Joel
Joel front
Introduction to Joel
Part 1: General Introduction
Outline of the Book of Joel
- The land ruined; the day of Yahweh is coming (1:1–2:11)
- Locusts and drought (1:1–20)
- The day of Yahweh (2:1–11)
- Yahweh restores his people (2:12-32)
- The people should turn to Yahweh, for he will pity them (2:12–27)
- The Spirit of Yahweh, wonders, and salvation (2:28–32)
- Yahweh will judge the nations (3:1-21)
- Yahweh judges the nations (3:1–16)
- Yahweh dwells in Zion (3:17–21)
What is the Book of Joel about?
The main idea in the Book of Joel is “the day of Yahweh.” This expression is found five times (1:15, 2:1, 2:11, 2:21, 3:14).
The people of Israel looked forward to “the day of Yahweh” as a day that Yahweh would judge the nations around them. But Joel warns that Yahweh would also judge Israel for being unfaithful to him. After judging them, Yahweh will restore his people.
Joel’s message applies to the people of God in the church age. For Yahweh says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” and “everyone who calls on Yahweh will be saved” (2:28 and 2:32, quoted by Peter in Acts 2:17 and 2:21).
How should the title of this book be translated?
The traditional title of this book is “The Book of Joel” or just “Joel.” Translators may also call it the “The Book about Joel” or “The Sayings of Joel.” (See: How to Translate Names)
Who wrote the Book of Joel?
This book contains the prophecies of an Israelite named Joel, son of Pethuel. The book does not tell when Joel prophesied.
Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts
What is the meaning of the locust attacks in Joel 1 and 2, and of the drought in Joel 2?
Locust attacks occurred often in the ancient Near East. Certain kinds of grasshoppers would come in countless numbers. There would be so many that they would darken the sky like a black cloud that blocked the sunlight. They often came after a long period of no rain. They came down on whatever crops were surviving in the fields and stripped them bare of their leaves. The locusts could not be stopped and caused terrible damage. For this reason, locust attacks served as a powerful image of military attacks in the Old Testament. In Chapters 1 and 2, Joel described locust attacks using military terms. He may have been speaking of enemy invaders coming and destroying the land its people.
There are various names for locusts in the original language of the Old Testament. It is uncertain whether these refer to different kinds of locusts or to the same kind of locust in different stages of growth. For this reason, versions of the Bible differ in how they translate these terms.
Joel also described a drought in Chapter 2. It might have been a real lack of rain. Or Joel may have been speaking of either enemy invaders or Yahweh himself coming to punish his people and the other nations.
Translators should simply translate the locust attacks and drought as Joel described them and not worry about the various possible meanings.
What did Joel prophesy about the future for God’s people?
Joel prophesied that God will defeat Israel’s enemies, rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and rule as victorious king over the whole world. At the same time, God will give his Spirit to all his people, and they will receive messages from him in dreams and visions. (See: Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit)
Part 3: Important Translation Issues
How should one translate the poetry of the Book of Joel?
All of the text in the Book of Joel is poetry. The ULT presents it in this way. The UST, however, presents the text as prose. Translators may choose to use prose in their versions. Translators who want to translate the book as poetry should read about poetry and parallelism. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
Joel 1
Joel 1 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Joel is written in poetic form and with striking imagery. The ULT is written in poetic form, but the UST has been transferred to a prose form. If possible, use the poetic form to communicate the meaning of this book in order to stay closer to the original meaning of the text.
Special concepts in this chapter
Locusts
This book starts very dramatically with the imagery of the locusts and the devastation they produce. There are five different kinds of locusts that appear to come and they progressively destroy the vegetation including the crops, vineyards and even the trees of the whole land of Israel.
It was common for farmers in the ancient Near East to experience large locust swarms that would come and eat all crops in their fields. Joel might be describing such attacks in this first chapter. Because Joel uses military terms and images to describe these locust attacks, his descriptions might represent enemy invaders who would come and destroy the land its people. (See: Metaphor)
Translators should translate simply, presenting the scenes of locusts as Joel describes them, and not worry about the various possible meanings.
