New English Translation
Joel 2:11
11The voice of the Lord thunders as he leads his army. Indeed, his warriors are innumerable; Surely his command is carried out! Yes, the day of the Lord is awesome and very terrifying – who can survive 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?
- English Standard Version (ESV)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?
- 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?
Context of Joel 2:11
9They rush into the city; they scale its walls. They climb up into the houses; they go in through the windows like a thief. 10The earth quakes before them; the sky reverberates. The sun and the moon grow dark; the stars refuse to shine. The voice of the Lord thunders as he leads his army. Indeed, his warriors are innumerable; Surely his command is carried out! Yes, the day of the Lord is awesome and very terrifying – who can survive it? 12“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!” 13Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love – often relenting from calamitous punishment.
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; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 22:14The Lord thundered from the sky; the sovereign One shouted loudly.
- Psalms 46:6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.
- Isaiah 7:18At that time the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.
- Isaiah 13:4There is a loud noise on the mountains – it sounds like a large army! There is great commotion among the kingdoms – nations are being assembled! The Lord who commands armies is mustering forces for battle.
- Isaiah 42:13The Lord emerges like a hero, like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; he shouts, yes, he yells, he shows his enemies his power.
- Jeremiah 25:30“Then, Jeremiah, make the following prophecy against them: ‘Like a lion about to attack, the Lord will roar from the heights of heaven; from his holy dwelling on high he will roar loudly. He will roar mightily against his land. He will shout in triumph like those stomping juice from the grapes against all those who live on the earth.
- Amos 1:2Amos said: “The Lord comes roaring out of Zion; from Jerusalem he comes bellowing! The shepherds’ pastures wilt; the summit of Carmel withers.”
- Joel 2:25I will make up for the years that the ‘arbeh-locust consumed your crops – the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust – my great army that I sent against you.
- Jeremiah 50:34But the one who will rescue them is strong. He is known as the Lord who rules over all. He will strongly champion their cause. As a result he will bring peace and rest to the earth, but trouble and turmoil to the people who inhabit Babylonia.
- Revelation 18:8For this reason, she will experience her plagues in a single day: disease, mourning, and famine, and she will be burned down with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful!”
- Jeremiah 30:7Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is! There has never been any like it. It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob, but some of them will be rescued out of it.
- Amos 5:18Woe to those who wish for the day of the Lord! Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come? It will bring darkness, not light.
- Zephaniah 1:15That day will be a day of God’s anger, a day of distress and hardship, a day of devastation and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dark skies,
- Numbers 24:23Then he uttered this oracle: “O, who will survive when God does this!
- Nahum 1:6No one can withstand his indignation! No one can resist his fierce anger! His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire, boulders are broken up as he approaches.
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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