Joel 1

King James Version

Full text for Joel Chapter 1

1¶ The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

2Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?

3Tell ye your children of it, and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children another generation.

4That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.

5Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.

6For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth [are] the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.

7He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast [it] away; the branches thereof are made white.

8¶ Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.

9The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD'S ministers, mourn.

10The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.

11Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.

12The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, [even] all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.

13Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.

14¶ Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders [and] all the inhabitants of the land [into] the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,

15Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD [is] at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

16Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, [yea], joy and gladness from the house of our God?

17The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.

18How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

19O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.

20The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Joel prophesies a devastating plague of locusts, described as an invading nation, which has utterly consumed all vegetation, leaving the land barren. This unprecedented destruction leads to the cessation of temple offerings and widespread mourning among all inhabitants, from drunkards to priests. The prophet calls for a solemn fast and assembly, warning that this calamity signals the imminent "day of the LORD."

Medium Summary

The prophet Joel delivers a divine message concerning an unparalleled plague of locusts that has ravaged the land, consuming every green thing. This infestation is likened to a mighty nation with lion's teeth, leaving vineyards and fig trees desolate. Consequently, the new wine, corn, and oil are destroyed, leading to immense suffering and the cessation of meat and drink offerings in the house of the LORD, causing priests to mourn. Joel calls upon all, from drunkards to husbandmen, to lament this profound loss, as joy has withered from the people. He commands the priests to sanctify a fast and gather the elders and inhabitants for a solemn assembly to cry unto the LORD, recognizing these events as a precursor to the "day of the LORD," a time of destruction from the Almighty. Even the beasts groan, and rivers are dried up, underscoring the severity of the desolation.

Long Summary

Joel, the son of Pethuel, receives the word of the LORD, calling upon the old men and inhabitants to witness an unprecedented calamity, a plague so severe that it must be recounted through generations. A succession of locusts—palmerworm, locust, cankerworm, and caterpiller—has utterly devoured the land's produce. The prophet commands drunkards to weep, as the new wine is cut off, attributing this devastation to a "nation" strong and innumerable, with the teeth of a lion, which has laid waste to vines and fig trees. He calls for lamentation akin to a virgin mourning her lost husband, for the meat and drink offerings are withheld from the LORD's house, causing the priests to mourn. The fields are wasted, corn perished, new wine dried up, and oil languishes, prompting husbandmen and vinedressers to howl in shame. All fruit trees, including the vine, fig, pomegranate, palm, and apple, are withered, signifying that joy has departed from humanity. Joel instructs the priests to gird themselves with sackcloth, lie all night in the temple, and sanctify a fast, calling a solemn assembly of elders and all inhabitants to cry to the LORD. He laments the coming "day of the LORD," described as a destruction from the Almighty, where food, joy, and gladness are cut off. The seeds rot, garners are desolate, and barns broken. Even the beasts groan and are perplexed due to the lack of pasture and dried-up rivers, as fire has consumed the wilderness, completing the picture of utter desolation and prompting a desperate cry to the LORD.

Core Concepts

  • Plague of LocustsA series of devastating insect infestations (palmerworm, locust, cankerworm, caterpiller) that completely strip the land of its vegetation. This plague is described as an unprecedented event, likened to a powerful, numerous nation with lion's teeth.
  • Cessation of OfferingsDue to the agricultural devastation, the meat offering and drink offering can no longer be presented in the house of the LORD. This cessation leads to mourning among the priests and signifies a disruption in the people's worship and relationship with God.
  • Widespread DesolationThe land suffers comprehensive destruction, with fields wasted, corn perished, new wine dried up, and all fruit trees withered. This desolation impacts not only human sustenance but also the well-being of livestock, which groan from lack of pasture.
  • Call to Lamentation and RepentanceJoel commands various groups—drunkards, husbandmen, vinedressers, and especially priests—to mourn deeply, wear sackcloth, and fast. This lamentation is a response to the severe judgment and a call for the people to turn to the LORD.
  • The Day of the LORDThe prophet warns that the current calamities are a precursor to the "day of the LORD," described as a day of destruction from the Almighty. This concept emphasizes divine judgment and the urgency of the people's response.
  • Loss of JoyThe widespread destruction of crops and the cessation of offerings directly lead to the "withering away of joy from the sons of men." This highlights the profound spiritual and emotional impact of the famine and judgment on the community.
  • Intergenerational MemoryJoel instructs the elders to tell their children, and their children's children, about the unprecedented nature of this plague. This emphasizes the historical significance of the event and its role as a warning or lesson for future generations.