SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2020

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:2

2:2a a day of darkness and gloom,

that dark and gloomy day,
-or-
and it will be a day of deep darkness
-or-
That will be a day without any light,

2:2b a day of clouds and blackness.

that black and cloudy day.
-or-
and black clouds.
-or-
a day both dark and threatening.

2:2c Like the dawn overspreading the mountains

Just as the dawn spreads across the mountains,
-or-
At daybreak/sunrise the sunlight enters/invades the mountains,
-or-

⌊As it is when⌋ the first light of day covers mountain after mountain,

2:2d a great and strong army appears,

so an army, huge and powerful, will spread across ⌊the land⌋ .
-or-
and a great army/horde is going to enter/invade ⌊Judah⌋ .
-or-
so ⌊enemy⌋ soldiers/warriors, numerous and strong, will cover ⌊your (plur.) land⌋ .

2:2e such as never was of old,

There was never an army like this in times past,
-or-
It will be ⌊an army/horde⌋ ⌊greater/larger⌋ than any that has ever before appeared/assembled.
-or-
Your (plur.) ancestors have never seen/witnessed such an event/thing,

2:2f nor will ever be in ages to come.

and never will there be such an army in future generations/years.
-or-

⌊An army/horde⌋ ⌊as great/large⌋ as that will not appear/assemble again.
-or-
and neither will your (plur.) descendants ever see/witness one like it.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 3:2

3:2a I will gather all the nations

I will bring together all the ⌊other⌋ nations.
-or-
I will assemble ⌊the armies of⌋ all/many ⌊foreign⌋ nations

3:2b and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

I will take/lead them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
-or-
and make/cause them to go down into Jehoshaphat Valley.

3:2c There I will enter into judgment against them

There I will judge them
-or-
In that valley I will pronounce judgment on them,

3:2d concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel,

for ⌊the evil⌋ they have done to my people Israel, my possession.
-or-
because they ⌊harmed/mistreated⌋ the people of Israel, who belong to me.

3:2e whom they have scattered among the nations

They sent my people away to live scattered/dispersed among ⌊other⌋ nations,
-or-
They ⌊forced⌋ my people ⌊to live⌋ in many different ⌊foreign⌋ countries,

3:2f as they divided up My land.

and they divided up my land.
-or-
and they caused my land ⌊Israel⌋ to be divided/split.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 1:1

Section 1:1–12

Swarms of locusts ruined the crops

1:1a This is the word of the LORD

This is the word/message that Yahweh gave
-or-
This is the message from Yahweh ⌊to his people⌋
-or-
Yahweh spoke these words

1:1b that came to Joel son of Pethuel:

to Joel, the son of Pethuel.
-or-
through Pethuel’s son Joel.
-or-
to Joel, whose father was Pethuel.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:13

2:13a So rend your hearts and not your garments,

Tear/Shred (plur.) your (plur.) hearts, not the clothes ⌊on your body⌋ !
-or-
Do not rip your (plur.) clothes ⌊in a show of shame/sorrow⌋ ! Instead let your (plur.) hearts/minds break ⌊with true grief/repentance⌋ !

2:13b and return to the LORD your God.

Turn back to Yahweh, your (plur.) God,
-or-
Go/Come back to Yahweh your (plur.) God.

2:13c For He is gracious and compassionate,

because he forgives ⌊people⌋ and has pity ⌊on them⌋ .
-or-
He is both kind/caring and merciful,

2:13d slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.

He is slow to become angry and is very loving ⌊to people⌋ ,
-or-
one who does not get angry quickly but who is full of love.

2:13e And He relents from sending disaster.

and he is compassionate instead of bringing disaster.
-or-
He refrains from causing suffering/trouble.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 3:13

3:13a Swing the sickle,

⌊It is time to⌋ use the sickles/knives! ⌊Cut (plur.) the crops,⌋
-or-
Cut (plur.) them down,

3:13b for the harvest is ripe.

for ⌊the grain⌋ is ripe/ready for harvest.
-or-
for ⌊they are like a grain/crop field⌋ that it is time to harvest/cut.

3:13c Come, trample the grapes,

Enter (plur.) ⌊the winepress⌋ and trample/crush the grapes!
-or-
Come (plur.), crush them as you would crush grapes ⌊to obtain juice/wine⌋ .

3:13d for the winepress is full;

The winepress is so full
-or-
The storage basins are completely filled ⌊with grapes⌋

3:13e the wine vats overflow

that the wine containers/troughs overflow!
-or-
and ⌊the juice/wine⌋ spills from its containers/troughs!

3:13f because their wickedness is great.

And the nations also are full, full of wickedness!
-or-
And the evil deeds that they have done are also too many/numerous!

3:13a–f (reordered)

They are filled with evil deeds just as stone basins get filled ⌊with grapes⌋ and wine vats/containers overflow ⌊with grape juice⌋ . And ⌊they are ready for punishment⌋ like a grain field that is ready for harvest. So you (plur.) should cut them down in the same way as you harvest grain. You (plur.) should crush them as you trample/crush grapes ⌊to get juice/wine⌋ .”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 1:12

1:12a The grapevine is dried up,

Every grapevine is dead,
-or-
The vines have wilted/shriveled

1:12b and the fig tree is withered;

every fig tree is dried up.
-or-
and the fig trees are withered.

1:12c the pomegranate, palm, and apple—

Every pomegranate tree, date palm, and apple tree,
-or-
The pomegranate trees, the date palms, and the apple trees,
-or-
The trees bearing various kinds of fruit,

1:12d all the trees of the orchard—are withered.

yes, all the trees in the farms/orchards, have dried up.
-or-
and all ⌊other⌋ fruit-bearing trees have withered/suffered ⌊in the drought⌋ .
-or-
every kind of tree in the orchard, have died.

1:12e Surely the joy of mankind has dried up.

No one has anything to celebrate anymore.
-or-

⌊The harvest⌋ that makes ⌊hungry⌋ people joyful/rejoice has failed.
-or-
There is no ⌊harvest⌋ for people to celebrate.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:24

2:24a The threshing floors will be full of grain,

The threshing floors will be full of grain,
-or-
Grain will cover the ground/places where you (plur.) thresh/separate grain.

2:24b and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

and the ⌊big⌋ wine pots/vats and oil pots/vats will be full to overflowing.
-or-
There will be more new wine and oil than the storage containers can hold.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:3

2:3a Before them a fire devours,

A fire consumes/destroys everything in front of it,
-or-
Before that army/horde a fire is burning,
-or-
Fire burns everything before the soldiers/warriors ⌊arrive⌋

2:3b and behind them a flame scorches.

and flames follow it.
-or-
and after it there is/are ⌊more⌋ fire/flames.
-or-
and blazes behind them ⌊after they are gone⌋ .

2:3c The land before them is like the Garden of Eden,

The land in front of the army is like the garden of Eden,
-or-
When/Before they arrive, the land is as ⌊beautiful⌋ as the garden in Eden was.

2:3d but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—

but after ⌊the army has passed through⌋ it is an empty/ruined wasteland.
-or-
But when they leave, ⌊nothing remains except⌋ a desert.

2:3e surely nothing will escape them.

Nothing can live through it/this.
-or-
No living thing can survive their ⌊coming/passing⌋ .
-or-
Everything is dead.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2020