Joel 2:16 kjv
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Joel 2:16 nkjv
Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.
Joel 2:16 niv
Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
Joel 2:16 esv
gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
Joel 2:16 nlt
Gather all the people ?
the elders, the children, and even the babies.
Call the bridegroom from his quarters
and the bride from her private room.
Joel 2 16 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Call to Assembly/Repentance: | ||
Joel 1:13-14 | Gird yourselves and lament, O priests... Consecrate a fast; call a sacred assembly... | Priests lead in calling for solemn assembly. |
Exod 19:10-15 | ...sanctify the people today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes... and be ready for the third day... | Sanctification before meeting God. |
Deut 31:12-13 | Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear... | Inclusive assembly for God's Law. |
Jon 3:5-9 | ...the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them... Even animals... | Universal repentance, from humans to beasts. |
Neh 9:1 | On the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. | National fast and assembly for repentance. |
2 Chr 20:13 | All Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. | All ages assembled for divine aid. |
Jer 36:6 | ...go and read in the hearing of the people in the LORD’s house, on a day of fasting, the words of the LORD... | Public reading during fast. |
Day of the LORD Context: | ||
Joel 2:1 | Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming... | Warning of impending judgment. |
Zeph 1:14-15 | The great day of the LORD is near... a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress... | Describes the severity of God's day. |
Amos 5:18 | Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light... | Undesirability of judgment. |
Mal 4:5 | Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. | Prophetic foretelling. |
Sanctification & Holiness: | ||
Lev 10:3 | "Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified." | God demands holiness among His people. |
Heb 12:14 | Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. | Emphasis on personal and communal holiness. |
1 Pet 1:15-16 | ...as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." | Call to emulate God's holiness. |
Corporate Responsibility & Unity: | ||
1 Cor 12:26 | If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. | Corporate unity and shared experience. |
Rom 5:12 | Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned... | Corporate nature of sin's consequences. |
Josh 7:1-5 | Achan's sin causing Israel's defeat at Ai. | Individual sin affecting the whole community. |
Prioritizing God/Spiritual Over Personal: | ||
Deut 20:7 | Or is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him return to his house... | Exemption for newlyweds (contrast to Joel). |
1 Cor 7:5 | Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer... | Temporary abstinence for spiritual devotion. |
Lk 14:26 | If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children... he cannot be my disciple. | Radical prioritization of Christ. |
Matt 10:37 | Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... | Absolute devotion to Christ. |
God's Care for All, Even the Young: | ||
Isa 40:11 | He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms... gently lead those that are with young. | God's compassionate care for the weak. |
Matt 19:14 | But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." | Children's place in God's Kingdom. |
Joel 2 verses
Joel 2 16 Meaning
Joel 2:16 is an urgent command for a universal, solemn assembly of all members of the Israelite community, without exception, for a time of corporate repentance and prayer. It signifies the extreme gravity of the impending judgment and the necessity for every individual, from leaders to the most vulnerable, and even those in traditionally exempted or private states, to participate in seeking God's mercy and averting further divine wrath. It underscores that God's call to repentance applies comprehensively to the entire society.
Joel 2 16 Context
Joel chapter 2 is a vivid prophecy of the "Day of the LORD," initially portrayed as a devastating locust plague and subsequent drought that strip the land bare and plunge the nation into crisis. This natural disaster serves as a divine judgment and a potent warning of a greater, eschatological Day of the LORD. Verses 12-14 constitute God's gracious invitation to Judah for genuine, heartfelt repentance, emphasizing tearing their hearts, not just their garments. Verse 15 issues a direct command to formalize this repentance through a solemn assembly, fasting, and trumpet call. Joel 2:16 is the specific implementation of that command, detailing who must be gathered and the unprecedented inclusiveness of the call. This is followed by a plea to the priests to intercede before God, and then God's compassionate response and promise of restoration if they truly turn. The context is one of profound national emergency and an urgent call for corporate spiritual renewal to avert disaster and receive divine blessing.
