Book of Joel

Books of the Hebrew Bible

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1–2 Samuel 1–2 Kings 1–2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel other Minor Prophets

Tanakh Torah | Nevi'im | Ketuvim Books of Nevi'im
First Prophets
1. Joshua
2. Judges
3. Samuel
4. Kings
Later Prophets
5. Isaiah
6. Jeremiah
7. Ezekiel
8. 12 minor prophets Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

The Book of Joel is one of the Books of the Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament), and was ostensibly written by the eponymous prophet.

Authorship and Historical Context

The Prophet

As with many of the Hebrew prophets, virtually nothing is known of Joel aside from contestable details that can be gleaned from the text itself. The only biographical data in the text itself can be found in its sparse superscription, "The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel" (Joel 1:1). Unfortunately, this Joel was probably a resident in Judah, as his commission was to that people. He makes frequent mention of Judah and Jerusalem (1:14; 2:1, 15, 32; 3:1, 12, 17, 20, 21). The name Joel was common in Israel and is usually interpreted as meaning Yahweh is God or Jehovah is God.

Dating the Text

Scholars debate the date of Joel with three main schools:

• 835-796B.C.E. During the time when Joash was too young to govern and Jehoiada did so in his place (2 Kings 11; 2 Chron. 23-24).

• About 775-725B.C.E. Roughly contemporary with Hosea and Amos.

• About 500B.C.E. Roughly contemporary with Zechariah.

• A fourth school shows the book of Joel to be written about 639-608B.C.E. during Josiah's reign.

Overview

1. A prophecy of a great public calamity then impending over the land, consisting of a want of water and an extraordinary plague of locusts (1:1-2:11).
2. The prophet then calls on his countrymen to repent and to turn to God, assuring them of his readiness to forgive (2:12-17), and foretelling the restoration of the land to its accustomed fruitfulness (18-26).
3. Then follows a prophecy which is interpreted as Messianic within Christian tradition.
4. Finally, the prophet foretells portents and judgments as destined to fall on the enemies of God (ch. 3, but in the Hebrew text 4).

Use in the New Testament

Joel	New Testament
Then afterwards I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:28-32)	"In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit;and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below,blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:17-21)
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:32)	For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' (Romans 10:13)

All quotations taken from the New Revised Standard Version.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Achtemeier, Elizabeth. "Joel." The New Interpreter's Bible (Vol. VII). Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994-2004. ISBN 0687278201.
• Crenshaw, James L. "Joel: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary." The Anchor Bible Volume 24c. Toronto: Doubleday, 1994. ISBN 0385412053.
• Faulhaber, Michael. "Joel" in The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910.
• Finley, Thomas J. Everyman's Bible Commentary: Joel, Obadiah, and Micah. Chicago: Moody Press, 1996. ISBN 0802420974.
• Fowler, Henry T. "The Chronological Position of Joel among the Prophets." Journal of Biblical Literature 16:1/2. (1897), 146-154.
• Hirsch, Emil G. and Ryssel, Victor. "Book of Joel" in The Jewish Encyclopedia. 2002.
• Hurowitz, Victor Avigdor. "Joel's Locust Plague in Light of Sargon II's Hymn to Nanaya." Journal of Biblical Literature 112:4 (Winter 1993), 597-603.
• Keller, Carl A. "Joel." The Oxford Bible Commentary. Edited by John Barton and John Muddiman. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0198755007.
• Koch, Klaus. The Prophets: The Assyrian Period. Philidelphia: Fortress Press, 1982. ISBN 0800617568.
• LaSor, William Sanford. Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament. 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdsmans Publishing Co., 1996. ISBN 0802837883.
• Stephenson, F. R. "The Date of the Book of Joel." Vetus Testamentum 19: Fascicle 2 (April 1969), 224-229.
• Treves, Marco. "The Date of Joel." Vetus Testamentum 7: Fascicle 2 (April 1957), 149-156.

External links

All links retrieved November 25, 2007

• Jewish Encyclopedia: Book of Joel
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Joel

Translations

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Joel

Jewish translations:

• Yoel - Joel (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org

Christian translations:

• Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV)
• Joel at The Great Books (New Revised Standard Version)
• Joel at BibleGateway (New International Version and others)
• Joel at BlueLetter Bible (King James Version and others, plus commentaries)

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