Yoel 1:16

1:16 Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! ¹ 

There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God! ² 

Yoel 3:1

The Lord Plans to Judge the Nations

3:1 (4:1) ³  For look! In those ⁴  days and at that time

I will return the exiles ⁵  to Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶ 

Yoel 3:21

3:21 I will avenge ⁷  their blood which I had not previously acquitted.

It is the Lord who dwells in Zion!

[1:16]  ¹ tn Heb “Has not the food been cut off right before our eyes?” This rhetorical question expects an affirmative answer; the question has been translated as an affirmation for the sake of clarity and emphasis.

[1:16]  ² tn Heb “joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Verse 16b is a continuation of the rhetorical question begun in v. 16a, but has been translated as an affirmative statement to make the meaning clear. The words “There is no longer any” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[3:1]  ³ sn Joel 3:1 in the English Bible is 4:1 in the Hebrew text (BHS). See also the note at 2:28.

[3:1]  ⁴ tc The MT and LXX read “in those days,” while MurXII reads “in that day.”

[3:1]  ⁵ tc The Kethib reads אָשִׁיב (’ashiv, “return the captivity [captives]), while the Qere is אָשׁוּב (’ashuv, “restore the fortunes”). Many modern English versions follow the Qere reading. Either reading seems to fit the context. Joel refers to an exile of the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem in 3:2-6 and their return from exile in 3:7. On the other hand, 2:25-26 describes the reversal of judgment and restoration of the covenant blessings. However, the former seems to be the concern of the immediate context.

[3:1]  ⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:21]  ⁷ tc The present translation follows the reading וְנִקַּמְתִּי (vÿniqqamti, “I will avenge”) rather than וְנִקֵּתִי (vÿniqqeti, “I will acquit”) of the MT.