SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2020 – Page 2

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⌋ .”

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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.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 3:3

3:3a They cast lots for My people;

They gambled to see ⌊who would buy/own⌋ my people ⌊as slaves⌋.
-or-
They threw/played dice to decide what would happen to my ⌊captive⌋ people.

3:3b they bartered a boy for a prostitute

They gave/sold boys in exchange for prostitutes,
-or-
They sold the boys ⌊as slaves⌋ ⌊to hire/obtain⌋ immoral women.

3:3c and sold a girl for wine to drink.

and they sold girls so that they could drink wine.
-or-
They sold the girls ⌊as slaves⌋ in order to ⌊buy⌋ wine to drink.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 1:2

1:2a Hear this, O elders;

Pay attention, you leaders of the people!
-or-
You elders/leaders, hear ⌊God’s⌋ word!
-or-
Old ones/men, leaders of the people, you must listen to this message!

1:2b and give ear, all who dwell in the land.

Hear (plur.) ⌊God’s word⌋ , all you who live in the land!
-or-
Give (plur.) me your attention, all you people who live in this land!
-or-

⌊Yes,⌋ everyone in the nation/country ⌊of Judah⌋ must listen to what ⌊God says⌋ !

1:2c Has anything like this ever happened in your days

Has anything like this ever occurred before, either in your (plur.) time/lifetime
-or-
Has there been another ⌊disaster⌋ like this in your (plur.) whole life,
-or-
You (plur.) have never seen anything ⌊as terrible⌋ as this,

1:2d or in the days of your fathers?

or in the times/lifetimes of your (plur.) forefathers?
-or-
or even in the lives of your (plur.) grandparents or great grandparents? ⌊Never⌋ !
-or-
and neither did any of your (plur.) ancestors.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2:14

2:14a Who knows?

Who can say/tell?
-or-
It is possible that
-or-
No one knows.

2:14b He may turn and relent

Yahweh may change ⌊his mind/decision⌋ , and turn away ⌊from punishing you (plur.) ⌋ ,
-or-
Yahweh may decide not to punish ⌊you (plur.) ⌋
-or-
Perhaps Yahweh will forgive/pardon ⌊us (incl.) ⌋

2:14c and leave a blessing behind Him—

and even leave a blessing behind him ⌊as he turns away⌋ :
-or-
and ⌊instead⌋ may send/give ⌊you (plur.) ⌋ a blessing,
-or-
and bless ⌊us (incl.) ⌋ with

2:14d grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

grain and of wine for you to offer to Yahweh, your (plur.) God.
-or-
food and drink/wine that ⌊you (plur.) ⌋ can sacrifice to your (plur.) God, Yahweh.
-or-
enough grain and wine to bring as an offering to Yahweh our (incl.) God.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 3:14

3:14a Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!

Crowds and crowds ⌊of people⌋ are in ⌊that⌋ valley of verdict/judgment!
-or-
Huge numbers/masses of people ⌊enter⌋ that valley where ⌊God will declare/announce⌋ ⌊his⌋ verdict/judgment!

3:14b For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

For the day of Yahweh will soon come to that valley, the valley where he will declare/announce his verdict/judgment.
-or-
For the day/time is near when Yahweh ⌊will judge them⌋ in that valley.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Joel 2020