Joel

Joel 2:12–18

12“Yet even now,”

declares the LORD,

“return to Me with all your heart,

with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

13So rend your hearts and not your garments,

and return to the LORD your God.

For He is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.b

And He relents from sending disaster.

14Who knows? He may turn and relent

and leave a blessing behind Him —

grain and drink offerings

for the LORD your God.

15Blow the ram’s horn in Zion,

consecrate a fast,

proclaim a sacred assembly.

16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,

assemble the aged, gather the children,

even those nursing at the breast.

Let the bridegroom leave his room,

and the bride her chamber.

17Let the priests who minister before the LORD

weep between the portico and the altar,

saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD,

and do not make Your heritage a reproach,

an object of scorn among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,

‘Where is their God?’”

18Then the LORD became jealous for His land,

and He spared His people.

Footnotes

  • b 2:13 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

Read all of Joel 2

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Joel 2:12

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Yet evenוְגַם־wə·ḡam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
nowעַתָּה֙‘at·tāhAdverbH6258 now
declaresנְאֻם־nə·’um-Noun - masculine singular constructH5002 utterance
the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
returnשֻׁ֥בוּšu·ḇūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH7725 turn back, return
to Meעָדַ֖י‘ā·ḏayPreposition; first person common singularH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
with allבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
your heartלְבַבְכֶ֑םlə·ḇaḇ·ḵemNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine pluralH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
with fastingוּבְצ֥וֹםū·ḇə·ṣō·wmConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH6685 fasting, fast
weepingוּבְבְכִ֖יū·ḇə·ḇə·ḵīConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH1065 weeping
and mourningוּבְמִסְפֵּֽד׃ū·ḇə·mis·pêḏConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH4553 wailing

Joel 2:13

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So rendוְקִרְע֤וּwə·qir·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH7167 tear
your heartsלְבַבְכֶם֙lə·ḇaḇ·ḵemNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine pluralH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
and notוְאַל־wə·’al-Conjunctive waw; AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
your garmentsבִּגְדֵיכֶ֔םbiḡ·ḏê·ḵemNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine pluralH899 treachery
and returnוְשׁ֖וּבוּwə·šū·ḇūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH7725 turn back, return
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
your Godאֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵemNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine pluralH430 God
Forכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Heה֔וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
is graciousחַנּ֤וּןḥan·nūnAdjective - masculine singularH2587 gracious
and compassionateוְרַחוּם֙wə·ra·ḥūmConjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singularH7349 compassionate
slowאֶ֤רֶךְ’e·reḵAdjective - masculine singular constructH750 long
to angerאַפַּ֙יִם֙’ap·pa·yimNoun - mdH639 nostril, nose, face, anger
aboundingוְרַב־wə·raḇ-Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular constructH7227 much, many, great
in loving devotionחֶ֔סֶדḥe·seḏNoun - masculine singularH2617 goodness, kindness
And He relentsוְנִחָ֖םwə·ni·ḥāmConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH5162 be sorry, console
fromעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
sending disasterהָרָעָֽה׃hā·rā·‘āhArticle; Adjective - feminine singularH7451 bad, evil

Joel 2:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whoמִ֥יmîInterrogativeH4310 who?
knowsיוֹדֵ֖עַyō·w·ḏê·a‘Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3045 know
He may turnיָשׁ֣וּבyā·šūḇVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7725 turn back, return
and relentוְנִחָ֑םwə·ni·ḥāmConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH5162 be sorry, console
and leaveוְהִשְׁאִ֤ירwə·hiš·’îrConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7604 remain, be left over
a blessingבְּרָכָ֔הbə·rā·ḵāhNoun - feminine singularH1293 blessing
behind Himאַֽחֲרָיו֙’a·ḥă·rāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH310 behind
grainמִנְחָ֣הmin·ḥāhNoun - feminine singularH4503 gift, tribute, offering
and drink offeringsוָנֶ֔סֶךְwā·ne·seḵConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH5262 drink-offering
for the LORDלַיהוָ֖הYah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
your Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃פ’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵemNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine pluralH430 God

Joel 2:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Blowתִּקְע֥וּtiq·‘ūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH8628 thrust, clap, give a blow, blast
the ram’s hornשׁוֹפָ֖רšō·w·p̄ārNoun - masculine singularH7782 horn
in Zionבְּצִיּ֑וֹןbə·ṣî·yō·wnPreposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singularH6726 Zion
consecrateקַדְּשׁוּ־qad·də·šū-Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine pluralH6942 be set apart, consecrated
a fastצ֖וֹםṣō·wmNoun - masculine singularH6685 fasting, fast
proclaimקִרְא֥וּqir·’ūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH7121 call, proclaim, read
a sacred assemblyעֲצָרָֽה׃‘ă·ṣā·rāhNoun - feminine singularH6116 assembly

Joel 2:16

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Gatherאִסְפוּ־’is·p̄ū-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH622 gather, remove
the peopleעָ֞ם‘āmNoun - masculine singularH5971 people
sanctifyקַדְּשׁ֤וּqad·də·šūVerb - Piel - Imperative - masculine pluralH6942 be set apart, consecrated
the congregationקָהָל֙qā·hālNoun - masculine singularH6951 assembly, convocation, congregation
assembleקִבְצ֣וּqiḇ·ṣūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH6908 gather, collect
the agedזְקֵנִ֔יםzə·qê·nîmAdjective - masculine pluralH2205 old
gatherאִסְפוּ֙’is·p̄ūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH622 gather, remove
the childrenעֽוֹלָלִ֔ים‘ō·w·lā·lîmNoun - masculine pluralH5768 child
even those nursingוְיֹנְקֵ֖יwə·yō·nə·qêConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH3243 suck
at the breastשָׁדָ֑יִםšā·ḏā·yimNoun - mdH7699 violence, havoc, devastation, ruin
Let the bridegroomחָתָן֙ḥā·ṯānNoun - masculine singularH2860 daughter's husband, bride-groom
leaveיֵצֵ֤אyê·ṣêVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3318 go or come out
his roomמֵֽחֶדְר֔וֹmê·ḥeḏ·rōwPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2315 chamber, room
and the brideוְכַלָּ֖הwə·ḵal·lāhConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singularH3618 daughter-in-law, bride
her chamberמֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ׃mê·ḥup·pā·ṯāhPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singularH2646 canopy, chamber

Joel 2:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Let the priestsהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםhak·kō·hă·nîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
who ministerמְשָׁרְתֵ֖יmə·šā·rə·ṯêVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural constructH8334 minister, serve
before the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
weepיִבְכּוּ֙yiḇ·kūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1058 weep, bewail
betweenבֵּ֤יןbênPrepositionH996 interval, space between
the porticoהָאוּלָם֙hā·’ū·lāmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH197 porch
and the altarוְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַwə·lam·miz·bê·aḥConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4196 altar
sayingוְֽיֹאמְר֞וּwə·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
Spareח֧וּסָהḥū·sāhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH2347 pity, look upon with compassion
Your peopleעַמֶּ֗ךָ‘am·me·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5971 people
O LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
and do notוְאַל־wə·’al-Conjunctive waw; AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
makeתִּתֵּ֨ןtit·tênVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
Your heritageנַחֲלָתְךָ֤na·ḥă·lā·ṯə·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5159 possession, property, inheritance
a reproachלְחֶרְפָּה֙lə·ḥer·pāhPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singularH2781 reproach
an object of scornלִמְשָׁל־lim·šāl-Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH4910 rule, have dominion, reign
among the nationsגּוֹיִ֔םgō·w·yimNoun - masculine pluralH1471 nation, people
Whyלָ֚מָּהlām·māhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
should they sayיֹאמְר֣וּyō·mə·rūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
among the peoplesבָֽעַמִּ֔יםḇā·‘am·mîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH5971 people
Whereאַיֵּ֖ה’ay·yêhInterrogativeH346 Where?
is their Godאֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃’ĕ·lō·hê·hemNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH430 God

Joel 2:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
became jealousוַיְקַנֵּ֥אway·qan·nêConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7065 be jealous, zealous
for His landלְאַרְצ֑וֹlə·’ar·ṣōwPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH776 earth, land
and He sparedוַיַּחְמֹ֖לway·yaḥ·mōlConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH2550 spare
His peopleעַמּֽוֹ׃‘am·mōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5971 people

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Joel 2:12 James 4:8–9 · Isaiah 55:6–7 · 2 Chronicles 7:13–14 · Hosea 12:6 · Jeremiah 29:12–13 · Jeremiah 4:1 · Hosea 6:1 · Deuteronomy 4:29–30 · Acts 26:20 · 1 Samuel 7:6 · Jonah 3:5–8 · Zechariah 1:3–4

Joel 2:13 Psalm 86:15 · Psalm 34:18 · Isaiah 57:15 · Exodus 34:6–7 · Matthew 5:3–4 · Micah 7:18 · Psalm 86:5 · James 1:19–20 · Jeremiah 18:7–8 · Psalm 103:8 · Isaiah 66:2 · Jonah 4:2

Joel 2:14 Jonah 3:9 · Haggai 2:19 · Jonah 1:6 · Amos 5:15 · Zephaniah 2:3 · 2 Samuel 12:22 · Exodus 32:30 · Joel 1:13 · 2 Kings 19:4

Joel 2:15 Joel 1:14 · Joel 2:1 · Numbers 10:3 · 1 Kings 21:12

Joel 2:16 2 Chronicles 20:13 · 2 Chronicles 29:5 · 1 Corinthians 7:5 · Zechariah 12:11–14 · Exodus 19:10 · Exodus 19:22 · Joel 1:14 · 1 Samuel 16:5

Joel 2:17 Psalm 115:2 · Ezekiel 8:16 · Psalm 79:10 · 1 Kings 6:3 · Amos 7:2 · Joel 1:9 · Hosea 14:2 · Matthew 23:35 · Daniel 9:18–19 · Exodus 34:9 · 2 Chronicles 8:12 · Psalm 89:41

Joel 2:18 Zechariah 8:2 · Psalm 103:13 · Zechariah 1:14 · James 5:11 · Lamentations 3:22 · Isaiah 63:15 · Isaiah 63:9 · Luke 15:20 · Isaiah 60:10 · Jeremiah 31:20 · Hosea 11:8–9 · Deuteronomy 32:16

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.