Joel 1:15 kjv

Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

Joel 1:15 nkjv

Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.

Joel 1:15 niv

Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.

Joel 1:15 esv

Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.

Joel 1:15 nlt

The day of the LORD is near,
the day when destruction comes from the Almighty.
How terrible that day will be!

Joel 1 verses

Joel 1 15 Meaning

Joel 1:15 expresses a deep lament ("Alas!") over the immediate and impending reality of the "Day of the LORD." It directly declares that this day of divine intervention is imminent, arriving with the devastating force of judgment from God Himself, identified by the powerful name "Almighty." The current crisis of the locust plague and drought is presented not merely as a natural disaster, but as a stark premonition and tangible foretaste of this greater, terrible day of the LORD's decisive action against all ungodliness and sin.

Joel 1 15 Context

Joel 1:15 is a pivotal verse that directly follows Joel's graphic description of an unprecedented, utterly devastating locust plague and severe drought that has destroyed the land, crops, and even offerings to God. Before this verse, the prophet primarily portrays the physical and economic devastation, describing the famine and loss that impacts all segments of society from farmers to priests. Verse 15 marks a significant shift, transcending the immediate natural catastrophe by explicitly revealing its underlying spiritual significance: the present suffering is not mere happenstance but an early manifestation and sign of the coming "Day of the LORD." This profound statement elevates the regional disaster into a prophetic warning, establishing that the current devastation is a taste of the ultimate, universally impacting divine judgment. The historical context for the original audience in Judah would have been one of widespread agricultural ruin and potential famine, which Joel masterfully reinterprets as a call to spiritual awakening and repentance in the face of an omnipotent and righteous God.

Joel 1 15 Word analysis

• Alas (הָהּ, hah): An interjection of intense lamentation, anguish, or terror. It is an onomatopoeic exclamation, similar to "woe!" or "Ah!". In prophetic literature, it signals a grave pronouncement, a cry of doom, preparing the audience for terrible news or an unfolding catastrophe. Its sharp, concise nature underscores the immediacy and weight of the message.
• for the day! (לַיּוֹם, la-yom): The definite article "the" (prefixed here with "for") indicates a specific, known, and highly significant "day." It's not a general passing day but a uniquely ordained time. The exclamation point emphasizes the prophetic urgency.
• For (כִּי, ki): Introduces the reason or explanation for the lament. It connects the cry of woe to the stated reality: the imminence of the Day of the LORD.
• the day of the LORD (יוֹם יְהוָה, yom Yahweh): This is a crucial theological phrase throughout prophetic literature. It denotes a specific period in which God, Yahweh, directly and decisively intervenes in human history. Its nature can be one of judgment (as here) or salvation, or both. In Joel, it has both an immediate reference (the locust plague and its aftermath) and an ultimate, eschatological dimension of global judgment. It signifies God's direct agency and the vindication of His holiness.
• is near (קָרוֹב, qarov): Implies physical or temporal proximity. It stresses the imminence and rapid approach of the Day of the LORD, demanding urgent attention and a decisive response. It suggests the time for indifference has passed.
• and as a destruction (וּכְשֹׁד, u-che-shod):
  • and (וּ, u-): Conjunction, linking the imminence of the Day to its character.
  • as (כְּ, che-): Preposition, meaning "like" or "as." It emphasizes the nature and impact of the Day of the LORD: it will be characterized by devastation.
  • destruction (שֹׁד, shod): Root from שׁדד (shadad), meaning "to lay waste," "devastate," or "deal violently with." It denotes total ruin, violent overwhelming, and desolation. This is not light punishment but comprehensive ruin.
• from the Almighty (מִשַּׁדַּי, mi-Shaddai):
  • from (מִ, mi-): Indicates source or origin. The destruction emanates directly from this source.
  • Almighty (שַׁדַּי, Shaddai): A profound and ancient Hebrew name for God, "El Shaddai" (God Almighty). It typically conveys God's boundless power, all-sufficiency, and His ability to nourish and bless, but also His sovereign power to bring about judgment and destruction when necessary. By naming God as the "Almighty" in this context, Joel underscores that this catastrophe is not random fate but a purposeful, powerful, and irresistible act of the supreme sovereign God.
• it comes (יָבֹא, yavo): A verb in the imperfect tense, signifying continuous or future action. It conveys the certainty of the Day of the LORD's arrival and its progressive unfolding.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near": This sequence encapsulates the profound prophetic warning. The initial "Alas!" immediately establishes the emotional weight and dreadful nature of the pronouncement. This lament is then explained by the "nearness" of the "Day of the LORD," emphasizing that the immediate distress (from the locusts) is tied to a larger, more significant, impending divine judgment. It links personal grief with eschatological truth.
• "and as a destruction from the Almighty it comes.": This phrase illuminates the precise character and undeniable source of the "Day of the LORD." It reveals that the imminent "day" is not a benevolent visitation but a forceful, annihilating act. Critically, it firmly attributes this destruction to "the Almighty," leaving no ambiguity about God's sovereign power and deliberate action in bringing about such devastation. This is a deliberate act from an omnipotent God, ensuring the complete execution of His judgment.

Joel 1 15 Bonus section

• Dual Fulfillment: The "Day of the LORD" in Joel is not singular but multifaceted. Verse 15 illustrates this by simultaneously referencing the immediate locust plague (a present "destruction") as a partial fulfillment or sign of a greater, future, eschatological "Day of the LORD" which will encompass all nations (as elaborated in Joel 3). Prophetic utterances often have this immediate and distant fulfillment.
• God's Names and Attributes: The choice of "Shaddai" ("Almighty") is significant. While often associated with God's provision and covenant promises, in a context of rebellion and unfaithfulness, the same "Almighty" power turns to execute judgment, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty and capacity to uphold His justice.
• Call to Repentance: Though this verse focuses on dread, its context within Joel's prophecy ultimately functions as a powerful impetus for repentance. The intensity of the described judgment is designed to humble and drive the people back to God, to "rend your hearts and not your garments" (Joel 2:13).

Joel 1 15 Commentary

Joel 1:15 stands as a chilling summary of the prophet's message, transmuting a vivid description of natural disaster into a potent theological pronouncement. The prophet's mournful cry, "Alas for the day!", is not merely for the crops ruined, but for the revelation of God's coming judgment. By declaring the "Day of the LORD is near," Joel heightens the urgency and apocalyptic tension, suggesting that the locust plague is not just a precursor but a literal foretaste of God's decisive intervention. The devastating quality of this day is then emphasized by likening its advent to "destruction." Most profoundly, the explicit attribution of this destruction to "the Almighty" (Shaddai) strips away any notion of chance or random misfortune. It unequivocally proclaims God's supreme authority, self-sufficiency, and devastating power, confirming that this judgment is divinely willed and perfectly executed. This verse thus serves as an urgent call to awareness and repentance, for if a localized, physical judgment could be this terrifying, the full, cosmic manifestation of "the Day of the LORD" by the omnipotent God promises unparalleled awe and dread.