
Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God,
because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings
to the temple of your God anymore. 117
1:14 Announce a holy fast; 118
proclaim a sacred assembly.
Gather the elders and 119 all the inhabitants of the land
to the temple of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
1:15 How awful that day will be! 120
For the day of the Lord is near;
it will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer. 121
1:16 Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! 122
There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God! 123
1:17 The grains of seed 124 have shriveled beneath their shovels. 125
Storehouses have been decimated
and granaries have been torn down, for the grain has dried up.
1:18 Listen to the cattle groan! 126
The herds of livestock wander around in confusion 127
because they have no pasture.
Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
1:19 To you, O Lord, I call out for help, 128
for fire 129 has burned up 130 the grassy pastures, 131
flames have razed 132 all the trees in the fields.
1:20 Even the wild animals 133 cry out to you; 134
for the river beds 135 have dried up;
fire has destroyed 136 the grassy pastures. 137
Yoel 1:1-20
Konteks1:1 This 138 is the Lord’s message 139 that was given 140
to Joel 141 the son of Pethuel:
1:2 Listen to this, you elders; 142
pay attention, 143 all inhabitants of the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your whole life 144
or in the lifetime 145 of your ancestors? 146
1:3 Tell your children 147 about it,
have your children tell their children,
and their children the following generation. 148
1:4 What the gazam-locust left the ‘arbeh-locust consumed, 149
what the ‘arbeh-locust left the yeleq-locust consumed,
and what the yeleq-locust left the hasil-locust consumed! 150
1:5 Wake up, you drunkards, 151 and weep!
Wail, all you wine drinkers, 152
because the sweet wine 153 has been taken away 154 from you. 155
1:6 For a nation 156 has invaded 157 our 158 land.
There are so many of them they are too numerous to count. 159
Their teeth are like those 160 of a lion;
they tear apart their prey like a lioness. 161
1:7 They 162 have destroyed our 163 vines; 164
they have turned our 165 fig trees into mere splinters.
They have completely stripped off the bark 166 and thrown them aside;
the 167 twigs are stripped bare. 168
1:8 Wail 169 like a young virgin 170 clothed in sackcloth,
lamenting the death of 171 her husband-to-be. 172
1:9 No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings
to the temple 173 of the Lord anymore. 174
So the priests, those who serve the Lord, are in mourning.
1:10 The crops of the fields 175 have been destroyed. 176
The ground is in mourning because the grain has perished.
The fresh wine has dried up;
the olive oil languishes.
1:11 Be distressed, 177 farmers;
wail, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley.
For the harvest of the field has perished.
1:12 The vine has dried up;
the fig tree languishes –
the pomegranate, date, and apple 178 as well.
In fact, 179 all the trees of the field have dried up.
Indeed, the joy of the people 180 has dried up!
1:13 Get dressed 181 and lament, you priests!
Wail, you who minister at the altar!
Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God,
because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings
to the temple of your God anymore. 182
1:14 Announce a holy fast; 183
proclaim a sacred assembly.
Gather the elders and 184 all the inhabitants of the land
to the temple of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
1:15 How awful that day will be! 185
For the day of the Lord is near;
it will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer. 186
1:16 Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! 187
There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God! 188
1:17 The grains of seed 189 have shriveled beneath their shovels. 190
Storehouses have been decimated
and granaries have been torn down, for the grain has dried up.
1:18 Listen to the cattle groan! 191
The herds of livestock wander around in confusion 192
because they have no pasture.
Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
1:19 To you, O Lord, I call out for help, 193
for fire 194 has burned up 195 the grassy pastures, 196
flames have razed 197 all the trees in the fields.
1:20 Even the wild animals 198 cry out to you; 199
for the river beds 200 have dried up;
fire has destroyed 201 the grassy pastures. 202
Yoel 3:14
Konteks3:14 Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision,
for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! 203
[1:15] 1 tn Heb “Alas for the day!”
[1:15] 2 tn There is a wordplay in Hebrew here with the word used for “destruction” (שׁוֹד, shod) and the term used for God (שַׁדַּי, shadday). The exact meaning of “Shaddai” in the OT is somewhat uncertain, although the ancient versions and many modern English versions tend to translate it as “Almighty” (e.g., Greek παντοκράτωρ [pantokratwr], Latin omnipotens). Here it might be rendered “Destroyer,” with the thought being that “destruction will come from the Divine Destroyer,” which should not be misunderstood as a reference to the destroying angel. The name “Shaddai” (outside Genesis and without the element “El” [“God”]) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14, Isa 13:6, and the present passage, Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.
[1:2] 3 sn Elders here refers not necessarily to men advanced in years, but to leaders within the community.
[1:2] 5 tn Heb “days.” The term “days” functions here as a synecdoche for one’s lifespan.
[1:1] 8 sn The dating of the book of Joel is a matter of dispute. Some scholars date the book as early as the ninth century
[1:1] 9 tn Heb “the word of the
[1:1] 10 tn Heb “that was.” The term “given” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[1:1] 11 sn The name Joel means in Hebrew “the
[1:2] 12 sn Elders here refers not necessarily to men advanced in years, but to leaders within the community.
[1:2] 14 tn Heb “days.” The term “days” functions here as a synecdoche for one’s lifespan.
[1:3] 17 tn Heb “sons.” This word occurs several times in this verse.
[1:3] 18 sn The circumstances that precipitated the book of Joel surrounded a locust invasion in Palestine that was of unprecedented proportions. The locusts had devastated the country’s agrarian economy, with the unwelcome consequences extending to every important aspect of commercial, religious, and national life. To further complicate matters, a severe drought had exhausted water supplies, causing life-threatening shortages for animal and human life (cf. v. 20). Locust invasions occasionally present significant problems in Palestine in modern times. The year 1865 was commonly known among Arabic-speaking peoples of the Near East as sent el jarad, “year of the locust.” The years 1892, 1899, and 1904 witnessed significant locust invasions in Palestine. But in modern times there has been nothing equal in magnitude to the great locust invasion that began in Palestine in February of 1915. This modern parallel provides valuable insight into the locust plague the prophet Joel points to as a foreshadowing of the day of the Lord. For an eyewitness account of the 1915 locust invasion of Palestine see J. D. Whiting, “Jerusalem’s Locust Plague,” National Geographic 28 (December 1915): 511-50.
[1:4] 19 tn Heb “eaten.” This verb is repeated three times in v. 4 to emphasize the total devastation of the crops by this locust invasion.
[1:4] 20 tn The four Hebrew terms used in this verse are of uncertain meaning. English translations show a great deal of variation in dealing with these: (1) For ָגּזָם (gazam) KJV has “palmerworm,” NEB “locust,” NAB “cutter”, NASB “gnawing locust,” NIV “locust swarm,” NKJV “chewing locust,” NRSV, NLT “cutting locust(s),” NIrV “giant locusts”; (2) for אַרְבֶּה (’arbeh) KJV has “locust,” NEB “swarm,” NAB “locust swarm,” NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NLT “swarming locust(s),” NIV “great locusts,” NIrV “common locusts”; (3) for יֶלֶק (yeleq) KJV has “cankerworm,” NEB “hopper,” NAB “grasshopper,” NASB “creeping locust,” NIV, NIrV “young locusts,” NKJV “crawling locust,” NRSV, NLT “hopping locust(s)”; (4) for חָסִיל (khasil) KJV has “caterpillar,” NEB “grub,” NAB “devourer,” NASB, NLT “stripping locust(s),” NIV, NIrV “other locusts,” NKJV “consuming locust,” NRSV “destroying locust.” It is debated whether the Hebrew terms describe different species of locusts or similar insects or different developmental stages of the same species, or are virtual synonyms. While the last seems more likely, given the uncertainty over their exact meaning, the present translation has transliterated the Hebrew terms in combination with the word “locust.”
[1:4] sn Four different words for “locust” are used in this verse. Whether these words represent different life-stages of the locusts, or whether virtual synonyms are being used to underscore the severity of damage caused by the relentless waves of locust invasion, is not entirely certain. The latter seems more likely. Many interpreters have understood the locust plagues described here to be symbolic of invading armies that will devastate the land, but the symbolism could also work the other way, with real plagues of locusts described in the following verses as an invading army.
[1:5] 21 sn The word drunkards has a double edge here. Those accustomed to drinking too much must now lament the unavailability of wine. It also may hint that the people in general have become religiously inebriated and are unresponsive to the Lord. They are, as it were, drunkards from a spiritual standpoint.
[1:5] 22 sn Joel addresses the first of three groups particularly affected by the locust plague. In v. 5 he describes the effects on the drunkards, who no longer have a ready supply of intoxicating wine; in vv. 11-12 he describes the effects on the farmers, who have watched their labors come to naught because of the insect infestation; and in vv. 13-14 he describes the effects on the priests, who are no longer able to offer grain sacrifices and libations in the temple.
[1:5] 23 tn Heb “over the sweet wine, because it.” Cf. KJV, NIV, TEV, NLT “new wine.”
[1:5] 24 tn Heb “cut off” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “will be withheld.”
[1:5] 25 tn Heb “your mouth.” This is a synecdoche of part (the mouth) for whole (the person).
[1:6] 26 sn As becomes increasingly clear in what follows, this nation is to be understood figuratively. It refers to the locust invasion as viewed from the standpoint of its methodical, destructive advance across the land (BDB 156 s.v. גּוֹי 2). This term is used figuratively to refer to animals one other time (Zeph 2:14).
