Yoel 2:13-14

2:13 Return to the Lord your God,

for he is merciful and compassionate,

slow to anger and boundless in loyal love ¹  – often relenting from calamitous punishment. ² 

2:14 Who knows?

Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, ³ 

and leave blessing in his wake ⁴  –

a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God! ⁵ 

Yoel 2:16

2:16 Gather the people;

sanctify an assembly!

Gather the elders;

gather the children and the nursing infants.

Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom

and the bride from her private quarters. ⁶ 

[2:13]  ¹ tn Heb “and great of loyal love.”

[2:13]  ² tn Heb “and he relents from calamity.”

[2:14]  ³ tn Heb “turn” or “turn back.”

[2:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “leave a blessing behind him.”

[2:14]  ⁵ tn The phrase “for you to offer” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[2:16]  ⁶ sn Mosaic law allowed men recently married, or about to be married, to be exempt for a year from certain duties that were normally mandatory, such as military obligation (cf. Deut 20:7; 24:5). However, Joel pictures a time of such urgency that normal expectations must give way to higher requirements.