Even upon the menservants and the maidservants: God’s spirit will not be restricted to the leading people but will be shared with the poorer classes as well. Menservants and maidservants include not only hired workers but also slaves, who were part of the community in ancient times. No one is left out on the basis of whether they are important or unimportant people. New Revised Standard Version says “male and female slaves,” while Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have “servants, both men and women.”

In those days refers to the time in the future when the day of Yahweh will occur. Good News Translation says “At that time.”

I will pour out my spirit repeats part of the second line of the previous verse. Such repetition frequently shows the end of a discourse segment in Joel (see the comments on verse 27). Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation insert a blank line at the end of this verse to indicate such a discourse break.

Good News Translation and Revised English Bible have reversed the order of the two lines in this verse for better style. Translators may do the same if it is appropriate in their language.

Quoted with permission from de Blois, Kees & Dorn, Louis. A Handbook on Joel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .