Focused Passage

Joel 1:8-12

A Devastated Land and the Call to Lament Before the LORD

The chapter moves from observed devastation to interpreted devastation, then to commanded lament and direct appeal to the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband of her youth.

9Grain and drink offerings have been cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD.

10The field is ruined; the land mourns. For the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, and the oil fails.

11Be dismayed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, over the wheat and barley, because the harvest of the field has perished.

12The grapevine is dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the orchard—are withered. Surely the joy of mankind has dried up.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Wailאֱלִ֕יH421Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singularlike a virginכִּבְתוּלָ֥הH1330Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singulardressedחֲגֻֽרַת־H2296Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular constructin sackclothשַׂ֖קH8242Noun - masculine singulargrieving forעַל־H5921Prepositionthe husbandבַּ֥עַלH1167Noun - masculine singular constructof her youthנְעוּרֶֽיהָ׃H5271Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Grain and drink offeringsמִנְחָ֛הH4503Noun - feminine singular. . .וָנֶ֖סֶךְH5262Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularhave been cut offהָכְרַ֥תH3772Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person masculine singularfrom the houseמִבֵּ֣יתH1004Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe priestsהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםH3548Article | Noun - masculine pluralare in mourningאָֽבְלוּ֙H56Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthose who ministerמְשָׁרְתֵ֖יH8334Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural constructbefore the LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

The fieldשָׂדֶ֔הH7704Noun - masculine singularis ruinedשֻׁדַּ֣דH7703Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe landאֲדָמָ֑הH127Noun - feminine singularmournsאָבְלָ֖הH56Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularForכִּ֚יH3588Conjunctionthe grainדָּגָ֔ןH1715Noun - masculine singularis destroyedשֻׁדַּ֣דH7703Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe new wineתִּיר֖וֹשׁH8492Noun - masculine singular. . .אֻמְלַ֥לH535Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singularis dried upהוֹבִ֥ישׁH3001Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular[and] the oil failsיִצְהָֽר׃H3323Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Be dismayedהֹבִ֣ישׁוּH954Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralO farmersאִכָּרִ֗יםH406Noun - masculine pluralwailהֵילִ֙ילוּ֙H3213Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralO vinedressersכֹּֽרְמִ֔יםH3755Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluraloverעַל־H5921Prepositionthe wheatחִטָּ֖הH2406Noun - feminine singularandוְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionbarleyשְׂעֹרָ֑הH8184Noun - feminine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthe harvestקְצִ֥ירH7105Noun - masculine singular constructof the fieldשָׂדֶֽה׃H7704Noun - masculine singularhas perishedאָבַ֖דH6Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

The grapevineהַגֶּ֣פֶןH1612Article | Noun - common singularis dried upהוֹבִ֔ישָׁהH3001Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singularand the fig treeוְהַתְּאֵנָ֖הH8384Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularis witheredאֻמְלָ֑לָהH535Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singularthe pomegranateרִמּ֞וֹןH7416Noun - masculine singular. . .גַּם־H1571Conjunctionpalmתָּמָ֣רH8558Noun - masculine singularand appleוְתַפּ֗וּחַH8598Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe treesעֲצֵ֤יH6086Noun - masculine plural constructof the orchardהַשָּׂדֶה֙H7704Article | Noun - masculine singularare witheredיָבֵ֔שׁוּH3001Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralSurelyכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe joyשָׂשׂ֖וֹןH8342Noun - masculine singularofמִן־H4480Prepositionvvvבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructmankindאָדָֽם׃סH120Noun - masculine singularhas dried upהֹבִ֥ישׁH954Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.