[1:6] 27 tn Heb “has come up against.”
[1:6] 29 tn Heb “[It] is huge and there is not number.”
[1:6] 30 tn Heb “its teeth are the teeth of a lion.”
[1:6] 31 tn Heb “its incisors are those of a lioness.” The sharp, cutting teeth are metonymical for the action of tearing apart and eating prey. The language is clearly hyperbolic. Neither locusts nor human invaders literally have teeth of this size. The prophet is using exaggerated and picturesque language to portray in vivid terms the enormity of the calamity. English versions vary greatly on the specifics: KJV “cheek teeth”; ASV “jaw-teeth”; NAB “molars”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “fangs.”
[1:7] 32 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] 34 tn Both “vines” and “fig trees” are singular in the Hebrew text, but are regarded as collective singulars.
[1:7] 36 tn Heb “it has completely stripped her.”
[1:7] sn Once choice leafy vegetation is no longer available to them, locusts have been known to consume the bark of small tree limbs, leaving them in an exposed and vulnerable condition. It is apparently this whitened condition of limbs that Joel is referring to here.
[1:8] 39 sn The verb is feminine singular, raising a question concerning its intended antecedent. A plural verb would be expected here, the idea being that all the inhabitants of the land should grieve. Perhaps Joel is thinking specifically of the city of Jerusalem, albeit in a representative sense. The choice of the feminine singular verb form has probably been influenced to some extent by the allusion to the young widow in the simile of v. 8.
[1:8] 40 tn Or “a young woman” (TEV, CEV). See the note on the phrase “husband-to-be” in the next line.
[1:8] 41 tn Heb “over the death of.” The term “lamenting” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.
[1:8] 42 sn Heb “the husband of her youth.” The woman described here may already be married, so the reference is to the death of a husband rather than a fiancé (a husband-to-be). Either way, the simile describes a painful and unexpected loss to which the national tragedy Joel is describing may be compared.
[1:9] 43 tn Heb “house.” So also in vv. 13, 14, 16.
[1:9] 44 tn Heb “grain offering and drink offering are cut off from the house of the
[1:10] 45 tn Heb “the field has been utterly destroyed.” The term “field,” a collective singular for “fields,” is a metonymy for crops produced by the fields.
[1:10] 46 tn Joel uses intentionally alliterative language in the phrases שֻׁדַּד שָׂדֶה (shuddad sadeh, “the field is destroyed”) and אֲבְלָה אֲדָמָה (’avlah ’adamah, “the ground is in mourning”).
[1:11] 47 tn Heb “embarrassed”; or “be ashamed.”
[1:12] 48 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] 49 tn These words are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:12] 50 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
[1:13] 51 tn Heb “put on.” There is no object present in the Hebrew text, but many translations assume “sackcloth” to be the understood object of the verb “put on.” Its absence in the Hebrew text of v. 13 is probably due to metrical considerations. The meter here is 3 + 3, and that has probably influenced the prophet’s choice of words.
[1:13] 52 tn Heb “for grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.”
[1:14] 53 tn Heb “consecrate a fast” (so NASB).
[1:14] 54 tc The conjunction “and” does not appear in MT or LXX, but does appear in some Qumran texts (4QXIIc and 4QXIIg).
[1:15] 55 tn Heb “Alas for the day!”
[1:15] 56 tn There is a wordplay in Hebrew here with the word used for “destruction” (שׁוֹד, shod) and the term used for God (שַׁדַּי, shadday). The exact meaning of “Shaddai” in the OT is somewhat uncertain, although the ancient versions and many modern English versions tend to translate it as “Almighty” (e.g., Greek παντοκράτωρ [pantokratwr], Latin omnipotens). Here it might be rendered “Destroyer,” with the thought being that “destruction will come from the Divine Destroyer,” which should not be misunderstood as a reference to the destroying angel. The name “Shaddai” (outside Genesis and without the element “El” [“God”]) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14, Isa 13:6, and the present passage, Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.
[1:16] 57 tn Heb “Has not the food been cut off right before our eyes?” This rhetorical question expects an affirmative answer; the question has been translated as an affirmation for the sake of clarity and emphasis.
[1:16] 58 tn Heb “joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Verse 16b is a continuation of the rhetorical question begun in v. 16a, but has been translated as an affirmative statement to make the meaning clear. The words “There is no longer any” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 59 tn Heb “seed.” The phrase “the grains of” does not appear in the Hebrew, but has been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[1:17] 60 tc This line is textually uncertain. The MT reads “the seed shrivels in their shovels/clods.” One Qumran manuscript (4QXXIIc) reads “the heifers decay in [their] s[talls].” LXX reads “the heifers leap in their stalls.”
