New International Version
Joel 2:11
11The 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?
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?
- 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?
- 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 rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. 10Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. 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? 12“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
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 will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 22:14The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
- Psalms 46:6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
- Isaiah 7:18In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.
- Isaiah 13:4Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war.
- Isaiah 42:13The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.
- Jeremiah 25:30“Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them: “ ‘The Lord will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth.
- Amos 1:2He said: “The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”
- Joel 2:25“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm— my great army that I sent among you.
- Jeremiah 50:34Yet their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land, but unrest to those who live in Babylon.
- Revelation 18:8Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
- Jeremiah 30:7How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.
- Amos 5:18Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for the day of the Lord? That day will be darkness, not light.
- Zephaniah 1:15That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness—
- Numbers 24:23Then he spoke his message: “Alas! Who can live when God does this?
- Nahum 1:6Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before 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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