Tree of Life Version
Joel 2:17
17Between the porch and the altar let the kohanim, ministers of Adonai, weep, and let them say: “Have pity, Adonai, on Your people. Don’t make Your heritage a scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’”
Joel 2:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, 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?
- New International Version (NIV)Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”
Context of Joel 2:17
15Blow the shofar in Zion! Sanctify a fast; proclaim an assembly. 16Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even those nursing at breasts. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her chamber. Between the porch and the altar let the kohanim, ministers of Adonai, weep, and let them say: “Have pity, Adonai, on Your people. Don’t make Your heritage a scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’” 18Adonai will be zealous for His land, and have compassion on His people. 19Adonai will answer and say to His people: “Behold, I will send you the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil, and you will be satisfied with it. I will no longer make you a mockery among the nations.
Read all of Joel 2Joel 2:17 word by word
בֵּ֤ין הָאוּלָם֙ וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ יִבְכּוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וְֽיֹאמְר֞וּ ח֧וּסָה יְהוָ֣ה עַל־עַמֶּ֗ךָ וְאַל־תִּתֵּ֨ן נַחֲלָתְךָ֤ לְחֶרְפָּה֙ לִמְשָׁל־בָּ֣ם גּוֹיִ֔ם לָ֚מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ בָֽעַמִּ֔ים אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Let the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- the ministersשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- weepבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
- between the porchאוּלָם'ûlâm 'ûlâm · PorticoH197
- and the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- and let them sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Spareחוּסchûs · to pityH2347
- thy peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- not thine heritageנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- to reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
- that the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- should rule overמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
- their Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Joel 2:17
- Joel 1:9Grain offering and drink offering are cut off from the House of Adonai. Kohanim—ministers of Adonai—mourn.
- 1 Kings 6:3The porch in front of the Sanctuary of the House was 20 cubits in length—corresponding to the breadth of the House—and its depth was ten cubits from the front of the House.
- 2 Chronicles 8:12At that time, Solomon offered burnt offerings to Adonai on the altar of Adonai which he had built before the porch,
- Ezekiel 8:16So He brought me into the inner court of Adonai’s House. Behold, at the door of the Temple of Adonai, between the porch and the altar, were about 25 men, with their backs toward the Temple of Adonai and their faces toward the east—and they were bowing in worship eastward toward the sun.
- Matthew 23:35And so, upon you shall come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.
- Hosea 14:2Return O Israel, to Adonai your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity.
- Exodus 32:11Then Moses sought Adonai his God and said, “Adonai, why should Your wrath burn hot against Your people, whom You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
- Exodus 34:9He said, “If now I have found grace in Your eyes, my Lord, let my Lord please go within our midst, even though this is a stiff-necked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own inheritance.”
- Deuteronomy 9:16When I looked, you had indeed sinned against Adonai your God—you had made yourselves a metal calf. So quickly you had turned aside from the way Adonai had commanded you!
- Isaiah 37:20Now, Adonai our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone are Adonai!”
- Isaiah 64:9Your holy cities became a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
- Daniel 9:18Give ear, my God, and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolation and the city called by Your name. We do not present our supplications before You because of our own righteousness, but because of Your great compassions.
- Amos 7:2When the locust-swarm had finished devouring the vegetation of the land, I said: “Adonai Elohim, please pardon! How can Jacob stand, for he is small?”
- Malachi 1:9“So now, implore God’s favor! Then, will He be gracious to us? Since this has come from your hands, will He accept any of it from you?” says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
- Psalms 44:10Yet You have spurned and humiliated us, and no longer go out with our armies.
- Psalms 74:10How long, O God, will the adversary mock? Will the enemy revile Your Name forever?
Commentaries on Joel 2:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Let the priests - weep between the porch and the altar - The altar of burnt-offerings stood before the porch of the temple, 2 Chronicles 8:12, and between them there was an open space of fifteen or twenty cubits. It was there that the priests prostrated themselves on such occasions. It was into this place that the priests brought the sacrifice or victim of atonement; and where the high priest laid his hands on the head of the victim confessing his sins…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar - The porch in this, Solomon‘s temple, was in fact a tower, in front of the holy of holies, of the same breadth with the temple, namely, 20 cubits, and its depth half its breadth, namely, 10 cubits 1 Kings 6:3, and its height 120 cubits, the whole “overlaid within with pure gold” 2 Chronicles 3:4. The brass altar for burnt-offerings stood in front of it 2 Chronicles 8:12. 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. 17Spare Your people, O LORD: Gathered at the temple, the religious leaders and everyone else could only do one thing in their desperate situation. The religious leaders wanted the people to ask for God's mercy and compassion.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. between the porch and ... altar--the porch of Solomon's temple on the east (1Ki 6:3); the altar of burnt offerings in the court of the priests, before the porch (2Ch 8:12; compare Eze 8:16; Mt 23:35). The suppliants thus were to stand with their backs to the altar on which they had nothing to offer, their faces towards the place of the Shekinah presence. heathen should rule over them--This shows that not locusts, but human foes, are intended. The…Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 2:17
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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