[1:17] tn These two lines of v. 17 comprise only four words in the Hebrew; three of the four are found only here in the OT. The translation and meaning are rather uncertain. A number of English versions render the word translated “shovels” as “clods,” referring to lumps of soil (e.g., KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[1:18] 61 tn Heb “how the cattle groan!”
[1:18] 62 tn Heb “the herds of cattle are confused.” The verb בּוּךְ (bukh, “be confused”) sometimes refers to wandering aimlessly in confusion (cf. Exod 14:3).
[1:19] 63 tn The phrase “for help” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:19] 64 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] 65 tn Heb “consumed.” This entire line is restated at the end of v. 20.
[1:19] 66 tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”
[1:19] 67 tn Heb “a flame has set ablaze.” This fire was one of the effects of the drought.
[1:20] 68 tn Heb “beasts of the field.”
[1:20] 69 tn Heb “long for you.” Animals of course do not have religious sensibilities as such; they do not in any literal sense long for Yahweh. Rather, the language here is figurative (metonymy of cause for effect). The animals long for food and water (so BDB 788 s.v. עָרַג), the ultimate source of which is Yahweh.
[1:20] 70 tn Heb “sources of water.”
[1:20] 72 tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”
[1:1] 73 sn The dating of the book of Joel is a matter of dispute. Some scholars date the book as early as the ninth century
[1:1] 74 tn Heb “the word of the
[1:1] 75 tn Heb “that was.” The term “given” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[1:1] 76 sn The name Joel means in Hebrew “the
[1:2] 77 sn Elders here refers not necessarily to men advanced in years, but to leaders within the community.
[1:2] 79 tn Heb “days.” The term “days” functions here as a synecdoche for one’s lifespan.
[1:3] 82 tn Heb “sons.” This word occurs several times in this verse.
[1:3] 83 sn The circumstances that precipitated the book of Joel surrounded a locust invasion in Palestine that was of unprecedented proportions. The locusts had devastated the country’s agrarian economy, with the unwelcome consequences extending to every important aspect of commercial, religious, and national life. To further complicate matters, a severe drought had exhausted water supplies, causing life-threatening shortages for animal and human life (cf. v. 20). Locust invasions occasionally present significant problems in Palestine in modern times. The year 1865 was commonly known among Arabic-speaking peoples of the Near East as sent el jarad, “year of the locust.” The years 1892, 1899, and 1904 witnessed significant locust invasions in Palestine. But in modern times there has been nothing equal in magnitude to the great locust invasion that began in Palestine in February of 1915. This modern parallel provides valuable insight into the locust plague the prophet Joel points to as a foreshadowing of the day of the Lord. For an eyewitness account of the 1915 locust invasion of Palestine see J. D. Whiting, “Jerusalem’s Locust Plague,” National Geographic 28 (December 1915): 511-50.
[1:4] 84 tn Heb “eaten.” This verb is repeated three times in v. 4 to emphasize the total devastation of the crops by this locust invasion.
[1:4] 85 tn The four Hebrew terms used in this verse are of uncertain meaning. English translations show a great deal of variation in dealing with these: (1) For ָגּזָם (gazam) KJV has “palmerworm,” NEB “locust,” NAB “cutter”, NASB “gnawing locust,” NIV “locust swarm,” NKJV “chewing locust,” NRSV, NLT “cutting locust(s),” NIrV “giant locusts”; (2) for אַרְבֶּה (’arbeh) KJV has “locust,” NEB “swarm,” NAB “locust swarm,” NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NLT “swarming locust(s),” NIV “great locusts,” NIrV “common locusts”; (3) for יֶלֶק (yeleq) KJV has “cankerworm,” NEB “hopper,” NAB “grasshopper,” NASB “creeping locust,” NIV, NIrV “young locusts,” NKJV “crawling locust,” NRSV, NLT “hopping locust(s)”; (4) for חָסִיל (khasil) KJV has “caterpillar,” NEB “grub,” NAB “devourer,” NASB, NLT “stripping locust(s),” NIV, NIrV “other locusts,” NKJV “consuming locust,” NRSV “destroying locust.” It is debated whether the Hebrew terms describe different species of locusts or similar insects or different developmental stages of the same species, or are virtual synonyms. While the last seems more likely, given the uncertainty over their exact meaning, the present translation has transliterated the Hebrew terms in combination with the word “locust.”
[1:4] sn Four different words for “locust” are used in this verse. Whether these words represent different life-stages of the locusts, or whether virtual synonyms are being used to underscore the severity of damage caused by the relentless waves of locust invasion, is not entirely certain. The latter seems more likely. Many interpreters have understood the locust plagues described here to be symbolic of invading armies that will devastate the land, but the symbolism could also work the other way, with real plagues of locusts described in the following verses as an invading army.
