\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Joel}
{\MT Joel

\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Locusts Will Destroy the Crops
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}Joel son of Pethuel received this message from the LORD:
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q \VS{2}Leaders, listen to this message!
\par }{\QB Listen to me, all you people who live in the land.
\par }{\Q Has anything like this ever happened in your life?
\par }{\QB Did anything like this happen during your fathers’ lifetime?
\par }{\Q \VS{3}You will tell these things to your children,
\par }{\QB and your children will tell their children,
\par }{\QB and your grandchildren will tell the people of the next generation.
\par }{\Q \VS{4}What the cutting locust\FTNT{*}{{\FR 1:4 }
{\FK{locust
}}{\FT{See “locust” in the Word List. Here, Joel might be talking about an enemy army.}}} has left,
\par }{\QB the swarming locust has eaten.
\par }{\Q And what the swarming locust has left,
\par }{\QB the hopping locust has eaten.
\par }{\Q And what the hopping locust has left,
\par }{\QB the destroying locust has eaten!
\par }{\SH The Locusts—A Powerful Army
\par }{\Q \VS{5}Drunks, wake up and cry!
\par }{\QB All of you who drink wine, cry
\par }{\Q because your sweet wine is finished.
\par }{\QB You will not taste it again.
\par }{\Q \VS{6}A powerful nation came to attack my land.
\par }{\QB Its soldiers were too many to count.
\par }{\Q Its weapons were as sharp as a lion’s teeth
\par }{\QB and as powerful as a lion’s jaw.
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q \VS{7}It destroyed my grapevine.
\par }{\QB Its good vines withered and died.
\par }{\Q It destroyed my fig tree,
\par }{\QB stripped off the bark and threw it away.
\par }{\SH The People Cry
\par }{\Q \VS{8}Cry like a young woman crying
\par }{\QB because the man she was ready to marry has died.
\par }{\Q \VS{9}Priests, servants of the LORD, cry
\par }{\QB because there will be no more grain and drink offerings in the LORD’S Temple.
\par }{\Q \VS{10}The fields are ruined.
\par }{\QB Even the ground is crying
\par }{\QB because the grain is destroyed;
\par }{\Q the new wine is dried up,
\par }{\QB and the olive oil is gone.
\par }{\Q \VS{11}Be sad, farmers!
\par }{\QB Cry loudly for the grapes,
\par }{\Q for the wheat, and for the barley,
\par }{\QB because the harvest in the field is ruined.
\par }{\Q \VS{12}The vines have become dry,
\par }{\QB and the fig tree is dying.
\par }{\Q All the trees in the field—
\par }{\QB the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple—have withered.
\par }{\QB And happiness among the people has died.
\par }{\Q \VS{13}Priests, put on sackcloth and cry loudly.
\par }{\QB Servants of the altar, cry loudly.
\par }{\Q Servants of my God, you will sleep in sackcloth,
\par }{\QB because there will be no more grain and drink offerings in God’s Temple.
\par }{\SH The Terrible Destruction of the Locusts
\par }{\PP \VS{14}Tell the people that there will be a special time of fasting. Call them together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and everyone living in the land together at the Temple of the LORD your God, and pray to the LORD.
\par }{\PP \VS{15}Be sad because the LORD’S special day is near. At that time punishment will come like an attack from God All-Powerful.
\VS{16}Our food is gone. Joy and happiness are gone from the Temple of our God.
\VS{17}We planted seeds, but the seeds became dry and dead lying in the soil. Our plants are dry and dead. Our barns are empty and falling down.
\par }{\PP \VS{18}The animals are hungry and groaning. The herds of cattle wander around confused because they have no grass to eat. The sheep are dying.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 1:18 }
{\FK{dying
}}{\FT{Literally, “being punished.”}}}
\VS{19}LORD, I am calling to you for help. Fire has changed our green fields into a desert. Flames have burned all the trees in the field.
\VS{20}Wild animals also need your help. The streams are dry—there is no water! Fire has changed our green fields into a desert.

\par }\Chap{2}{\SH The Coming Day of the Lord
\par }{\Q \VerseOne{1}Blow the trumpet on Zion.
\par }{\QB Shout a warning on my holy mountain.
