Joel 1:18 kjv
How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joel 1:18 nkjv
How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.
Joel 1:18 niv
How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
Joel 1:18 esv
How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed because there is no pasture for them; even the flocks of sheep suffer.
Joel 1:18 nlt
How the animals moan with hunger!
The herds of cattle wander about confused,
because they have no pasture.
The flocks of sheep and goats bleat in misery.
Joel 1 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 14:5-6 | Even the hind in the field calves and forsakes her young, because there is no grass. The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights... there is no herbage. | Animals suffer lack of food in drought |
| Hos 4:3 | Therefore the land mourns... and the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea vanish. | Human sin leads to desolation of all creation |
| Rom 8:22 | For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. | Creation groans under the weight of sin |
| Job 38:41 | Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for food, and wander about for lack of it? | Crying out for lack of sustenance |
| Hag 1:11 | I have called for a drought on the land and on the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all toil... | Drought as divine judgment on man and beast |
| Deut 28:23-24 | The sky over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you iron. The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust... | Consequences of disobedience: severe drought |
| Lev 26:19-20 | I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not... | Curse of barren land due to covenant breaking |
| Joel 1:15 | Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. | Immediate context: severity of Day of the Lord |
| Joel 1:19-20 | To you, O Lord, I call; for fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness... Even the beasts of the field pant for you... | Prophet's personal lament, animals seeking God |
| Joel 2:3 | Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. | Before and after description of utter desolation |
| Isa 24:4 | The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the highest people of the earth languish. | Universal mourning of the earth |
| Zeph 1:2-3 | “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will sweep away man and beast..." | Judgment affects all, including man and beast |
| Amos 1:2 | The pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers. | Pastures are directly affected by the judgment |
| Jer 12:4 | How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, the beasts and the birds are swept away. | Human wickedness causing the perishing of creation |
| Isa 32:13-14 | Upon the land of my people will grow thorns and briers, yes, on all the joyful houses in the joyous city. For the palace will be forsaken, the populous city deserted... | Lament over widespread desolation and ruin |
| Ps 36:6 | Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord. | God's usual preservation of man and beast |
| Ps 145:15-16 | The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. | God's regular provision for living creatures |
| Jon 4:11 | And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle? | God's compassion extends to animals |
| Matt 6:26 | Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? | God's providence and care for creatures |
| Gen 3:17-19 | To Adam he said... “Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you..." | The fall impacting the ground and its fruit |
| Joel 2:23-26 | Be glad, O children of Zion... I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten... You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied... | Future restoration and abundance |
| Rev 6:12-14 | ...there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth... Every mountain... removed. | Cosmic impact of eschatological judgment |
Joel 1 verses
Joel 1 18 Meaning
Joel 1:18 describes the utter desperation and severe suffering inflicted upon the animal kingdom during the devastating judgment on the land. The livestock, typically a symbol of prosperity and a vital part of sustenance and sacrifice, are depicted as groaning, bewildered, and without a guiding path due to the catastrophic lack of pasture. Even the typically hardier sheep are overwhelmed by the pervasive desolation. This scene highlights the total ecological collapse and the far-reaching impact of divine judgment, which spares no part of creation. It underscores the profound distress felt throughout the natural world, witnessing to the extreme severity of the famine and drought, and implicitly, to the sin that brought such calamity upon the land.
Joel 1 18 Context
Joel chapter 1 portrays a cataclysmic agricultural disaster, initially describing a devastating locust plague and then segueing into, or deepening with, a severe drought. The entire chapter functions as an urgent call for national lamentation and repentance in the face of this overwhelming judgment, which the prophet interprets as a harbinger of the "Day of the Lord." Joel 1:18 falls within the section detailing the direct physical consequences of this calamity, shifting from human suffering (vv. 16-17) to the profound impact on the animal kingdom. This verse highlights how the judgment affects all forms of life and economy in the land, underscoring its absolute severity. Historically, such droughts and plagues were understood in ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Israel, as expressions of divine displeasure or the failure of gods to provide. Joel implicitly (or explicitly, given Israel's covenant with Yahweh) directs this understanding toward the Lord, reinforcing His sovereign power over creation and judgment, distinct from regional fertility cults like Baalism which promised agricultural abundance.
Joel 1 18 Word analysis
- אֵיךְ (ʾēḵ) - "How": This is an interrogative particle, often used in an exclamatory sense to express intense sorrow, grief, bewilderment, or despair. It introduces a lament, signifying shock and distress at the scene unfolding. It implies a sense of disbelief and overwhelming misery, emphasizing the dreadful nature of the circumstances.
