English Standard Version
Joel 2:11
11The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?
Joel 2:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
- New International Version (NIV)The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
- New King James Version (NKJV)The Lord gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?
- New Living Translation (NLT)The Lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive?
Context of Joel 2:11
9They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief. 10The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it? 12"Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
Read all of Joel 2Joel 2:11 word by word
וַֽיהוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קוֹלוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י חֵיל֔וֹ כִּ֣י רַ֤ב מְאֹד֙ מַחֲנֵ֔הוּ כִּ֥י עָצ֖וּם עֹשֵׂ֣ה דְבָר֑וֹ כִּֽי־גָד֧וֹל יוֹם־יְהוָ֛ה וְנוֹרָ֥א מְאֹ֖ד וּמִ֥י יְכִילֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall utterנָתַןnâthan · to give: cry outH5414
- his voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- his armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
- for his campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- strongעָצוּם‛âtsûm ‛âtsûm · mightyH6099
- that executethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- his wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- for the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- terribleיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
- and who can abideכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
Cross-references for Joel 2:11
- Joel 3:16The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 22:14The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice.
- Psalms 46:6The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
- Isaiah 7:18In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
- Isaiah 13:4The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The Lord of hosts is mustering a host for battle.
- Isaiah 42:13The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.
- Jeremiah 25:30"You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: "'The Lord will roar from on high, and from his holy habitation utter his voice; he will roar mightily against his fold, and shout, like those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
- Amos 1:2And he said: "The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers."
- Joel 2:25I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
- Jeremiah 50:34Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.
- Revelation 18:8For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her."
- Jeremiah 30:7Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.
- Amos 5:18Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light,
- Zephaniah 1:15A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
- Numbers 24:23And he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?
- Nahum 1:6Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
Commentaries on Joel 2:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11The Lord shall utter his voice - Such a mighty force seems as if summoned by the Almighty, and the noise they make in coming announces their approach, while yet afar off.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And the Lord shall utter His voice - The prophet had described at length the coming of God‘s judgments, as a mighty army. But lest amid the judgments, people should, (as they often do) forget the Judge, he represents God, as commanding this His army, gathering, ordering, marshalling, directing them, giving them the word, when and upon whom they should pour themselves. Their presence was a token of His. They should neither anticipate that command, nor…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army: The coming destruction was not just nature or human actions, but an act of God. His camp is very large: God carried out this judgment. Who can endure it?: Without God's grace and mercy, no one can.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Lord ... his army--So among Mohammedans, "Lord of the locusts" is a title of God. his voice--His word of command to the locusts, and to the antitypical human foes of Judea, as "His army." strong that executeth his word--(Re 18:8).Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 2:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joel 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries