Yoel 2:23

2:23 Citizens of Zion, ¹  rejoice!

Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! ² 

For he has given to you the early rains ³  as vindication.

He has sent ⁴  to you the rains –

both the early and the late rains ⁵  as formerly.

Yoel 3:17

The Lord’s Presence in Zion

3:17 You will be convinced ⁶  that I the Lord am your God,

dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain.

Jerusalem ⁷  will be holy –

conquering armies ⁸  will no longer pass through it.

[2:23]  ¹ tn Heb “sons of Zion.”

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

[2:23]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “caused to come down.”

[2:23]  ⁵ 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.

[3:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “know.”

[3:17]  ⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “strangers” or “foreigners.” In context, this refers to invasions by conquering armies.