[1:5] 86 sn The word drunkards has a double edge here. Those accustomed to drinking too much must now lament the unavailability of wine. It also may hint that the people in general have become religiously inebriated and are unresponsive to the Lord. They are, as it were, drunkards from a spiritual standpoint.
[1:5] 87 sn Joel addresses the first of three groups particularly affected by the locust plague. In v. 5 he describes the effects on the drunkards, who no longer have a ready supply of intoxicating wine; in vv. 11-12 he describes the effects on the farmers, who have watched their labors come to naught because of the insect infestation; and in vv. 13-14 he describes the effects on the priests, who are no longer able to offer grain sacrifices and libations in the temple.
[1:5] 88 tn Heb “over the sweet wine, because it.” Cf. KJV, NIV, TEV, NLT “new wine.”
[1:5] 89 tn Heb “cut off” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “will be withheld.”
[1:5] 90 tn Heb “your mouth.” This is a synecdoche of part (the mouth) for whole (the person).
[1:6] 91 sn As becomes increasingly clear in what follows, this nation is to be understood figuratively. It refers to the locust invasion as viewed from the standpoint of its methodical, destructive advance across the land (BDB 156 s.v. גּוֹי 2). This term is used figuratively to refer to animals one other time (Zeph 2:14).
[1:6] 92 tn Heb “has come up against.”
[1:6] 94 tn Heb “[It] is huge and there is not number.”
[1:6] 95 tn Heb “its teeth are the teeth of a lion.”
[1:6] 96 tn Heb “its incisors are those of a lioness.” The sharp, cutting teeth are metonymical for the action of tearing apart and eating prey. The language is clearly hyperbolic. Neither locusts nor human invaders literally have teeth of this size. The prophet is using exaggerated and picturesque language to portray in vivid terms the enormity of the calamity. English versions vary greatly on the specifics: KJV “cheek teeth”; ASV “jaw-teeth”; NAB “molars”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “fangs.”
[1:7] 97 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] 99 tn Both “vines” and “fig trees” are singular in the Hebrew text, but are regarded as collective singulars.
[1:7] 101 tn Heb “it has completely stripped her.”
[1:7] 103 tn Heb “grow white.”
[1:7] sn Once choice leafy vegetation is no longer available to them, locusts have been known to consume the bark of small tree limbs, leaving them in an exposed and vulnerable condition. It is apparently this whitened condition of limbs that Joel is referring to here.
[1:8] 104 sn The verb is feminine singular, raising a question concerning its intended antecedent. A plural verb would be expected here, the idea being that all the inhabitants of the land should grieve. Perhaps Joel is thinking specifically of the city of Jerusalem, albeit in a representative sense. The choice of the feminine singular verb form has probably been influenced to some extent by the allusion to the young widow in the simile of v. 8.
[1:8] 105 tn Or “a young woman” (TEV, CEV). See the note on the phrase “husband-to-be” in the next line.
[1:8] 106 tn Heb “over the death of.” The term “lamenting” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.
[1:8] 107 sn Heb “the husband of her youth.” The woman described here may already be married, so the reference is to the death of a husband rather than a fiancé (a husband-to-be). Either way, the simile describes a painful and unexpected loss to which the national tragedy Joel is describing may be compared.
[1:9] 108 tn Heb “house.” So also in vv. 13, 14, 16.
[1:9] 109 tn Heb “grain offering and drink offering are cut off from the house of the
[1:10] 110 tn Heb “the field has been utterly destroyed.” The term “field,” a collective singular for “fields,” is a metonymy for crops produced by the fields.
[1:10] 111 tn Joel uses intentionally alliterative language in the phrases שֻׁדַּד שָׂדֶה (shuddad sadeh, “the field is destroyed”) and אֲבְלָה אֲדָמָה (’avlah ’adamah, “the ground is in mourning”).
[1:11] 112 tn Heb “embarrassed”; or “be ashamed.”
[1:12] 113 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] 114 tn These words are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:12] 115 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
[1:13] 116 tn Heb “put on.” There is no object present in the Hebrew text, but many translations assume “sackcloth” to be the understood object of the verb “put on.” Its absence in the Hebrew text of v. 13 is probably due to metrical considerations. The meter here is 3 + 3, and that has probably influenced the prophet’s choice of words.
[1:13] 117 tn Heb “for grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.”
[1:14] 118 tn Heb “consecrate a fast” (so NASB).
[1:14] 119 tc The conjunction “and” does not appear in MT or LXX, but does appear in some Qumran texts (4QXIIc and 4QXIIg).
[1:15] 120 tn Heb “Alas for the day!”
