Joel 2:13-14

13 And ¹rend your heart and not ²your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is ³gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And ⁴relenting of evil.

14 Who knows ⁵whether He will not turn and relent And leave a ⁶blessing behind Him, Even ⁷a grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?

Joel 2:13-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOEL 2

In this chapter a further account is given of the judgment of the locusts and caterpillars, or of those who are designed by them, Joe 2:1-11; the people of the Jews are called to repentance, humiliation, and fasting, urged from the grace and goodness of God, his jealousy and pity for his people, and the answer of prayer that might he expected from him upon this, even to the removal of the calamity, Joe 2:12-20; a prophecy of good things, both temporal and spiritual, in the times of the Messiah, is delivered out as matter and occasion of great joy, Joe 2:21-27; and another concerning the effusion of the Spirit, which was fulfilled an the day of Pentecost, Joe 2:28-29; and the chapter is concluded with the judgments and desolations that should come upon the land of Judea after this, for their rejection of Christ, though the remnant according to the election of grace should be delivered and saved from the general destruction, Joe 2:30-32.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 57:15
• 2. Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 1:11; Job 1:20; Jeremiah 41:5
• 3. Exodus 34:6
• 4. Jeremiah 18:8; Jeremiah 42:10; Amos 7:3, 6
• 5. Jeremiah 26:3; Jonah 3:9
• 6. Haggai 2:19
• 7. Joel 1:9, 13