Important figures of speech in this chapter
Rhetorical Questions
The author also uses rhetorical questions that communicate surprise and alarm. (See: Rhetorical Question)
Joel 1:1
God speaks through Joel to the people of Israel using poetry. (See: Parallelism)
דְּבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֔ה אֶל־יוֹאֵ֖ל
This idiom is used to announce that God gave messages to Joel. Alternate translation: “the message Yahweh gave to Joel” or “the message Yahweh spoke to Joel” (See: Idiom)
יְהוָה֙
This is the name of God that he revealed to his people in the Old Testament. See the translationWord page about Yahweh concerning how to translate this.
פְּתוּאֵֽל
Joel’s father (See: How to Translate Names)
Joel 1:2
הֶהָ֤יְתָה זֹּאת֙ בִּֽימֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֖ם בִּימֵ֥י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם
Joel is preparing the elders to listen to what he has to say. If your readers would misunderstand this question, you can express it as a statement. Alternate translation: “Nothing like this has ever happened before either to you or to your ancestors” (See: Rhetorical Question)
Joel 1:3
וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם לְד֥וֹר אַחֵֽר
You may need to fill in the words that have been left out. Alternate translation: “let their children tell the generation after them” (See: Ellipsis)
Joel 1:4
הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה
large groups of insects like grasshoppers that fly together and eat large areas of food crops (See: Translate Unknowns)
הַגָּזָם֙…הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה…הַיָּ֑לֶק…הֶחָסִֽיל
These are, respectively, an adult locust that can fly, a locust too large to fly easily, a locust with wings too young to fly, and a newborn locust that has not yet developed wings. Use names that would be understood in your language.
Joel 1:5
God warns the people of Israel about the coming locust army.
שִׁכּוֹרִים֙ וּבְכ֔וּ וְהֵילִ֖לוּ כָּל־שֹׁ֣תֵי יָ֑יִן
If your language has only one word for “weep” and “wail,” you can combine the lines: “you people who love wine should cry out in sorrow” (See: Parallelism)
Joel 1:6
גוֹי֙
The locust swarm is like an invading army. (See: Metaphor)
שִׁנָּיו֙ שִׁנֵּ֣י
The locusts are like a nation which is like one person. You can refer to the nation as “it,” or to the locusts as “they,” or to the invader as one person.
שִׁנָּיו֙ שִׁנֵּ֣י אַרְיֵ֔ה וּֽמְתַלְּע֥וֹת לָבִ֖יא לֽוֹ
These two lines share similar meanings. The reference to the locusts’ teeth being as sharp as lions’ teeth emphasize how fierce they are as they eat all of the crops of the land. (See: Parallelism and Metaphor)
אַרְצִ֔י
Yahweh’s land
Joel 1:7
שָׂ֤ם…חָשֹׂ֤ף חֲשָׂפָהּ֙
The locusts are like a nation which is like one person. You can refer to the nation as “it,” or to the locusts as “they,” or to the invader as one person.
גַּפְנִי֙…וּתְאֵנָתִ֖י
Yahweh’s vineyard and fig tree
לְשַׁמָּ֔ה
empty and without life
Joel 1:10
אָבְלָ֖ה אֲדָמָ֑ה
Here the land is spoken of as if it were a person. These words could also be seen as a metonym for the people who are mourning or even as hyperbole, that the famine is so bad that even things that are not alive are mourning. Alternate translation: “the farmers are mourning” (See: Metaphor and Metonymy and Hyperbole)
שֻׁדַּ֣ד דָּגָ֔ן
This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “the locusts have destroyed all of the grain” (See: Active or Passive)
Joel 1:11
שְׂעֹרָ֑ה
a type of grass, like wheat, whose seeds can be used to make bread (See: Translate Unknowns)
Joel 1:12
הוֹבִ֔ישָׁה
dried up and died
וְהַתְּאֵנָ֖ה…מּ֞וֹן…וְתַפּ֗וּחַ
different types of fruit (See: Translate Unknowns)
Joel 1:13
God speaks to the priests in Israel
מִנְחָ֥ה וָנָֽסֶךְ
regular offerings in the temple
Joel 1:14
בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם
the temple in Jerusalem
Joel 1:15
This is what God is telling the priests to say.