[1:15] 121 tn There is a wordplay in Hebrew here with the word used for “destruction” (שׁוֹד, shod) and the term used for God (שַׁדַּי, shadday). The exact meaning of “Shaddai” in the OT is somewhat uncertain, although the ancient versions and many modern English versions tend to translate it as “Almighty” (e.g., Greek παντοκράτωρ [pantokratwr], Latin omnipotens). Here it might be rendered “Destroyer,” with the thought being that “destruction will come from the Divine Destroyer,” which should not be misunderstood as a reference to the destroying angel. The name “Shaddai” (outside Genesis and without the element “El” [“God”]) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14, Isa 13:6, and the present passage, Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.
[1:16] 122 tn Heb “Has not the food been cut off right before our eyes?” This rhetorical question expects an affirmative answer; the question has been translated as an affirmation for the sake of clarity and emphasis.
[1:16] 123 tn Heb “joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Verse 16b is a continuation of the rhetorical question begun in v. 16a, but has been translated as an affirmative statement to make the meaning clear. The words “There is no longer any” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 124 tn Heb “seed.” The phrase “the grains of” does not appear in the Hebrew, but has been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[1:17] 125 tc This line is textually uncertain. The MT reads “the seed shrivels in their shovels/clods.” One Qumran manuscript (4QXXIIc) reads “the heifers decay in [their] s[talls].” LXX reads “the heifers leap in their stalls.”
[1:17] tn These two lines of v. 17 comprise only four words in the Hebrew; three of the four are found only here in the OT. The translation and meaning are rather uncertain. A number of English versions render the word translated “shovels” as “clods,” referring to lumps of soil (e.g., KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[1:18] 126 tn Heb “how the cattle groan!”
[1:18] 127 tn Heb “the herds of cattle are confused.” The verb בּוּךְ (bukh, “be confused”) sometimes refers to wandering aimlessly in confusion (cf. Exod 14:3).
[1:19] 128 tn The phrase “for help” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:19] 129 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] 130 tn Heb “consumed.” This entire line is restated at the end of v. 20.
[1:19] 131 tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”
[1:19] 132 tn Heb “a flame has set ablaze.” This fire was one of the effects of the drought.
[1:20] 133 tn Heb “beasts of the field.”
[1:20] 134 tn Heb “long for you.” Animals of course do not have religious sensibilities as such; they do not in any literal sense long for Yahweh. Rather, the language here is figurative (metonymy of cause for effect). The animals long for food and water (so BDB 788 s.v. עָרַג), the ultimate source of which is Yahweh.
[1:20] 135 tn Heb “sources of water.”
[1:20] 137 tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”
[1:1] 138 sn The dating of the book of Joel is a matter of dispute. Some scholars date the book as early as the ninth century
[1:1] 139 tn Heb “the word of the
[1:1] 140 tn Heb “that was.” The term “given” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[1:1] 141 sn The name Joel means in Hebrew “the
[1:2] 142 sn Elders here refers not necessarily to men advanced in years, but to leaders within the community.
[1:2] 144 tn Heb “days.” The term “days” functions here as a synecdoche for one’s lifespan.
[1:3] 147 tn Heb “sons.” This word occurs several times in this verse.
[1:3] 148 sn The circumstances that precipitated the book of Joel surrounded a locust invasion in Palestine that was of unprecedented proportions. The locusts had devastated the country’s agrarian economy, with the unwelcome consequences extending to every important aspect of commercial, religious, and national life. To further complicate matters, a severe drought had exhausted water supplies, causing life-threatening shortages for animal and human life (cf. v. 20). Locust invasions occasionally present significant problems in Palestine in modern times. The year 1865 was commonly known among Arabic-speaking peoples of the Near East as sent el jarad, “year of the locust.” The years 1892, 1899, and 1904 witnessed significant locust invasions in Palestine. But in modern times there has been nothing equal in magnitude to the great locust invasion that began in Palestine in February of 1915. This modern parallel provides valuable insight into the locust plague the prophet Joel points to as a foreshadowing of the day of the Lord. For an eyewitness account of the 1915 locust invasion of Palestine see J. D. Whiting, “Jerusalem’s Locust Plague,” National Geographic 28 (December 1915): 511-50.
[1:4] 149 tn Heb “eaten.” This verb is repeated three times in v. 4 to emphasize the total devastation of the crops by this locust invasion.
