Joel

Joel 1

1 This message from the LORD came to Pethuel’s son Joel. ^{a1:1 The Heb. name Joel means The LORD is God}ISV — Joel 1:1

2 “Hear this, you elders! Listen, all of you residents of the land! Has there ever been anything like this during your lifetime, ^{b1:2 Lit. this in your days} or even when your ancestors were alive? ^{c1:2 Lit. even in the days of your ancestors}ISV — Joel 1:2

3 Pass it on to your children, and from ^{d1:3 The Heb. lacks from} your children to their children, and from ^{e1:3 The Heb. lacks from} their children to the following generation.ISV — Joel 1:3

4 Whatever the devouring locust left behind the locust swarm has consumed! Whatever the locust swarm has left behind, the young locust ^{f1:4 Or caterpillar} has consumed! Whatever the young locust ^{g1:4 Or caterpillar} has left behind, the ravaging locust has consumed!”ISV — Joel 1:4

5 “Wake up, you drunkards! Cry aloud and howl, you wine drinkers, because your supply of new wine has been snatched from you. ^{h1:5 Lit. from your lips}ISV — Joel 1:5

6 Indeed, a nation has invaded my land— it is strong and its population is too large to count ^{i1:6 Lit. and innumerable} — with teeth like a lion and fangs ^{j1:6 Or jaws} like a lioness.ISV — Joel 1:6

7 That nation ^{k1:7 Lit. It} laid waste my vines, and stripped bare my fig tree, discarding it. It stripped off ^{l1:7 Lit. made white} its bark.ISV — Joel 1:7

8 “Grieve like a virgin, who, dressed in her mourner’s clothes, ^{m1:8 Or in sackcloth} cries out in memory ^{n1:8 The Heb. lacks in memory} of the man she was going to marry. ^{o1:8 Lit. the husband of her youth}ISV — Joel 1:8

9 Both grain offering and wine offering have been removed from the LORD’s Temple; ^{p1:9 Or house; and so throughout the book} the priests and ministering servants of the LORD are mourning.”ISV — Joel 1:9

10 “The fields lie in ruins and the ground is dried up. ^{q1:10 Or ground mourns} Indeed, the grain is ruined, the new wine has evaporated, and the olive oil has run out.ISV — Joel 1:10

11 Be dismayed, you farmers! Cry aloud, you vintners, for the wheat and barley, because the harvest in your fields has been lost.ISV — Joel 1:11

12 The grapevine is shriveled and the fig tree is withered, along with the pomegranate tree, the palm tree, the apple tree and all of the cultivated trees. ^{r1:12 Lit. the trees of the field} Truly, joy has evaporated from Adam’s children.” ^{s1:12 Lit. from sons of mankind}ISV — Joel 1:12

13 “Put on your mourning clothes, you priests; and cry aloud, you ministering servants at the altar! Come! Stay the night in mourner’s clothes, ^{t1:13 Or in sackcloth} you ministers of my God, because the grain offering and the wine offering is held back from the Temple of your God.ISV — Joel 1:13

14 Set apart time for a fast! Call a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and everyone living in the land to the Temple of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD!”ISV — Joel 1:14

15 Oh, no! For the Day of the LORD approaches, and like destruction from the Almighty, it will come!ISV — Joel 1:15

16 Isn’t our food supply cut off right in front of us, ^{u1:16 Lit. cut off before our eyes} along with joy and gladness from the Temple of our God?ISV — Joel 1:16

17 Seeds shrivel within their furrows, the storehouses lie empty, and granaries stand in ruins because the grain has withered.ISV — Joel 1:17

18 Oh, how the livestock groan! The herds of cattle ^{v1:18 Or oxen} wander about because they have no pasture. Even flocks of sheep suffer!ISV — Joel 1:18

19 To you, LORD, I cry out, because fire has devoured the open pastures, and has set all the cultivated trees ^{w1:19 Lit. the trees of the field} ablaze.ISV — Joel 1:19

20 The livestock also cries out to you, because their water sources have evaporated and because fire has consumed the open pastures.ISV — Joel 1:20