וּכְשֹׁ֖ד מִשַׁדַּ֥י יָבֽוֹא
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word destruction, you could express the same idea with a verbal form such as “destroy.” You may need to make explicit what it is the Almighty will destroy. Alternate translation: “On that day the Almighty will destroy his enemies” (See: Abstract Nouns and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Joel 1:16
הֲל֛וֹא נֶ֥גֶד עֵינֵ֖ינוּ אֹ֣כֶל נִכְרָ֑ת מִבֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֥ה וָגִֽיל
It is certain that destruction will come from the Almighty because these things have already happened. This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “We know this is true because we have already seen the Almighty cut off our supply of food, and he has cut off joy and gladness from the house of our God.” (See: Ellipsis and Active or Passive)
נֶ֥גֶד עֵינֵ֖ינוּ
“from us.” This refers to all of the nation of Israel. (See: Synecdoche)
מִבֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֥ה וָגִֽיל
You may need to fill in the ellipsis. Alternate translation: “joy and gladness have been cut off from the house of our God” (See: Ellipsis)
שִׂמְחָ֥ה וָגִֽיל
These two words mean basically the same thing. Together they emphasize that there is no kind of joyful activity happening at the temple. (See: Doublet)
Joel 1:17
מֶגְרְפֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם
lumps of dirt
Joel 1:18
נֶּאֶנְחָ֣ה
make a deep sound because of pain
Joel 1:20
אֲפִ֣יקֵי
small streams
Joel 2
Joel 2 General Notes
Structure and formatting
This chapter continues in the poetic form with striking imagery of armies and soldiers.
Special concepts in this chapter
Locusts
This book starts very dramatically with the imagery of the locusts and the devastation they produce. There are five different kinds of locusts that appear to come and progressively destroy the vegetation including the crops, vineyards and even the trees of Israel.
Important figures of speech in this chapter
This chapter uses simile to a great extent as Joel tries to describe this army. (See: Simile)
Metaphor
The drought, or severe lack of rain, Joel describes is probably a real drought. It might also be a picture of either enemy invaders or of Yahweh himself coming to punish his people and the other nations. Translators should translate simply, presenting the scenes of locusts and drought as Joel describes them, and not worry about the various possible meanings. (See: Metaphor)
Joel 2:1
תִּקְע֨וּ שׁוֹפָ֜ר…וְהָרִ֨יעוּ֙
Joel is emphasizing the importance of calling Israel together in preparation for the destruction that is coming.
Joel 2:2
י֧וֹם חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וַאֲפֵלָ֗ה
The words “darkness” and “gloom” share similar meanings and emphasize that the darkness will be very dark. Both words refer to a time of disaster or divine judgment. Alternate translation: “day that is full of darkness” or “day of terrible judgment” (See: Doublet and Metonymy)
וַאֲפֵלָ֗ה
total or partial darkness
י֤וֹם עָנָן֙ וַעֲרָפֶ֔ל
This phrase means the same thing as, and intensifies the idea of the previous phrase. Like that phrase, both “clouds” and “thick darkness” refer to divine judgment. Alternate translation: “day full of dark storm clouds” (See: Doublet and Metonymy)
כְּשַׁ֖חַר פָּרֻ֣שׂ עַל־הֶֽהָרִ֑ים עַ֚ם רַ֣ב וְעָצ֔וּם
When direct sunlight shines on a mountain at dawn, it begins at the top and spreads to the bottom. When an army comes over a mountain range, it comes over the top and spreads out as it comes down. Alternate translation: “A large, mighty army comes over the mountains into the land. They spread over the land like the light from the rising sun” (See: Simile)
עַ֚ם רַ֣ב וְעָצ֔וּם
The words “large” and “mighty” share similar meanings here and emphasize that the army will be very strong. The word army could possibly be: (1) a metaphor for a swarm of locusts or (2) referring to a human army. (See: Metaphor and Doublet)
Joel 2:3
לְפָנָיו֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֵ֔שׁ
A fire destroys everything as it moves, and the “army” (Joel 2:2), whether of humans or of locusts, destroys everything as it moves. (See: Metaphor)
וְאַחֲרָ֖יו תְּלַהֵ֣ט לֶֽהָבָ֑ה
After a wall of flame goes through dry land and burns the dryest and smallest fuel, there will still be flames as the larger and less dry fuel burns. (See: Metaphor)
כְּגַן־עֵ֨דֶן הָאָ֜רֶץ
The garden of Eden was a beautiful place, and the land was beautiful. (See: Simile)
Joel 2:4
כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה סוּסִ֖ים מַרְאֵ֑הוּ
The head of a locust looks like a small horse head. The army is fast, and horses are fast. (See: Simile)
סוּסִ֖ים
A large, strong, fast animal with four legs. (See: Translate Unknowns)
וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים כֵּ֥ן יְרוּצֽוּן
Men riding horses move quickly, and the army moves quickly. (See: Simile)
Joel 2:5
יְרַקֵּד֔וּן
A horse jumps or leaps as it runs quickly.