[1:4] 150 tn The four Hebrew terms used in this verse are of uncertain meaning. English translations show a great deal of variation in dealing with these: (1) For ָגּזָם (gazam) KJV has “palmerworm,” NEB “locust,” NAB “cutter”, NASB “gnawing locust,” NIV “locust swarm,” NKJV “chewing locust,” NRSV, NLT “cutting locust(s),” NIrV “giant locusts”; (2) for אַרְבֶּה (’arbeh) KJV has “locust,” NEB “swarm,” NAB “locust swarm,” NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NLT “swarming locust(s),” NIV “great locusts,” NIrV “common locusts”; (3) for יֶלֶק (yeleq) KJV has “cankerworm,” NEB “hopper,” NAB “grasshopper,” NASB “creeping locust,” NIV, NIrV “young locusts,” NKJV “crawling locust,” NRSV, NLT “hopping locust(s)”; (4) for חָסִיל (khasil) KJV has “caterpillar,” NEB “grub,” NAB “devourer,” NASB, NLT “stripping locust(s),” NIV, NIrV “other locusts,” NKJV “consuming locust,” NRSV “destroying locust.” It is debated whether the Hebrew terms describe different species of locusts or similar insects or different developmental stages of the same species, or are virtual synonyms. While the last seems more likely, given the uncertainty over their exact meaning, the present translation has transliterated the Hebrew terms in combination with the word “locust.”
[1:4] sn Four different words for “locust” are used in this verse. Whether these words represent different life-stages of the locusts, or whether virtual synonyms are being used to underscore the severity of damage caused by the relentless waves of locust invasion, is not entirely certain. The latter seems more likely. Many interpreters have understood the locust plagues described here to be symbolic of invading armies that will devastate the land, but the symbolism could also work the other way, with real plagues of locusts described in the following verses as an invading army.
[1:5] 151 sn The word drunkards has a double edge here. Those accustomed to drinking too much must now lament the unavailability of wine. It also may hint that the people in general have become religiously inebriated and are unresponsive to the Lord. They are, as it were, drunkards from a spiritual standpoint.
[1:5] 152 sn Joel addresses the first of three groups particularly affected by the locust plague. In v. 5 he describes the effects on the drunkards, who no longer have a ready supply of intoxicating wine; in vv. 11-12 he describes the effects on the farmers, who have watched their labors come to naught because of the insect infestation; and in vv. 13-14 he describes the effects on the priests, who are no longer able to offer grain sacrifices and libations in the temple.
[1:5] 153 tn Heb “over the sweet wine, because it.” Cf. KJV, NIV, TEV, NLT “new wine.”
[1:5] 154 tn Heb “cut off” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “will be withheld.”
[1:5] 155 tn Heb “your mouth.” This is a synecdoche of part (the mouth) for whole (the person).
[1:6] 156 sn As becomes increasingly clear in what follows, this nation is to be understood figuratively. It refers to the locust invasion as viewed from the standpoint of its methodical, destructive advance across the land (BDB 156 s.v. גּוֹי 2). This term is used figuratively to refer to animals one other time (Zeph 2:14).
[1:6] 157 tn Heb “has come up against.”
[1:6] 159 tn Heb “[It] is huge and there is not number.”
[1:6] 160 tn Heb “its teeth are the teeth of a lion.”
[1:6] 161 tn Heb “its incisors are those of a lioness.” The sharp, cutting teeth are metonymical for the action of tearing apart and eating prey. The language is clearly hyperbolic. Neither locusts nor human invaders literally have teeth of this size. The prophet is using exaggerated and picturesque language to portray in vivid terms the enormity of the calamity. English versions vary greatly on the specifics: KJV “cheek teeth”; ASV “jaw-teeth”; NAB “molars”; NASB, NIV, NRSV “fangs.”
[1:7] 162 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] 164 tn Both “vines” and “fig trees” are singular in the Hebrew text, but are regarded as collective singulars.
[1:7] 166 tn Heb “it has completely stripped her.”
[1:7] 168 tn Heb “grow white.”
[1:7] sn Once choice leafy vegetation is no longer available to them, locusts have been known to consume the bark of small tree limbs, leaving them in an exposed and vulnerable condition. It is apparently this whitened condition of limbs that Joel is referring to here.
[1:8] 169 sn The verb is feminine singular, raising a question concerning its intended antecedent. A plural verb would be expected here, the idea being that all the inhabitants of the land should grieve. Perhaps Joel is thinking specifically of the city of Jerusalem, albeit in a representative sense. The choice of the feminine singular verb form has probably been influenced to some extent by the allusion to the young widow in the simile of v. 8.
[1:8] 170 tn Or “a young woman” (TEV, CEV). See the note on the phrase “husband-to-be” in the next line.
[1:8] 171 tn Heb “over the death of.” The term “lamenting” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.
[1:8] 172 sn Heb “the husband of her youth.” The woman described here may already be married, so the reference is to the death of a husband rather than a fiancé (a husband-to-be). Either way, the simile describes a painful and unexpected loss to which the national tragedy Joel is describing may be compared.