- נֶאֶנְחָה (neʾenḥāh) - "groan": From the root ʾānaḥ, in the Niphal stem. This verb describes a deep, visceral sigh or moan of anguish and pain. It's often associated with human suffering (Ex 2:24; Eze 9:4), indicating great burden or oppression. Applying this to animals signifies the ultimate limit of their endurance and a lament for a desperate state. It’s an audible sign of extreme distress.
- בְהֵמָה (bəhēmāh) - "livestock/beast": A general term for quadrupeds, often domesticated animals, vital for food, labor, and sacrificial offerings in Israelite society. Their groaning underscores the universal suffering and the catastrophic economic and religious implications of the disaster.
- נָבֹכוּ (nāḇōḵū) - "bewildered/perplexed": From the root bāḵaḵ, in the Niphal stem. This means to be confused, lost, or in a state of utter perplexity, having no clear way or direction. The animals are not merely wandering; they are disoriented because there is no discernible path to food or relief. This suggests a profound helplessness and lack of natural guidance in finding sustenance, amplifying their desperation.
- עֶדְרֵי בָקָר (ʿeḏrê bāqār) - "herds of cattle": ʿEḏer refers to a herd, and bāqār specifically means cattle. Cattle were extremely valuable, symbolizing wealth and being central to the agricultural economy and sacrificial system. Their bewilderment points to a systemic breakdown of the natural order and sustenance.
- כִּי אֵין מִרְעֶה (kî ʾên mirʿeh) - "because there is no pasture": This phrase directly states the reason for the animals' distress. Mirʿeh denotes grazing land or pasture. Its absence is the root cause of the widespread famine among the livestock. The Hebrew construction kî ʾên simply means "because there is not," a straightforward declaration of the catastrophic void of sustenance.
- גַּם (gam) - "even/also": This adverb adds emphasis, extending the scope of suffering. It highlights that the distress is so pervasive that it affects even the sheep (ṣōʾn), which are often seen as less demanding in their grazing needs than cattle, or more numerous and therefore still valuable even if some are lost. Its inclusion underscores the totality of the ecological disaster.
- צֹאן (ṣōʾn) - "flocks of sheep": Another primary component of ancient Israel's economy and religious practices, providing wool, meat, and vital sacrificial animals. Their suffering further intensifies the portrait of national catastrophe and impending spiritual crisis, as there would be no animals left for offerings (Joel 1:9, 13).
- נֶאְשָֽׁמוּ (neʾšāmū) - "suffer/bear their guilt/are desolate": From the root ʾāsham, in the Niphal stem. This is a potent and multi-layered term. While ʾāsham primarily means "to be guilty" or "to incur guilt," in the Niphal, it often implies to "suffer punishment/consequences for guilt" or to "bear one's guilt." In this context, animals are not morally guilty of sin, but they are "made desolate" or "suffer the consequences" of desolation that has come upon the land because of human sin. Their suffering is part of the land's judgment and bears witness to the widespread ruin. Their state of perishing due to the famine signifies their inclusion in the general curse and suffering imposed by divine judgment on the land.
Joel 1 18 Bonus section
The widespread suffering of animals described in Joel 1:18 not only illustrates the comprehensive nature of the judgment but also serves a theological purpose. It portrays innocent creation caught in the wake of humanity's sin, prefiguring themes of cosmic anguish and anticipation of redemption as seen in the New Testament (Rom 8:22). The animal's inability to find "mirʿeh" (pasture) also signifies a reversal of the divine provision described in Genesis (e.g., Gen 1:30) and Psalms (e.g., Ps 145:15-16). Their visible anguish acts as a living sermon, urging humanity to recognize the gravity of the situation and turn to the only source of true provision, the Lord, through lament and repentance. This stark image of groaning livestock serves to shock and impress upon the complacent hearts the absolute necessity of responding to God's impending "Day of the Lord."
Joel 1 18 Commentary
Joel 1:18 presents a profoundly distressing tableau: the once-thriving livestock, cornerstones of sustenance and religious life, are utterly undone. The verse opens with an exclaimed "How!", setting a tone of anguished observation, lamenting the profound groans emanating from all beasts. These animals are not just hungry; they are "bewildered," disoriented by the utter absence of pasture, signifying a fundamental disruption of the natural order. This suffering extends universally, encompassing even the sheep, known for their resilience. The Hebrew term "ne'eshamu" for their suffering is particularly poignant, hinting that the animals, though innocent, are bearing the painful consequences ("are desolate" or "suffer as if guilty") of the land's desolation, itself a result of humanity's actions before God. This imagery serves as a powerful testament to the severity of the famine and drought, portraying a creation groaning under the weight of divine judgment and indirectly, human sin. It paints a picture of pervasive despair that urges the people of Judah to recognize the depth of their spiritual crisis and respond with profound repentance.