Yoel 3:3

3:3 and they cast lots for my people.

They traded ¹  a boy for a prostitute;

they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink. ² 

Yoel 3:16

3:16 The Lord roars from Zion;

from Jerusalem ³  his voice bellows out. ⁴ 

The heavens ⁵  and the earth shake.

But the Lord is a refuge for his people;

he is a stronghold for the citizens ⁶  of Israel.

[3:3]  ¹ tn Heb “gave.”

[3:3]  ² sn Heb “and they drank.” Joel vividly refers to a situation where innocent human life has little value; its only worth is its use in somehow satisfying selfish appetites of wicked people who have control over others (cf. Amos 2:6 and 8:6).

[3:16]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “he sounds forth his voice.”

[3:16]  ⁵ tn Or “the sky.” See the note on “sky” in 2:30.

[3:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “sons.”