[1:9] 173 tn Heb “house.” So also in vv. 13, 14, 16.
[1:9] 174 tn Heb “grain offering and drink offering are cut off from the house of the
[1:10] 175 tn Heb “the field has been utterly destroyed.” The term “field,” a collective singular for “fields,” is a metonymy for crops produced by the fields.
[1:10] 176 tn Joel uses intentionally alliterative language in the phrases שֻׁדַּד שָׂדֶה (shuddad sadeh, “the field is destroyed”) and אֲבְלָה אֲדָמָה (’avlah ’adamah, “the ground is in mourning”).
[1:11] 177 tn Heb “embarrassed”; or “be ashamed.”
[1:12] 178 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] 179 tn These words are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:12] 180 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
[1:13] 181 tn Heb “put on.” There is no object present in the Hebrew text, but many translations assume “sackcloth” to be the understood object of the verb “put on.” Its absence in the Hebrew text of v. 13 is probably due to metrical considerations. The meter here is 3 + 3, and that has probably influenced the prophet’s choice of words.
[1:13] 182 tn Heb “for grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.”
[1:14] 183 tn Heb “consecrate a fast” (so NASB).
[1:14] 184 tc The conjunction “and” does not appear in MT or LXX, but does appear in some Qumran texts (4QXIIc and 4QXIIg).
[1:15] 185 tn Heb “Alas for the day!”
[1:15] 186 tn There is a wordplay in Hebrew here with the word used for “destruction” (שׁוֹד, shod) and the term used for God (שַׁדַּי, shadday). The exact meaning of “Shaddai” in the OT is somewhat uncertain, although the ancient versions and many modern English versions tend to translate it as “Almighty” (e.g., Greek παντοκράτωρ [pantokratwr], Latin omnipotens). Here it might be rendered “Destroyer,” with the thought being that “destruction will come from the Divine Destroyer,” which should not be misunderstood as a reference to the destroying angel. The name “Shaddai” (outside Genesis and without the element “El” [“God”]) is normally used when God is viewed as the sovereign king who blesses/protects or curses/brings judgment. The name appears in the introduction to two of Balaam’s oracles (Num 24:4, 16) of blessing upon Israel. Naomi employs the name when accusing the Lord of treating her bitterly by taking the lives of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20-21). In Ps 68:14, Isa 13:6, and the present passage, Shaddai judges his enemies through warfare, while Ps 91:1 depicts him as the protector of his people. In Ezek 1:24 and 10:5 the sound of the cherubs’ wings is compared to Shaddai’s powerful voice. The reference may be to the mighty divine warrior’s battle cry which accompanies his angry judgment.
[1:16] 187 tn Heb “Has not the food been cut off right before our eyes?” This rhetorical question expects an affirmative answer; the question has been translated as an affirmation for the sake of clarity and emphasis.
[1:16] 188 tn Heb “joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Verse 16b is a continuation of the rhetorical question begun in v. 16a, but has been translated as an affirmative statement to make the meaning clear. The words “There is no longer any” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 189 tn Heb “seed.” The phrase “the grains of” does not appear in the Hebrew, but has been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[1:17] 190 tc This line is textually uncertain. The MT reads “the seed shrivels in their shovels/clods.” One Qumran manuscript (4QXXIIc) reads “the heifers decay in [their] s[talls].” LXX reads “the heifers leap in their stalls.”
[1:17] tn These two lines of v. 17 comprise only four words in the Hebrew; three of the four are found only here in the OT. The translation and meaning are rather uncertain. A number of English versions render the word translated “shovels” as “clods,” referring to lumps of soil (e.g., KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[1:18] 191 tn Heb “how the cattle groan!”
[1:18] 192 tn Heb “the herds of cattle are confused.” The verb בּוּךְ (bukh, “be confused”) sometimes refers to wandering aimlessly in confusion (cf. Exod 14:3).
[1:19] 193 tn The phrase “for help” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:19] 194 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] 195 tn Heb “consumed.” This entire line is restated at the end of v. 20.
[1:19] 196 tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”
[1:19] 197 tn Heb “a flame has set ablaze.” This fire was one of the effects of the drought.
[1:20] 198 tn Heb “beasts of the field.”
[1:20] 199 tn Heb “long for you.” Animals of course do not have religious sensibilities as such; they do not in any literal sense long for Yahweh. Rather, the language here is figurative (metonymy of cause for effect). The animals long for food and water (so BDB 788 s.v. עָרַג), the ultimate source of which is Yahweh.
[1:20] 200 tn Heb “sources of water.”
[1:20] 202 tn Heb “the pastures of the wilderness.”
[3:14] 203 sn The decision referred to here is not a response on the part of the crowd, but the verdict handed out by the divine judge.
