Revised Literal Translation
Joel 2:16
16Gather 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 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.
- English Standard Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
Context of Joel 2:16
14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a grain offering and a drink offering unto Yhwh your God? 15Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 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. 17Let the priests, the ministers of Yhwh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Yhwh, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18Then will Yhwh be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
Read all of Joel 2Joel 2:16 word by word
אִסְפוּ־עָ֞ם קַדְּשׁ֤וּ קָהָל֙ קִבְצ֣וּ זְקֵנִ֔ים אִסְפוּ֙ עֽוֹלָלִ֔ים וְיֹנְקֵ֖י שָׁדָ֑יִם יֵצֵ֤א חָתָן֙ מֵֽחֶדְר֔וֹ וְכַלָּ֖ה מֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
- Gatherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- sanctifyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
- the congregationקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
- assembleקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
- the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- the childrenעוֹלֵל‛ôlêl ‛ôlâl · infantH5768
- and those that suckיָנַקyânaq · to suckleH3243
- the breastsשַׁדshad shôd · breastH7699
- let the bridegroomחָתָןchâthân · son-in-lawH2860
- go forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- of his chamberחֶ֫דֶרcheder · chamberH2315
- and the brideכַּלָּהkallâh · daughter-in-law: brideH3618
- out of her closetחֻפָּהchûppâh · canopyH2646
Cross-references for Joel 2:16
- Exodus 19:10And Yhwh said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
- Joshua 7:13Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith Yhwh God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
- 1 Samuel 16:5And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto Yhwh: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
- 2 Chronicles 29:5And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yhwh God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
- 2 Chronicles 30:17For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto Yhwh.
- 2 Chronicles 35:6So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of Yhwh by the hand of Moses.
- Job 1:5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
- Joel 1:14Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of Yhwh your God, and cry unto Yhwh,
- Deuteronomy 29:10Ye stand this day all of you before Yhwh your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,
- 2 Chronicles 20:13And all Judah stood before Yhwh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
- Jonah 3:7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
- Zechariah 12:11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
- Matthew 9:15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
- 1 Corinthians 7:5Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
Commentaries on Joel 2:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Gather the children - Let all share in the humiliation, for all must feel the judgment, should it come. Let no state nor condition among the people be exempted. The elders, the young persons, the infants, the bridegroom, and the bride; let all leave their houses, and go to the temple of God.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Sanctify the congregation - o“Do what in you lies, by monishing, exhorting, threatening, giving the example of a holy life, that the whole people present itself holy before its God”, “lest your prayers be hindered, and a little leaven corrupt the whole lump.” Assemble the elders - o“The judgment concerned all; all then were to join in seeking mercy from God. None were on any pretence to be exempted; not the oldest, whose strength was decayed, or the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-27Verses 15-27 The priests and rulers are to appoint a solemn fast. The sinner's supplication is, Spare us, good Lord. God is ready to succour his people; and he waits to be gracious. They prayed that God would spare them, and he answered them. His promises are real answers to the prayers of faith; with him saying and doing are not two things. Some understand these promises figuratively, as pointing to gospel grace, and as fulfilled in the abundant comforts…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16bridegroom … and the bride: Newlyweds were exempt from most civic duties in ancient Israel (see Deuteronomy 24:5; Luke 14:20). However, in this emergency, everyone would be called to the temple to pray to God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. sanctify the congregation--namely, by expiatory rites and purification with water [Calvin], (Ex 19:10, 22). Maurer translates, "appoint a solemn assembly," which would be a tautological repetition of Joe 2:15. elders ... children--No age was to be excepted (2Ch 20:13). bridegroom--ordinarily exempted from public duties (De 24:5; compare 1Co 7:5, 29). closet--or, nuptial bed, from a Hebrew root "to cover," referring to the canopy over it.Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 2:16
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries