\NormalFont\ShortTitle{JOEL}

{\MTB This book is the account of Joel foretelling about many nations conquering the Israeli people and about God restoring them. We call this book

\par }{\MT Joel



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{I am}} Joel, the son of Pethuel.
{\ADD{This is}} a message that Yahweh gave to me.


\par }{\SH The attack by locusts
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}You leaders
{\ADD{of Israel}}, and everyone else who lives in this country, listen
{\ADD{to this message}}!

\par }{\QB Nothing [RHQ] like this has ever happened during the time that we have lived

\par }{\QB or the time when our ancestors lived.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}Tell your children about it,

\par }{\QB and tell your children to tell it to their children,

\par }{\QB and tell your grandchildren to tell it to their children.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{4}{\ADD{I am talking about}} the locusts that have eaten our crops.

\par }{\QB The first swarm of locusts came and cut
{\ADD{many of the leaves of the crops}};

\par }{\Q then another swarm came and ate
{\ADD{the rest of the leaves}},

\par }{\QB then another swarm came hopping along,

\par }{\Q and finally another swarm came

\par }{\QB and they destroyed
{\ADD{everything else}}.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{5}You people who are drunk, wake up!

\par }{\QB Wake up and wail loudly,

\par }{\Q because all the grapes are ruined,

\par }{\QB and so there will be no new wine [MTY]!


\par }{\Q \VS{6}{\ADD{Huge swarms of}} locusts have entered our country.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{They are like}} [MET] a powerful army

\par }{\Q {\ADD{that has very many soldiers}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{with the result that}} no one can count them.

\par }{\Q The locusts have teeth that are
{\ADD{as sharp as}} the teeth of lions [DOU]!


\par }{\Q \VS{7}They have destroyed our grapevines and our fig trees

\par }{\QB {\ADD{by}} stripping off
{\ADD{and eating all}} the bark,

\par }{\QB with the result that the branches are white
{\ADD{and ◄bare/have no leaves on them►}}.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}Cry like [SIM] a young woman cries

\par }{\QB when the young man to whom she was ◄engaged/promised to marry► has died.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}There is no grain or wine for us to offer
{\ADD{as sacrifices}} at the temple,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{so}} the priests who serve Yahweh are mourning/weeping.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}{\ADD{The crops in}} the fields have been ruined;

\par }{\QB {\ADD{it is as though}} [PRS] the ground is mourning.

\par }{\Q The grain has been destroyed,

\par }{\QB there are no
{\ADD{grapes to make}} wine,

\par }{\QB and there is no
{\ADD{more olive
}} oil.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}You farmers, grieve!

\par }{\QB You who take care of grapevines, wail,

\par }{\Q because the grain has been destroyed;

\par }{\QB there is no wheat or barley growing.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}The grapevines and the fig trees have withered,

\par }{\QB and the pomegranate
{\ADD{trees}} and palm
{\ADD{trees}} and apricot
{\ADD{trees}} have also dried up.

\par }{\Q The people are no longer joyful.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{13}You priests, put on
{\ADD{rough}} sack clothes and wail.

\par }{\QB You who serve God
{\ADD{by offering sacrifices}} on the altar,

\par }{\Q wear those rough sack clothes all night
{\ADD{to show that you are mourning}},

\par }{\QB because there is no grain or wine to be offered at the temple of your God.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}Tell the people that they should ◄fast/abstain from eating food►.

\par }{\Q Tell the leaders and the other people to gather at the temple

\par }{\QB and to cry
{\ADD{out}} to Yahweh
{\ADD{there}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}Terrible things are happening to us!

\par }{\QB It will soon be the time when Yahweh,
{\ADD{who is}} the Almighty God,
{\ADD{will really punish us}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{when he}} will cause us to experience more disasters.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{16}Our crops are already gone,

\par }{\QB and no
{\ADD{one is}} rejoicing at all [DOU] at the temple of our God.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}{\ADD{When we plant}} seeds,
{\ADD{they do not grow}};

\par }{\Q they dry up in the ground,

\par }{\QB so there are no crops to harvest.

\par }{\Q Our barns/storehouses are empty;

\par }{\QB there is no grain
{\ADD{to store in them}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{18}Our cattle groan, searching for a pasture with some grass to eat,

\par }{\QB and the sheep bleat because they are suffering.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{19}Yahweh, I cry
{\ADD{out}} to you,

\par }{\QB because our pastures and our forests have dried up in the hot sunshine [MET].


\par }{\Q \VS{20}{\ADD{It is as though}} even the wild animals cry
{\ADD{out}} to you

\par }{\QB because all the streams have dried up.

\par }{\Q The rivers and streams are all dry,

\par }{\QB and the grass in the pastures is all parched.




\par }\Chap{2}{\SH A warning about the locusts
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}Blow trumpets on Zion
{\ADD{Hill}},

\par }{\QB God’s sacred hill
{\ADD{in Jerusalem}}!

\par }{\Q Tell the people of Judah that they should tremble,

\par }{\QB because it will soon be the time for Yahweh
{\ADD{to punish us further}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}{\ADD{That will be a very}} dark and gloomy day;

\par }{\QB there will be
{\ADD{black}} clouds and it will be very dark.

\par }{\Q A huge
{\ADD{swarm of locusts}} has covered the mountains like [SIM] a black
{\ADD{cloud}}.

\par }{\Q Nothing like this has ever happened before,

\par }{\QB and nothing like this will ever
{\ADD{happen}} again.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}{\ADD{It is as though the locusts bring}} flames of fire

\par }{\QB from which no one can escape.

\par }{\Q In front of them, the land was
{\ADD{beautiful}} like [SIM] the garden of Eden,

\par }{\QB but behind them
{\ADD{the land is like}} a desert

\par }{\QB and nothing survives.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}{\ADD{The locusts}} resemble horses,

\par }{\QB and they run like [SIM] war horses.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}Leaping over the mountaintops,

\par }{\QB they make a noise like rumbling chariots,

\par }{\Q like [SIM] a mighty army that is preparing for a battle,

\par }{\QB or like [SIM] the roar of a fire that burns up stubble
{\ADD{in a field}}.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{6}When people see them coming,

\par }{\QB they become very pale and frightened.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}{\ADD{The locusts}} climb over walls like soldiers do;

\par }{\QB they march along in columns

\par }{\Q and never turn aside
{\ADD{from their columns}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}They rush straight ahead

\par }{\QB without pushing each other.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Even though people throw}} spears and javelins at them,

\par }{\QB that will not cause them to stop.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses;

\par }{\QB they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}{\ADD{It is as though}} they cause the earth to shake and the sky to tremble.

\par }{\Q The sun and the moon become dark

\par }{\Q and the stars do not shine

\par }{\QB {\ADD{because there are so many locusts in the sky}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}Yahweh leads this army
{\ADD{of countless locusts}},

\par }{\QB and they obey his commands.

\par }{\Q This time when he is judging and punishing us is very terrible,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{with the result that it seems that}} no one [RHQ] can survive it.


\par }{\SH Yahweh calls them to repent
\par }
{\PP \VS{12}But Yahweh says,

\par }{\Q “In spite of
{\ADD{these disasters that you have experienced}},

\par }{\QB you can return to me with all your inner beings.

\par }{\Q Weep, and mourn, and ◄fast/abstain from eating food►
{\ADD{to show that you are sorry for having abandoned me}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}Do not tear your clothes

\par }{\QB {\ADD{to show that you are sorry}};

\par }{\QB instead, show [MET] that you are sorry.”

\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q Yahweh is merciful and kind;

\par }{\QB he does not quickly become angry;

\par }{\Q he faithfully loves
{\ADD{people}}.

\par }{\Q He does not quickly become angry;

\par }{\QB instead, he greatly and faithfully loves
{\ADD{you}},

\par }{\QB and he does not like to punish you.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}No one knows [RHQ] if he will change his mind
{\ADD{about punishing you}}

\par }{\QB and if instead he will act mercifully
{\ADD{toward you}}.

\par }{\Q If he does that, he will bless you

\par }{\QB {\ADD{by giving you plenty of grain and wine}}

\par }{\QB in order that you can offer
{\ADD{some of
}} those things as sacrifices to him.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{15}Blow the trumpets on Zion
{\ADD{Hill}}!

\par }{\QB Gather the people together!

\par }{\Q Show by fasting that you are sorry
{\ADD{for the sins that you have committed}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}Perform the rituals to cause yourselves to be acceptable to Yahweh.

\par }{\Q Gather everyone together—

\par }{\QB the old people and the children, even the babies,

\par }{\Q and summon brides and bridegrooms from their rooms.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}Tell the priests who serve Yahweh to cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple

\par }{\QB and to pray
{\ADD{this}}:

\par }{\Q “Yahweh, rescue/save
{\ADD{us}} your people;

\par }{\QB do not allow people from other nations to despise us;

\par }{\Q do not allow them to ridicule us and say,

\par }{\QB ‘Why has [RHQ] their God
{\ADD{abandoned them}}?’ ”


\par }{\SH Yahweh promised to prosper them again
\par }
{\Q \VS{18}But Yahweh
{\ADD{showed that he}} was concerned about his people

\par }{\QB and that he would act mercifully toward them.


\par }{\PP \VS{19}When the people prayed,

\par }{\Q Yahweh answered and said,

\par }{\Q “I will give you
{\ADD{plenty of}} grain and wine and
{\ADD{olive}} oil,

\par }{\QB and you will be satisfied.

\par }{\Q And I will no longer allow other nations to insult you.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{20}Another army
{\ADD{of locusts will come}} from the north
{\ADD{to attack you}},

\par }{\QB but I will force them to continue
{\ADD{past Jerusalem}}

\par }{\QB into the desert.

\par }{\Q Some will go into the Dead Sea in the east

\par }{\QB and some will go into the
{\ADD{Mediterranean}} Sea in the west.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{There}} they will
{\ADD{all die, and their bodies}} will stink.”

\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q Yahweh does great things!


\par }{\QB \VS{21}He does wonderful things!

\par }{\QB So even the ground should rejoice!


\par }{\Q \VS{22}And the wild animals should not be afraid,

\par }{\QB because the meadows will soon become green again;

\par }{\Q the fig trees and
{\ADD{other}} trees will be full of fruit,

\par }{\QB and the grapevines will be covered with grapes.


\par }{\Q \VS{23}You people of Jerusalem,

\par }{\QB rejoice about what Yahweh, your God,
{\ADD{will be doing for you}}.

\par }{\Q He will send abundant rain at the ◄right time/time when it is needed►—

\par }{\QB ◄in the spring/early in the year► and ◄in the autumn/late in the year►

\par }{\QB like he did previously.


\par }{\Q \VS{24}The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain,

\par }{\QB and your vats where you store grape juice and
{\ADD{olive}} oil will be full.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{25}{\ADD{Yahweh said,}} “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts

\par }{\QB that I sent to attack you.


\par }{\Q \VS{26}You, my people, will eat until your stomachs are full.

\par }{\Q Then you will praise me [MTY], Yahweh, your God,

\par }{\QB for the wonderful things that I have done for you.

\par }{\Q And never again will you be disgraced.


\par }{\Q \VS{27}When that happens, you will know that I am
{\ADD{always}} among you,

\par }{\QB and that I am Yahweh, your God,

\par }{\QB and that there is no other
{\ADD{God}}.

\par }{\Q Never again will you be disgraced.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh promised to send his Spirit
\par }
{\Q \VS{28}“Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many [HYP] people.

\par }{\QB Your sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me.

\par }{\Q Your old men will have dreams
{\ADD{that come from me}},

\par }{\QB and your young men will have visions
{\ADD{that come from me}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{29}At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.


\par }{\Q \VS{30}I will do unusual/amazing things on the earth and in the sky.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{On the earth}} [CHI], there will be much blood
{\ADD{shed}}

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{there will be very large}} fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds.


\par }{\Q \VS{31}{\ADD{In the sky,}} the sun will become dark and the moon will become
{\ADD{as red as}} [MET] blood.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{Those things will happen}} before that great and terrible day when
{\ADD{I}}, Yahweh, appear.


\par }{\Q \VS{32}But at that time
{\ADD{I}} will save everyone who worships me.

\par }{\QB I promise that some people in Jerusalem [DOU] will escape
{\ADD{those disasters}};

\par }{\QB those whom I have chosen will survive.”




\par }\Chap{3}{\SH Yahweh will judge the nations
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{Yahweh says this}}:

\par }{\Q “At that time [DOU], I will enable
{\ADD{the people of}} Jerusalem and
{\ADD{other places in}} Judah to prosper again.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}{\ADD{Then}} in the Valley of Judgment I will gather together
{\ADD{the people of}} all the
{\ADD{other}} nations;

\par }{\Q I will judge
{\ADD{and punish}} them

\par }{\QB because they scattered my Israeli people

\par }{\QB and forced them to go to other countries.

\par }{\Q They divided up my land


\par }{\Q \VS{3}and they ◄threw marked stones/cast lots► to determine who would get
{\ADD{each of}} my people.

\par }{\Q Then they sold
{\ADD{some of}} the Israeli boys and girls

\par }{\QB {\ADD{to get money to pay}} for prostitutes and wine to drink.


\par }{\PP \VS{4}You
{\ADD{people of}} [APO] Tyre and Sidon
{\ADD{cities}} and
{\ADD{you people of}} the Philistia
{\ADD{region}}, I certainly have not [RHQ] done anything to harm you!
{\ADD{So}} if you are trying to get revenge on me, I will very quickly get revenge on you.

\VS{5}You have taken the silver and gold and
{\ADD{other
}}valuable things from my temple and put them in your temples.

\VS{6}{\ADD{You dragged away}} the people of Jerusalem and
{\ADD{other places in}} Judah, and you took them far away and sold them to people in Greece.


\par }{\PP \VS{7}But I will cause my people to want to return from the places to which you sold them, and I will do to you what you did to them.

\VS{8}Then I will cause
{\ADD{some of}} your sons and your daughters to be sold to the people of Judah! And
{\ADD{some of}} them will be sold to the Sabea people-group, who live far away.
{\ADD{That will certainly happen because I}}, Yahweh, have said it.”


\par }{\SH God will judge and punish the nations
\par }
{\Q \VS{9}Proclaim to the
{\ADD{people of all}} nations,

\par }{\QB “Prepare for a war!

\par }{\Q Summon your soldiers,

\par }{\QB and tell them to stand in their battle positions.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}{\ADD{Take}} your plows and make swords from them,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{take}} your pruning knives and make spears from them.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Even}} the weak people must
{\ADD{also}} be like [MET]
{\ADD{strong}} soldiers.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}All you
{\ADD{people from the}} nations that are near
{\ADD{Judah}}

\par }{\QB must come quickly and gather
{\ADD{in the Valley of Judgment}}.”

\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q But Yahweh,
{\ADD{when that happens}}, send your army
{\ADD{of angels to attack them}}!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}The
{\ADD{people in}} the nations near
{\ADD{Judah}} must get ready and come to the Valley of Judgment.

\par }{\QB There Yahweh will sit and judge
{\ADD{and punish}} them.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}{\ADD{They are like}} [MET] crops that are ready to be harvested;

\par }{\QB so
{\ADD{strike them like}} [MET]
{\ADD{a farmer}} swings his sickle to cut the grain.

\par }{\Q They are like [MET] grapes that are piled high in the pits where they will be pressed;

\par }{\QB because they are very wicked,

\par }{\Q {\ADD{punish them severely}} [MET] now,

\par }{\QB like [MET]
{\ADD{a farmer}} tramples on the grapes until the pits are full of juice.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{14}{\ADD{There will be}} huge crowds of people in that Valley of Judgment.

\par }{\QB It will soon be the time that Yahweh
{\ADD{will punish them}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}{\ADD{At that time}} there will be no light from the sun or moon,

\par }{\QB and the stars will not shine.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}From Zion
{\ADD{Hill}} in Jerusalem Yahweh will shout,

\par }{\QB and his voice will be like thunder,

\par }{\QB and his voice will cause the sky and the earth to shake.

\par }{\Q But Yahweh will protect [MET] his people;

\par }{\QB he will be like [MET] a strong wall behind which the people of Israel will be protected.


\par }{\SH God’s blessings for his people
\par }
{\Q \VS{17}{\ADD{Yahweh says}}, “At that time, you Israeli people will know that I am Yahweh, your God.

\par }{\QB I live on Zion, my sacred hill.

\par }{\Q Jerusalem will be a sacred
{\ADD{city}},

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{soldiers from}} other countries will never conquer it again.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{18}At that time, there will be vineyards covering [MTY] the hills,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{your cattle and goats on}} those hills will produce plenty of milk.

\par }{\QB The streams in Judah will never dry up.

\par }{\Q And a stream will flow from my temple into the Acacia Valley
{\ADD{northeast of the Dead Sea}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{19}{\ADD{The armies of}} Egypt and Edom attacked the people of Judah

\par }{\QB and killed [MTY] many people who had not done anything that was wrong.

\par }{\Q So
{\ADD{now}} those countries will become deserts,


\par }{\Q \VS{20}but there will always be people living in Jerusalem and
{\ADD{in other places}} in Judea.


\par }{\Q \VS{21}{\ADD{I}}, Yahweh, live on Zion
{\ADD{Hill in Jerusalem}},

\par }{\QB and I will get revenge on the people
{\ADD{of Egypt and Edom}} who killed [MTY]
{\ADD{many of my people}}.”


\par }