כְּק֣וֹל מַרְכָּב֗וֹת…כְּקוֹל֙ לַ֣הַב אֵ֔שׁ…כְּעַ֣ם עָצ֔וּם עֱר֖וּךְ מִלְחָמָֽה
These sounds would have been very frightening to Joel’s readers. If your readers will not understand what these sound like, you might be able to use a more general phrase: “a noise that frightens everyone” (See: Simile)
Joel 2:7
כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים יְרֻצ֔וּן כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה יַעֲל֣וּ חוֹמָ֑ה
The army of locusts acts as real soldiers do. (See: Personification and Simile)
חוֹמָ֑ה
walls around the cities
Joel 2:8
וּבְעַ֥ד הַשֶּׁ֛לַח יִפֹּ֖לוּ
they overcome the soldiers defending the city.
Joel 2:10
לְפָנָיו֙ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֔רֶץ רָעֲשׁ֖וּ שָׁמָ֑יִם
Joel speaks of the earth and heavens as if they were people who are shaking with fear. This can be translated as either a hyperbole, that the army is so frightening that even things that are not alive are afraid, or as metonymy, that the earth and the heavens are metonyms for the beings who live there. Alternate translation: “Everyone on earth and in the heavens is very afraid” (See: Personification and Hyperbole)
שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֨חַ֙ קָדָ֔רוּ וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽ
This exaggeration claims that there are so many locusts that people cannot see the sun, moon, or stars. (See: Hyperbole)
Joel 2:11
וַֽיהוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קוֹלוֹ֙
“Yahweh speaks loudly” to give commands.
גָד֧וֹל…וְנוֹרָ֥א מְאֹ֖ד
In this phrase both descriptions mean basically the same thing. Alternate translation: “greatly terrible” (See: Hendiadys)
וּמִ֥י יְכִילֶֽנּוּ
If your readers would misunderstand this question, you can express it as a statement. Alternate translation: “No one will be strong enough to survive Yahweh’s judgment.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
Joel 2:12
שֻׁ֥בוּ עָדַ֖י בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם
The heart is a metonym for what the person thinks and loves. Alternate translation: “Turn away from your sins and be totally devoted to me” (See: Metonymy)
Joel 2:13
וְקִרְע֤וּ לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַל־בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם
The heart is a metonym for what the person thinks and loves. Tearing one’s clothes is an outward act of shame or repentance. Alternate translation: “Change your way of thinking; do not just tear your garments” (See: Metonymy)
וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word faithfulness, you could express the same idea with a verbal form such as “faithful” or “faithfully.” Alternate translation: “always faithful to his covenant” or “always loves faithfully” (See: Abstract Nouns)
וְנִחָ֖ם עַל
stop
Joel 2:14
יָשׁ֣וּב וְנִחָ֑ם וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר אַֽחֲרָיו֙ בְּרָכָ֔ה מִנְחָ֣ה וָנֶ֔סֶךְ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם
If your readers would misunderstand this question, you can express it as a statement. Alternate translation: “Perhaps Yahweh will turn from his anger … God.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר אַֽחֲרָיו֙ בְּרָכָ֔ה מִנְחָ֣ה וָנֶ֔סֶךְ
“leave behind him a blessing—that is, a grain offering and a drink offering.” The blessing is that plenty of grain and grapes will ripen, and so the people will be able to offer grain and drink offerings.
Joel 2:16
מֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ
rooms, usually in the parents’ houses, where brides would wait for their wedding ceremonies
Joel 2:17
וְאַל־תִּתֵּ֨ן נַחֲלָתְךָ֤ לְחֶרְפָּה֙
Alternate translation: “do not allow your inheritance to become people whom the other nations regard as worthless”
נַחֲלָתְךָ֤
Here the people of Israel are spoken of as God’s inheritance. Alternate translation: “your special people” (See: Metaphor)
לָ֚מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ בָֽעַמִּ֔ים אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם
If your readers would misunderstand this question, you can express it as a statement. Alternate translation: “Other nations should not be able to say, ‘Their God does not help them.’” or “Other nations should not be able to say that the God of Israel has abandoned his people.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
Joel 2:18
לְאַרְצ֑וֹ
Alternate translation: “the nation of Israel”
עַמּֽוֹ
Alternate translation: “the people of Israel”
Joel 2:19
הִנְנִ֨י
Alternate translation: “Pay attention to what I am about to say”
וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֖ם אֹת֑
Alternate translation: “You will have all you need of them”
חֶרְפָּ֖ה
Alternate translation: “unworthy of respect”
Joel 2:20
הַצְּפוֹנִ֞י…הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔י…הָאַֽחֲר֑וֹן
These directions are from the perspective of people living in the land of Israel.
הַיָּם֙ הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔י
the Dead Sea
הַיָּ֣ם הָאַֽחֲר֑וֹן
the Mediterranean Sea
הִגְדִּ֖יל לַעֲשֽׂוֹת
That is, Yahweh has done great things. Another possible meaning is that the writer speaks of the invading army, “it has done very bad things.”
Joel 2:21
אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י אֲדָמָ֑ה
Joel speaks to the people of the land as if he were speaking to the land itself. Alternate translation: “Do not be afraid, you people of the land” (See: Apostrophe)
Joel 2:22
אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ בַּהֲמ֣וֹת שָׂדַ֔י
Joel speaks to people who own livestock as if he were speaking to the animals themselves. Alternate translation: “Do not be afraid, you people who own livestock” (See: Apostrophe)
דָשְׁא֖וּ נְא֣וֹת מִדְבָּ֑ר
The pastures are a metonym for the plants that grow in the pastures. Alternate translation: “plants good for food will sprout in the pastures in the wilderness” (See: Metonymy)
Joel 2:23
נָתַ֥ן…וַיּ֣וֹרֶד לָכֶ֗ם גֶּ֛שֶׁם
Alternate translation: “he will … cause much rain to fall so that you will live well”
מוֹרֶ֥ה וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ
the first rains of the rainy season in early December and the last rains in April and May
Joel 2:24
Yahweh begins a long speech to the Israelites.
הַיְקָבִ֖ים
large containers for liquids
Joel 2:25
אֶת־הַשָּׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ אָכַ֣ל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה
Alternate translation: “the crops that you took care of for years and that the swarming locusts have eaten”
הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה הַיֶּ֖לֶק וְהֶחָסִ֣יל וְהַגָּזָ֑ם
These are, respectively, an adult locust that can fly, a locust too large to fly easily, a locust with wings too young to fly, and a newborn locust that has not yet developed wings. Use names that would be understood in your language. See how you translated this in Joel 1:4.
Joel 2:26
וְהִלַּלְתֶּ֗ם אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם יְהוָה֙
The name is a metonym for the person, specifically his reputation. Alternate translation: “praise Yahweh” or “praise Yahweh because everyone knows he is good” (See: Metonymy)
שֵׁ֤ם יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה עִמָּכֶ֖ם לְהַפְלִ֑יא
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to show that he will certainly do as he has said. Alternate translation: “my name … because I have done wonders” (See: First, Second or Third Person)
Joel 2:28
וְהָיָ֣ה אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֶשְׁפּ֤וֹךְ
Alternate translation: “This is what I will do after that: I”
אֶשְׁפּ֤וֹךְ אֶת־רוּחִי֙ עַל־כָּל־בָּשָׂ֔ר
Yahweh speaks of the Spirit as if he were speaking of water. AT” “I will give my Spirit generously to all flesh” (See: Metaphor)
כָּל־בָּשָׂ֔ר
Here “flesh” represents people. Alternate translation: “all people” (See: Synecdoche)
Joel 2:30
דָּ֣ם וָאֵ֔שׁ וְתִֽימֲר֖וֹת עָשָֽׁן
“blood” is symbolizing the death of people. Alternate translation: “death, fire and pillars of smoke” (See: Metonymy)
Joel 2:31
הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ יֵהָפֵ֣ךְ לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ
Alternate translation: “The sun will no longer give light”
וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ לְדָ֑ם
Here the word “blood” refers to the color red. You can supply the verb for this phrase. Alternate translation: “the moon will turn red like blood” (See: Metonymy and Ellipsis)
Joel 2:32
וְהָיָ֗ה כֹּ֧ל
Alternate translation: “This is what will happen: everyone”
כֹּ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֛א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה יִמָּלֵ֑ט
The name is a metonym for the person. This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “Yahweh will save everyone who calls on his name” (See: Metonymy and Active or Passive)
בְּהַר־צִיּ֨וֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֜ם
These refer to the same place. Alternate translation: “on Mount Zion in Jerusalem” (See: Doublet)
וּבַ֨שְּׂרִידִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה קֹרֵֽא
The phrase “there will be” is understood from earlier in the sentence. It can be repeated here. Alternate translation: “among the survivors there will be those whom Yahweh calls” (See: Ellipsis)
people who live through a terrible event like a war or a disaster
Joel 3
Joel 3 General Notes
Structure and formatting
There is a change in focus in this chapter from the people of Israel to her enemies. The events of this chapters also contain many prophecies about the events of the end of this world. (See: prophet, prophecy, prophesy, seer, prophetess)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
Israel
The mention of Israel in this chapter is probably a reference to the people of Judah and not the northern kingdom of Israel. It is also possible this is a reference to the people of Israel as a whole.
Joel 3:1
כִּ֗י הִנֵּ֛ה
Alternate translation: “Listen” or “Pay attention”
בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵ֖מָּה וּבָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא
The phrase “at that time” means the same thing as and intensifies the phrase “in those days.” Alternate translation: “in those very days” or “at that very time” (See: Doublet)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָשִׁ֛יב אֶת־שְׁב֥וּת יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם
Alternate translation: “When I send the exiles back to Judah and Jerusalem”
Joel 3:2
עֵ֖מֶק יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט
Jehoshaphat, whose name means “Yahweh judges,” was king of Judah before Joel lived. There is no known place with this name. It would be best to translate this as the name of a valley that people named after the man Jehoshaphat.
עַמִּ֨י וְנַחֲלָתִ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙
These two phrases emphasize how Yahweh views Israel as his own precious people. Alternate translation: “the people of Israel, who are my inheritance” (See: Doublet)
Joel 3:3
וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ הַיֶּ֨לֶד֙ בַּזּוֹנָ֔ה וְהַיַּלְדָּ֛ה מָכְר֥וּ בַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ
These are examples of the kinds of things they did and do not indicate what they did to two particular children. Alternate translation: “and did things like trading a boy for a prostitute and selling a girl for wine, so they could drink” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Joel 3:4
וְ֠גַם מָה־אַתֶּ֥ם לִי֙ צֹ֣ר וְצִיד֔וֹן וְכֹ֖ל גְּלִיל֣וֹת פְּלָ֑שֶׁת
Yahweh is encouraging the people of Judah, who can hear him, by scolding the people of Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia, who cannot hear him, as if they can. The names of the towns are metonyms for the people who live in the towns. These words can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “you have no right to be angry at me … Philistia.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
הַגְּמ֗וּל אַתֶּם֙ מְשַׁלְּמִ֣ים עָלָ֔י
“Will you get revenge on me?” God uses this question to make the people think about what they are doing. Alternate translation: “You think you can get revenge on me, but you cannot.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
קַ֣ל מְהֵרָ֔ה אָשִׁ֥יב גְּמֻלְכֶ֖ם בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם
Here the word “head” refers to the person. Yahweh will make them suffer the pain they wanted him to suffer. Alternate translation: “I will cause you to suffer the retribution that you tried to put on me” (See: Synecdoche and Idiom)
גְּמֻלְכֶ֖ם
Alternate translation: “revenge” or “payback”
Joel 3:7