Joel 2 16 Word analysis
- Gather (אֱסְפוּ -
esefu
): A command in the imperative, emphasizing urgency and comprehensiveness. It means "to gather," "to collect," or "to assemble." Here, it signifies bringing everyone together, leaving no one out. This is a call for a universal assembly. - the people (עָם -
'am
): Refers to the general populace, the community of Israel. This broad term introduces the all-inclusive nature of the command. - sanctify (קַדְּשׁוּ -
qaddeshu
): An imperative verb meaning "to make holy," "to consecrate," or "to set apart." It implies ritual purification and spiritual readiness for encountering God or engaging in sacred acts like corporate prayer and repentance. This is not merely a social gathering, but a spiritual one. - the congregation (קָהָל -
qahal
): Refers to an assembly, particularly one formally called together for a specific, often religious, purpose. This term emphasizes that the gathering is not spontaneous but a deliberate, sacred convocation. It underscores the communal responsibility. - assemble (אִסְפוּ -
is
fu): Another imperative verb, a synonym ofesefu
, reinforcing the call to gather. Its repetition emphasizes the thoroughness of the command. - the elders (זְקֵנִים -
z'qenim
): Refers to the senior men, respected leaders, and heads of families or communities. Their inclusion highlights that leadership must be at the forefront of national repentance and provides spiritual guidance. - gather (אִסְפוּ -
is
fu): Repeat emphasis on the gathering of all. - the children (עוֹלָלִים -
'olalim
): Refers specifically to infants or suckling babies. Their inclusion is striking; they cannot comprehend or participate actively in repentance. Their presence symbolizes the totality of the judgment's impact and the corporate nature of the community's response. It also evokes pathos and emphasizes desperation. - and those who nurse at the breasts (יֹנְקֵי שָׁדַיִם -
yonqei shadaiyim
): A parallel phrase to "the children," specifically highlighting infants still breast-feeding. This hyper-inclusive language underlines that absolutely no one is to be exempted, underscoring the severity of the crisis and the desperate plea for God's mercy on the entire community, including the most vulnerable and innocent. - let the bridegroom go out (יֵצֵא חָתָן -
yetse' hatan
):Yei'tse
is an imperative implying movement, andhatan
refers to a newly married man. This is a command, not a suggestion. - from his chamber (מֵחֶדְרוֹ -
mechedro
): Refers to his private room, specifically the marital bedchamber. This signifies leaving the most intimate, personal space. - and the bride (וְכַלָּה -
vechallah
): Refers to a newly married woman. - from her bridal closet (מֵחֻפָּתָהּ -
mechuphatahh
):Chuppah
typically refers to the wedding canopy, but here it denotes the intimate, secluded space for a newly married couple, symbolizing their private joy and intimacy.
Words-group analysis:
- "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation": This foundational command emphasizes that the assembly must be universal in scope and consecrated in nature. It's a public and sacred act, demanding spiritual purity and serious intent from the collective.
- "assemble the elders, gather the children, and those who nurse at the breasts": This phrase spans the entire demographic spectrum from the most respected leaders (elders) to the most helpless infants. It visually portrays the universal impact of divine judgment and the need for a corporate, all-inclusive response, highlighting that no one, regardless of age or status, is outside the purview of the crisis or the call to repentance.
- "let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her bridal closet": This is perhaps the most shocking and profound part of the command. Newlyweds were traditionally exempted from public duties and warfare (Deut 20:7) to enjoy their first year together in peace. To command them to leave their private, most intimate spaces during their wedding period underscores the extreme urgency and severity of the situation. It symbolizes the suspension of even the most cherished personal joys and private obligations in light of a grave national crisis requiring total devotion to God. It signals that God's demand for repentance transcends all social norms and personal desires.
Joel 2 16 Bonus section
- The detail of "children and those who nurse at the breasts" carries a dual significance: not only does it emphasize the absolute inclusivity of the call to assembly, but it also appeals to God's compassion by presenting the most vulnerable members of society. Their very presence acts as a silent plea for mercy from a God who cares for the fatherless and the helpless.
- The abandonment of the marital chamber and bridal closet goes beyond mere disruption; it implies a renunciation of earthly comforts and legitimate human joys for a superior, divine imperative. It suggests a time so severe that even the foundational societal institution of marriage and its intimacy must yield to the overwhelming need for reconciliation with God. This acts as a powerful metaphor for the call to radical sacrifice in the face of national crisis.
- This verse provides a counterpoint to the idea of individual piety in isolation. While personal repentance is crucial, Joel emphasizes corporate responsibility. The sin that brought the locust plague affected the entire nation, and thus the repentance must also be a communal act, demonstrating unity in their turning back to God.
- The command reflects a core theological principle: God has a claim over all of life. There is no sphere of human existence – be it leadership, vulnerability, or intimate privacy – that is outside His jurisdiction or His call when it comes to righteousness and reconciliation.
Joel 2 16 Commentary
Joel 2:16 is a climactic instruction within the prophet's call for profound and holistic repentance. It extends the spiritual and moral challenge to an unprecedented level by demanding the full, collective participation of every single member of the community. The specific inclusion of elders symbolizes leadership in corporate humility, while the presence of infants ("children, and those who nurse at the breasts") underscores the gravity of the judgment, which impacts even the innocent. More powerfully, it illustrates that true repentance encompasses the entire covenant community, whose actions (or inactions) have collective consequences. The radical directive for the "bridegroom to go out from his chamber, and the bride from her bridal closet" is particularly poignant. It overrides typical social custom and personal rights, such as those granted in Deut 20:7. This illustrates the desperate spiritual state: not even the most sacred or intimate private joys can take precedence over a direct call to national lament and intercession before God. The verse underscores that authentic turning to God necessitates a complete reorientation of priorities, demanding an absolute, unified, and visible demonstration of corporate sorrow and sincere petition before the Lord in the face of dire circumstances.