SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2020

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:12

Section 2:12–17

Yahweh invited his people to repent

2:12a “Yet even now,” declares the LORD,

Yahweh says, “It is not too late.
-or-
Yahweh says, “There is still time!

2:12b “return to Me with all your heart,

Come (plur.) back to me with a true/sincere heart.
-or-
So dedicate (plur.) yourselves to me completely!

2:12c with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

Fast, cry, and grieve ⌊because of your (plur.) sins⌋ .”
-or-
Cry and mourn and stop eating ⌊to show you (plur.) repent⌋ !”

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 3:12

3:12a Let the nations be roused

⌊Yahweh says,⌋ “Arouse/Awaken (plur.) the ⌊people/men of⌋ the nations!
-or-
⌊Yahweh said/replied,⌋ “⌊All the men⌋ ⌊from foreign⌋ nations must prepare themselves

3:12b and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,

Make/Cause (plur.) them to enter the Valley of Jehoshaphat!
-or-
and come to Jehoshaphat Valley ⌊to fight⌋ .

3:12c for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side.

For there I will take the judge’s seat/place and judge the people from all the surrounding countries.
-or-
For in that place I, ⌊Yahweh⌋ will act as judge and punish all the nations around ⌊Judah⌋ .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 1:11

1:11a Be dismayed, O farmers,

Be ashamed, you (plur.) farmers!
-or-
There will be no ⌊harvest⌋ for the farmers to boast about,

1:11b wail, O vinedressers,

Mourn, you (plur.) who grow the vines!
-or-
and no ⌊grapes⌋ to bring joy to those who tend the grapevines.

1:11c over the wheat and barley,

Weep (plur.) for the wheat and barley,
-or-
Mourn (plur.) over the harvest of wheat and barley,
-or-
So wail (plur.) over ⌊the failed⌋ crops!

1:11d because the harvest of the field has perished.

because the crops are completely ruined/gone.
-or-
for it has failed. There is no grain ⌊for you (plur.) to eat/sell⌋ .
-or-

⌊The locusts⌋ have destroyed all the produce of the fields.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:23

2:23a Be glad, O children of Zion,

People of Zion, you (plur.) be (plur.) happy
-or-
Be (plur.) happy, you (plur.) who live in Jerusalem!

2:23b and rejoice in the LORD your God,

and rejoice (plur.) in Yahweh your (plur.) God.
-or-
Celebrate (plur.) ⌊because of all that⌋ Yahweh your (plur.) God ⌊has done for you (plur.) ⌋ !

2:23c for He has given you the autumn rains

⌊Be glad that⌋ he has sent the early rains to you (plur.),
-or-
He has sent the first rain of the season to you (plur.)

2:23d for your vindication.

because he is righteous/faithful ⌊to keep his word/promises⌋ .
-or-
because he always does as he promises.

2:23c–d (reordered)

He is faithful ⌊to keep his word/promises⌋ , so he has sent the autumn rains to you (plur.).
-or-
Because he always does as he promises, he has sent the early rains to you (plur.).

2:23e He sends you showers,

He has given/sent plentiful rain for you (plur.),
-or-
He causes enough rain to fall on your ⌊fields⌋ ,

2:23f both autumn and spring rains, as before.

the early rain and the later rain, as ⌊he did⌋ in the past.
-or-
both at the beginning and the end of the rainy season. This is just what he used to do ⌊for you⌋ .

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.

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.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2020