Joel 2:12-17

12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "¹Return to Me with all your heart, And with ²fasting, weeping and mourning;

13 And ³rend your heart and not ⁴your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is ⁵gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And ⁶relenting of evil.

14 Who knows ⁷whether He will not turn and relent And leave a ⁸blessing behind Him, Even ⁹a grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?

15 ¹⁰Blow a trumpet in Zion, ¹¹Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,

16 Gather the people, ¹²sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the ¹³bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber.

17 Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep ¹⁴between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "¹⁵Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not make Your inheritance a ¹⁶reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, '¹⁷Where is their God?' "

Joel 2:12-17 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. Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 4:1, 2; Ezekiel 33:11; Hosea 12:6
• 2. Daniel 9:3
• 3. Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 57:15
• 4. Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 1:11; Job 1:20; Jeremiah 41:5
• 5. Exodus 34:6
• 6. Jeremiah 18:8; Jeremiah 42:10; Amos 7:3, 6
• 7. Jeremiah 26:3; Jonah 3:9
• 8. Haggai 2:19
• 9. Joel 1:9, 13
• 10. Numbers 10:3; 2 Kings 10:20
• 11. Joel 1:14
• 12. 1 Samuel 16:5; 2 Chronicles 29:5
• 13. Psalms 19:5
• 14. 2 Chronicles 8:12; Ezekiel 8:16
• 15. Exodus 32:11, 12; Isaiah 37:20; Amos 7:2, 5
• 16. Psalms 44:13; Psalms 74:10
• 17. Psalms 42:10; Psalms 79:10; Psalms 115:2