Yoel 1:9

1:9 No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings

to the temple ¹  of the Lord anymore. ² 

So the priests, those who serve the Lord, are in mourning.

Yoel 1:18

1:18 Listen to the cattle groan! ³ 

The herds of livestock wander around in confusion ⁴ 

because they have no pasture.

Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

Yoel 2:22

2:22 Do not fear, wild animals! ⁵ 

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. ⁶ 

[1:9]  ¹ tn Heb “house.” So also in vv. 13, 14, 16.

[1:9]  ² tn Heb “grain offering and drink offering are cut off from the house of the Lord,”

[1:18]  ³ tn Heb “how the cattle groan!”

[1:18]  ⁴ 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).

[2:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “beasts of the field.”

[2:22]  ⁶ tn Heb “their strength.” The trees and vines will produce a maximum harvest, in contrast to the failed agricultural conditions previously described.