הִנְנִ֣י
Alternate translation: “Pay attention” or “Listen”
מִן־הַ֨מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁר־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם שָׁ֑מָּה
The people of Israel will leave the places where they were slaves and come back to the land of Israel. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י גְמֻלְכֶ֖ם
Alternate translation: “give back what you deserve”
Joel 3:8
וּמָכַרְתִּ֞י אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם וְאֶת־בְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם בְּיַד֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה
The hand can be a metonym for the power the hand exercises or a synecdoche for the person. Alternate translation: “I will have the people of Judah sell your sons and your daughters” (See: Metonymy and Synecdoche)
לִשְׁבָאיִ֖ם
the people of the land of Sabea (See: How to Translate Names)
Joel 3:9
הָעִ֨ירוּ֙ הַגִּבּוֹרִ֔ים
Alternate translation: “make the mighty men ready for action”
Joel 3:10
כֹּ֤תּוּ אִתֵּיכֶם֙ לַֽחֲרָב֔וֹת וּמַזְמְרֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם לִרְמָחִ֑ים
These two phrases share similar meanings. Both of them instruct the people to turn their farming tools into weapons. (See: Parallelism)
אִתֵּיכֶם֙
tools that are used to break up the soil in order to plant crops
וּמַזְמְרֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם
knives that are used to cut off small branches
Joel 3:11
ע֣וּשׁוּ וָבֹ֧אוּ כָֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֛ם מִסָּבִ֖יב וְנִקְבָּ֑צוּ שָׁ֕מָּה
These words continue the ironic call to battle that begins in Joel 3:9. (See: Irony)
וְנִקְבָּ֑צוּ
The purpose of the gathering is for battle. This can be stated explicitly. Alternate translation: “gather yourselves together for battle” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
הַֽנְחַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה גִּבּוֹרֶֽיךָ
This could mean: (1) Joel is telling the people of Judah that this is what they are to “proclaim among the nations” (Joel 3:9) or (2) Joel interrupts the words of Yahweh and prays a short prayer.
Joel 3:12
Yahweh finishes the speech he began in Joel 2:25, promising good things for the people of Israel.
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם…אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם מִסָּבִֽיב
The words “the nations” and “the surrounding nations” refer to the same nations, those that surround Judah. Yahweh will judge them in the Valley of Jehoshaphat for what they have done to Jerusalem.
עֵ֖מֶק יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט
Jehoshaphat, whose name means “Yahweh judges,” was king of Judah before Joel lived. There is no known place with this name. It would be best to translate this as the name of a valley that people named after the man Jehoshaphat. See how you translated this in Joel 3:2.
Joel 3:13
שִׁלְח֣וּ מַגָּ֔ל…מָ֣לְאָה גַּ֔ת
Possible meanings are that Yahweh speaks of completely destroying the nations as if: (1) he were harvesting all the grapes and all the grain or (2) he were harvesting quickly, while the grain and grapes are ripe. (See: Metaphor)
שִׁלְח֣וּ מַגָּ֔ל כִּ֥י בָשַׁ֖ל קָצִ֑יר
Yahweh speaks of making war against the nations as if he were using a sharp tool to harvest a field of ripe crops. If your readers will not understand the word “sickle,” you may use the word for any sharp tool that your people use for harvesting. (See: Metaphor)
שִׁלְח֣וּ מַגָּ֔ל
“Swing the sickle to cut the grain.” This is a metaphor for a soldier using a sword to kill people, but it is best to use the word for a sharp tool used in harvesting. (See: Metaphor)
מַגָּ֔ל
a long curved knife that people use for cutting grain
בָשַׁ֖ל קָצִ֑יר
Alternate translation: “the grain is ready to be harvested”
בֹּ֤אֽוּ רְדוּ֙ כִּֽי־מָ֣לְאָה גַּ֔ת
Yahweh speaks of the nations as if they were many grapes in a winepress, ready for people to crush them by stepping on them. Alternate translation: “Come, completely destroy the nations, for they are many, and they are helpless to resist you” (See: Metaphor)
הֵשִׁ֨יקוּ֙ הַיְקָבִ֔ים כִּ֥י רַבָּ֖ה רָעָתָֽם
Yahweh speaks of the nations’ wickedness as if it were the juice that flows from the winepress into storage containers, and more juice flows into the vats than they can contain. (See: Metaphor)
Joel 3:14
הֲמוֹנִ֣ים הֲמוֹנִ֔ים
A tumult is noise caused by a large crowd. This is repeated to show that it will be very noisy from all the people.
בְּעֵ֖מֶק הֶֽחָר֑וּץ…בְּעֵ֖מֶק הֶחָרֽוּץ
This phrase is repeated to show that the judgment will certainly happen.