\par }{\Q Let all the people who live in the land shake with fear.
\par }{\QB The LORD’S special day is coming;
\par }{\QB it is near.
\par }{\Q \VS{2}It will be a dark, gloomy day.
\par }{\QB It will be a dark and cloudy day.
\par }{\Q At sunrise you will see the army spread over the mountains.
\par }{\QB It will be a great and powerful army.
\par }{\Q There has never been anything like it before,
\par }{\QB and there will never be anything like it again.
\par }{\Q \VS{3}The army will destroy the land like a burning fire.
\par }{\QB In front of them the land will be like the Garden of Eden.
\par }{\Q Behind them the land will be like an empty desert.
\par }{\QB Nothing will escape them.
\par }{\Q \VS{4}They look like horses.
\par }{\QB They run like war horses.
\par }{\Q \VS{5}Listen to them.
\par }{\Q It is like the noise of chariots
\par }{\QB riding over the mountains.
\par }{\Q It is like the noise of flames
\par }{\QB burning the chaff.
\par }{\Q They are a powerful people,
\par }{\QB who are ready for war.
\par }{\Q \VS{6}Before this army, people shake with fear.
\par }{\QB Their faces become pale from fear.
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q \VS{7}The soldiers run fast.
\par }{\QB They climb over the walls.
\par }{\Q Each soldier marches straight ahead.
\par }{\QB They don’t move from their path.
\par }{\Q \VS{8}They don’t trip each other.
\par }{\QB Each soldier walks in his own path.
\par }{\Q If one of the soldiers is hit and falls down,
\par }{\QB the others keep right on marching.
\par }{\Q \VS{9}They run to the city.
\par }{\QB They quickly climb over the wall.
\par }{\Q They climb into the houses.
\par }{\QB They climb through the windows like thieves.
\par }{\Q \VS{10}Before them, earth and sky shake.
\par }{\QB The sun and the moon become dark, and the stars stop shining.
\par }{\Q \VS{11}The LORD calls loudly to his army.
\par }{\QB His camp is very large.
\par }{\Q The army obeys his commands.
\par }{\QB His army is very powerful.
\par }{\Q The LORD’S special day is a great and terrible day.
\par }{\QB No one can stop it.
\par }{\SH The Lord Tells the People to Change
\par }{\Q \VS{12}This is the LORD’S message:
\par }{\QB “Now come back to me with all your heart.
\par }{\Q Cry and mourn, and don’t eat anything!
\par }{\QB Show that you are sad for doing wrong.
\par }{\Q \VS{13}Tear your hearts,
\par }{\QB not your clothes.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 2:13 }
{\FK{Tear your hearts, not your clothes
}}{\FT{People tore their clothes to show sadness. Here, God wants the people to feel sad for the bad things they had done.}}}”
\par }{\Q Come back to the LORD your God.
\par }{\QB He is kind and merciful.
\par }{\Q He does not become angry quickly.
\par }{\QB He has great love.
\par }{\Q Maybe he will change his mind
\par }{\QB about the bad punishment he planned.
\par }{\Q \VS{14}Who knows, maybe he will change his mind
\par }{\QB and leave behind a blessing for you.
\par }{\Q Then you can give grain and drink offerings
\par }{\QB to the LORD your God.
\par }{\SH Pray to the Lord
\par }{\Q \VS{15}Blow the trumpet at Zion.
\par }{\QB Call for a special meeting.
\par }{\QB Call for a special time of fasting.
\par }{\Q \VS{16}Bring the people together.
\par }{\QB Call for a special meeting.
\par }{\Q Bring together the old men,
\par }{\QB the children, and the small babies still at their mother’s breasts.
\par }{\Q Let the bride and her new husband
\par }{\QB come from their bedroom.
\par }{\Q \VS{17}Let the priests, the LORD’S servants,
\par }{\QB cry between the porch\FTNT{†}{{\FR 2:17 }
{\FK{porch
}}{\FT{An open area in front of the Temple.}}} and the altar.
\par }{\Q All of them should say this: “LORD, have mercy on your people.
\par }{\QB Don’t let your people be put to shame.
\par }{\QB Don’t let other people tell jokes about your people.
\par }{\Q Don’t let the other nations laugh at us and say,
\par }{\QB ‘Where is their God?’ ”
\par }{\SH The Lord Will Restore the Land
\par }{\Q \VS{18}Then the LORD cared very much about his land.
\par }{\QB He felt sorry for his people.
\par }{\Q \VS{19}The LORD spoke to his people.
\par }{\Q He said, “I will send you grain, wine, and oil.
\par }{\QB You will have plenty.
\par }{\QB I will not shame you among the nations anymore.
\par }{\Q \VS{20}No, I will force the people from the north\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 2:20 }
{\FK{north
}}{\FT{The Babylonian army came from this direction to attack Judah. Armies from countries north and east of Israel often came this way to attack Judah and Israel.}}} to leave your land
\par }{\QB and make them go into a dry, empty land.
\par }{\Q Some of them will go to the eastern sea
\par }{\QB and some to the western sea.
\par }{\Q They did such terrible things,
\par }{\QB but they will be like a dead and rotting body.
\par }{\Q There will be such a terrible smell!”
\par }{\SH The Land Will Be Made New Again
\par }{\Q \VS{21}Land, don’t be afraid.
\par }{\QB Be happy and full of joy.
\par }{\QB The LORD will do great things.
\par }{\Q \VS{22}Animals of the field, don’t be afraid.
\par }{\QB The desert pastures will grow grass.
\par }{\Q The trees will grow fruit.
\par }{\QB The fig trees and the vines will grow plenty of fruit.
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q \VS{23}So be happy, people of Zion.
\par }{\QB Be joyful in the LORD your God.
\par }{\Q He is good and will give you rain.
\par }{\QB He will send the early rains and the late rains as before.
\par }{\Q \VS{24}The threshing floors will be filled with wheat,
\par }{\QB and the barrels will overflow with wine and olive oil.
\par }{\Q \VS{25}“I, the Lord, sent my army against you.
\par }{\QB The swarming locusts and the hopping locusts
\par }{\QB and the destroying locusts and the cutting locusts\FTNT{§}{{\FR 2:25 }
{\FK{swarming locusts … cutting locusts
}}{\FT{See Joel 1:4.}}} ate everything you had.
\par }{\Q But I will pay you back
\par }{\QB for those years of trouble.
\par }{\Q \VS{26}Then you will have plenty to eat.
\par }{\QB You will be full.
\par }{\Q You will praise the name of the LORD your God.
\par }{\QB He has done wonderful things for you.
\par }{\Q My people will never again be ashamed.
\par }{\Q \VS{27}You will know that I am with Israel.
\par }{\QB You will know that I am the LORD your God.
\par }{\QB There is no other God.
\par }{\Q My people will never be ashamed again.”
\par }{\SH God Will Give His Spirit to All People
\par }{\Q \VS{28}“After this,
\par }{\QB I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people.
\par }{\Q Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
\par }{\QB your old men will have dreams,
\par }{\QB and your young men will see visions.
\par }{\Q \VS{29}In those days I will pour out my Spirit
\par }{\QB even on servants, both men and women.
\par }{\Q \VS{30}I will work wonders in the sky and on the earth.
\par }{\QB There will be blood, fire, and thick smoke.
\par }{\Q \VS{31}The sun will be changed into darkness,
\par }{\QB and the moon will be as red as blood.
\par }{\QB Then the great and fearful day of the LORD will come!
\par }{\Q \VS{32}And everyone who trusts in the LORD\FTNT{*}{{\FR 2:32 }
{\FK{who trusts in the LORD
}}{\FT{Literally, “who calls on the name of the LORD,” meaning to show faith in him by worshiping him or praying to him for help.}}} will be saved.
\par }{\QB There will be survivors on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
\par }{\QB just as the LORD said.
\par }{\Q Yes, those left alive will be the ones
\par }{\QB the LORD has called.
\par }{\BB \par }
\Chap{3}{\SH Judah’s Enemies Will Be Punished
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}“Yes, at that time I will bring back the people of Judah and Jerusalem from captivity.
\VS{2}I will also gather all the nations together. I will bring all these nations down into Jehoshaphat Valley.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 3:2 }
{\FK{Jehoshaphat Valley
}}{\FT{This name means “The LORD judges.”}}} There I will judge them. Those nations scattered my people, Israel. They forced them to live in other nations, so I will punish those nations. They divided up my land.
