Focused Passage

Joel 2:3-11

The Alarm of the Day of the LORD and the Promise of Restoration

The chapter moves from dread to return, from intercession to restoration, and from restored land to Spirit-filled people.

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

3 Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.

4 Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.

5 With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.

6 Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.

7 They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.

8 They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.

9 They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.

10 Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.

11 The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 3

Original words

Before them לְפָנָיו֙ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular a fire אֵ֔שׁ H784 Noun - common singular devours אָ֣כְלָה H398 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular and behind them וְאַחֲרָ֖יו H310 Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular a flame לֶֽהָבָ֑ה H3852 Noun - feminine singular scorches תְּלַהֵ֣ט H3857 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular The land הָאָ֜רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular before them לְפָנָ֗יו H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular is like the Garden כְּגַן־ H1588 Preposition-k | Noun - common singular construct of Eden עֵ֨דֶן H5731 Noun - proper - feminine singular but behind them וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ H310 Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular it is like a desert מִדְבַּ֣ר H4057 Noun - masculine singular construct wasteland שְׁמָמָ֔ה H8077 Noun - feminine singular surely וְגַם־ H1571 Conjunction nothing לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle will הָ֥יְתָה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular escape פְּלֵיטָ֖ה H6413 Noun - feminine singular them לּֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Their appearance כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה H4758 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct is like that מַרְאֵ֑הוּ H4758 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular of horses סוּסִ֖ים H5483 Noun - masculine plural and they gallop יְרוּצֽוּן׃ H7323 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun like swift steeds וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים H6571 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural . . . כֵּ֥ן H3651 Adverb

BSB notes

  • Or like charioteers or like cavalry
Verse 5

Original words

With a sound like כְּק֣וֹל H6963 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct that of chariots מַרְכָּב֗וֹת H4818 Noun - feminine plural they bound יְרַקֵּד֔וּן H7540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun over עַל־ H5921 Preposition vvv רָאשֵׁ֤י H7218 Noun - masculine plural construct the mountaintops הֶֽהָרִים֙ H2022 Article | Noun - masculine plural like the crackling כְּקוֹל֙ H6963 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct of fire אֵ֔שׁ H784 Noun - common singular . . . לַ֣הַב H3851 Noun - masculine singular construct consuming אֹכְלָ֖ה H398 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular stubble קָ֑שׁ H7179 Noun - masculine singular like a mighty עָצ֔וּם H6099 Adjective - masculine singular army כְּעַ֣ם H5971 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular deployed עֱר֖וּךְ H6186 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct for battle מִלְחָמָֽה׃ H4421 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Nations עַמִּ֑ים H5971 Noun - masculine plural writhe in horror יָחִ֣ילוּ H2342 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural before them מִפָּנָ֖יו H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct face פָּנִ֖ים H6440 Noun - masculine plural turns pale קִבְּצ֥וּ H6908 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural . . . פָארֽוּר׃ H6289 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

They charge יְרֻצ֔וּן H7323 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun like mighty men כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים H1368 Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine plural they scale יַעֲל֣וּ H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural the walls חוֹמָ֑ה H2346 Noun - feminine singular like men כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י H582 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct of war מִלְחָמָ֖ה H4421 Noun - feminine singular Each one וְאִ֤ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular marches יֵֽלֵכ֔וּן H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun in formation בִּדְרָכָיו֙ H1870 Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle swerving יְעַבְּט֖וּן H5670 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun from the course אֹרְחוֹתָֽם׃ H734 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 8

Original words

They do not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle jostle יִדְחָק֔וּן H1766 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun one וְאִ֤ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular another אָחִיו֙ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular each גֶּ֥בֶר H1397 Noun - masculine singular proceeds יֵֽלֵכ֑וּן H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun . . . וּבְעַ֥ד H1157 Conjunctive waw | Preposition in his path בִּמְסִלָּת֖וֹ H4546 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular They burst through יִפֹּ֖לוּ H5307 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural the defenses הַשֶּׁ֛לַח H7973 Article | Noun - masculine singular never לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle breaking ranks יִבְצָֽעוּ׃ H1214 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 9

Original words

They storm יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ H8264 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural the city בָּעִ֣יר H5892 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular they run יְרֻצ֔וּן H7323 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun along the wall בַּֽחוֹמָה֙ H2346 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular they climb יַעֲל֑וּ H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural into houses בַּבָּתִּ֖ים H1004 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural entering יָבֹ֖אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural through בְּעַ֧ד H1157 Preposition windows הַחַלּוֹנִ֛ים H2474 Article | Noun - common plural like thieves כַּגַּנָּֽב׃ H1590 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Before them לְפָנָיו֙ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular the earth אֶ֔רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular quakes רָ֣גְזָה H7264 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular the heavens שָׁמָ֑יִם H8064 Noun - masculine plural tremble רָעֲשׁ֖וּ H7493 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural The sun שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ H8121 Noun - common singular and moon וְיָרֵ֙חַ֙ H3394 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular grow dark קָדָ֔רוּ H6937 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural and the stars וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים H3556 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural lose אָסְפ֥וּ H622 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural their brightness נָגְהָֽם׃ H5051 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 11

Original words

The LORD וַֽיהוָ֗ה H3068 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular raises נָתַ֤ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular His voice קוֹלוֹ֙ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular in the presence לִפְנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct of His army חֵיל֔וֹ H2428 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Indeed כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction His camp מַחֲנֵ֔הוּ H4264 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular is very מְאֹד֙ H3966 Adverb large רַ֤ב H7227 Adjective - masculine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction mighty [are] עָצ֖וּם H6099 Adjective - masculine singular those who obey עֹשֵׂ֣ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct His command דְבָר֑וֹ H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the Day יוֹם־ H3117 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular [is] great גָד֧וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular and very מְאֹ֖ד H3966 Adverb dreadful וְנוֹרָ֥א H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular Who וּמִ֥י H4310 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative can endure it יְכִילֶֽנּוּ׃ H3557 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | 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.