בְּעֵ֖מֶק הֶֽחָר֑וּץ
There is no known place with this name. If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word judgment, you could express the same idea with a verbal form such as “judge.” Alternate translation: “Valley Where Yahweh Judges” (See: Abstract Nouns)
Joel 3:16
Yahweh begins speaking in verse 17.
וַיהוָ֞ה מִצִּיּ֣וֹן יִשְׁאָ֗ג וּמִירוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ יִתֵּ֣ן קוֹל֔וֹ
Both phrases mean Yahweh will shout with a loud, clear and powerful voice from Jerusalem. If your language only has one word for speaking very loudly, this can be used as one phrase. Alternate translation: “Yahweh will shout from Jerusalem” (See: Parallelism)
וַיהוָ֞ה…יִשְׁאָ֗ג
This could mean: (1) “Yahweh will roar like a lion” or (2) “Yahweh will roar like thunder.” (See: Metaphor)
וְרָעֲשׁ֖וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם וָאָ֑רֶץ
Joel speaks of the heavens and earth as if they were people who are shaking with fear. This can be translated as either a hyperbole, that Yahweh’s roar is so frightening that even things that are not alive are afraid, or as metonymy, that the heavens and earth are metonyms for the beings who live there. Alternate translation: “Everyone in the heavens and on the earth is very afraid” (See: Hyperbole and Metonymy)
וְרָעֲשׁ֖וּ
This word is the past form of the word translated “tremble” in Joel 2:10.
וַֽיהוָה֙ מַֽחֲסֶ֣ה לְעַמּ֔וֹ וּמָע֖וֹז לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
Both of these phrases mean Yahweh will protect his people. A fortress is a strong shelter used to protect people during war. Alternate translation: “Yahweh will be a strong fortress for his people, the people of Israel” (See: Metaphor and Parallelism)
Joel 3:17
וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם
Alternate translation: “When I do these things, you will know”
Joel 3:18
וְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא…הֶהָרִ֣ים
“This is what will happen on that day: the mountains” Translate “It will come about” as in Joel 2:28.
יִטְּפ֧וּ הֶהָרִ֣ים עָסִ֗יס
“sweet wine will drip from the mountains.” This is an exaggeration to show that the land is very fertile. Alternate translation: “On the mountains there will be vineyards that produce plenty of sweet wine” (See: Hyperbole)
וְהַגְּבָעוֹת֙ תֵּלַ֣כְנָה חָלָ֔ב
“milk will flow from the hills.” The land being very fertile is spoken of as if the hills would flow with milk. Alternate translation: “on the hills your cattle and goats will produce plenty of milk” (See: Metaphor)
וְכָל־אֲפִיקֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה יֵ֣לְכוּ מָ֑יִם
Alternate translation: “water will flow through all the brooks of Judah”
וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה אֶת־נַ֥חַל הַשִּׁטִּֽים
Alternate translation: “will send water to the Valley of Shittim”
הַשִּׁטִּֽים
This is the name of a place on the east side of the Jordan River. It means “Acacia Trees.” (See: How to Translate Names)
Joel 3:19
מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לִשְׁמָמָ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה
Alternate translation: “Everyone will leave Egypt and no one will live there”
וֶאֱד֕וֹם לְמִדְבַּ֥ר שְׁמָמָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה
Alternate translation: “Everyone will leave Edom and it will look like no people have ever lived there”
מֵֽחֲמַס֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה
Alternate translation: “because of the violent things Egypt and Edom did to the people of Judah”
אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפְכ֥וּ דָם־נָקִ֖יא בְּאַרְצָֽם
The word “they” refers to “Edom” and “Egypt” and is a metonym for the people of Egypt and Edom. The words “innocent blood” are a metonym for innocent people whom they have killed. Alternate translation: “because the people of Egypt and the people of Edom killed innocent people in the land of the people of Judah” (See: Metonymy)
Joel 3:20
וִיהוּדָ֖ה לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֑ב
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “people will live in Judah forever” (See: Active or Passive)
וִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם לְד֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “generation after generation, people will live in Jerusalem” (See: Active or Passive)
Joel 3:21
וְנִקֵּ֖יתִי דָּמָ֣ם לֹֽא־נִקֵּ֑יתִי
Blood is a metonym for death. Alternate translation: “I will punish the enemies who killed the people of Israel and still have not been punished” (See: Metonymy)