\VS{3}They threw lots for my people. They sold boys to buy a prostitute, and they sold girls to buy wine to drink.
\par }{\PP \VS{4}“Tyre! Sidon! All of you areas of Philistia! You are not important to me!\FTNT{†}{{\FR 3:4 }
{\FK{You are not important to me
}}{\FT{Literally, “What are you to me?”}}} Are you punishing me for something I did? You might think that you are punishing me, but I will soon punish you.
\VS{5}You took my silver and gold. You took my precious treasures and put them in your temples.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 3:5 }
{\FK{temples
}}{\FT{Here, the temples were used to worship idols.}}}
\par }{\PP \VS{6}“You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks. That way you could take them far from their land.
\VS{7}You sent my people to that faraway place, but I will bring them back. And I will punish you for what you did.
\VS{8}I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah. Then they will sell them to the faraway Sabeans.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 3:8 }
{\FK{Sabeans
}}{\FT{A group of people from the Arabian Desert.}}}” This is what the LORD said.
\par }{\SH Prepare for War
\par }{\Q \VS{9}Announce this among the nations:
\par }{\QB Prepare for war!
\par }{\Q Wake up the strong men!
\par }{\QB Let all the men of war come near.
\par }{\QB Let them come up!
\par }{\Q \VS{10}Beat your plows into swords.
\par }{\QB Make spears from your pruning hooks.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 3:10 }
{\FK{pruning hooks
}}{\FT{These tools were used to prune (cut) branches of trees. Read Isaiah 2:4.}}}
\par }{\Q Let the weak man say,
\par }{\QB “I am a strong soldier.”
\par }{\Q \VS{11}All you nations, hurry!
\par }{\QB Come together in that place.
\par }{\QB LORD, bring your strong soldiers.
\par }{\Q \VS{12}Wake up, nations!
\par }{\QB Come to Jehoshaphat Valley.
\par }{\Q There I will sit to judge
\par }{\QB all the surrounding nations.
\par }{\Q \VS{13}Bring the sickle,
\par }{\QB because the harvest is ripe.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 3:13 }
{\FK{harvest is ripe
}}{\FT{This time of judgment is compared to harvest time.}}}
\par }{\Q Come, walk on the grapes,
\par }{\QB because the winepress is full.
\par }{\Q The barrels will be full and spilling over,
\par }{\QB because their evil is great.
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q \VS{14}There are many, many people in the Valley of Decision.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 3:14 }
{\FK{Valley of Decision
}}{\FT{This is like the name “Jehoshaphat Valley.”}}}
\par }{\QB The LORD’S special day is near in the Valley of Decision.
\par }{\Q \VS{15}The sun and the moon will become dark.
\par }{\QB The stars will stop shining.
\par }{\Q \VS{16}The LORD God will shout from Zion.
\par }{\Q He will shout from Jerusalem,
\par }{\QB and the sky and the earth will shake.
\par }{\Q But the LORD God will be a safe place for his people.
\par }{\QB He will be a place of safety for the people of Israel.
\par }{\Q \VS{17}“Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.
\par }{\QB I live on Zion, my holy mountain.
\par }{\Q Jerusalem will become holy.
\par }{\QB Strangers will never pass through that city again.
\par }{\SH A New Life for Judah Promised
\par }{\Q \VS{18}“On that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine.
\par }{\QB The hills will flow with milk,
\par }{\QB and water will flow through all the empty rivers of Judah.
\par }{\Q A fountain will come from the LORD’S Temple.
\par }{\QB It will give water to Acacia Valley.
\par }{\Q \VS{19}Egypt will be empty.
\par }{\QB Edom will be an empty wilderness,
\par }{\Q because they were cruel to the people of Judah.
\par }{\QB They killed innocent people\FTNT{§}{{\FR 3:19 }
{\FK{killed innocent people
}}{\FT{Literally, “shed innocent blood.”}}} in their country.
\par }{\Q \VS{20}But there will always be people living in Judah.
\par }{\QB People will live in Jerusalem through many generations.
\par }{\Q \VS{21}Those people killed my people,
\par }{\QB so I really will punish them!”
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q The LORD God will live in Zion!
\par }