New International Version Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste— nothing escapes them. New Living Translation Fire burns in front of them, and flames follow after them. Ahead of them the land lies as beautiful as the Garden of Eden. Behind them is nothing but desolation; not one thing escapes. English Standard Version Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. Berean Standard Bible Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them. Berean Literal Bible Before its face a fire devours, and behind them burns a flame; like the garden of Eden is the land before its face, and behind it a wilderness of desolation—and surely nothing shall escape from them. King James Bible A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. New King James Version A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them. New American Standard Bible A fire consumes before them, And behind them a flame devours. The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. NASB 1995 A fire consumes before them And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. NASB 1977 A fire consumes before them, And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. Legacy Standard Bible A fire consumes before them, And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. Amplified Bible Before them a fire devours, And behind them a flame burns; Before them the land is like the Garden of Eden, But behind them a desolate wilderness; And nothing at all escapes them. Berean Annotated Bible Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden (pleasure), but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them. Christian Standard Bible A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. Holman Christian Standard Bible A fire destroys in front of them, and behind them a flame devours. The land in front of them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. American Standard Version A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and none hath escaped them. Contemporary English Version Fiery flames surround them; no one escapes. Before they invaded, the land was like Eden; now only a desert remains. English Revised Version A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and none hath escaped them. GOD'S WORD® Translation In front of this army a fire burns. Behind it flames are blazing. In front of it the land is like the garden of Eden. Behind it the land is like a barren desert. Nothing escapes it! Good News Translation Like fire they eat up the plants. In front of them the land is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them it is a barren desert. Nothing escapes them. International Standard Version "A fire blazes in their presence, and behind them a conflagration rages. Before they come, the land is like the garden in Eden; after they leave, there is only a barren wasteland. Indeed, nothing escapes them. NET Bible Like fire they devour everything in their path; a flame blazes behind them. The land looks like the Garden of Eden before them, but behind them there is only a desolate wilderness--for nothing escapes them! New Heart English Bible A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them. Webster's Bible Translation A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; and nothing shall escape them. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBefore them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them. World English Bible A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBefore it fire has consumed, "" And after it a flame burns, "" As the Garden of Eden [is] the land before it, "" And after it a wilderness—a desolation! And also there has not been to it an escape, Berean Literal Bible Before its face a fire devours, and behind them burns a flame; like the garden of Eden is the land before its face, and behind it a wilderness of desolation—and surely nothing shall escape from them. Young's Literal Translation Before it consumed hath fire, And after it burn doth a flame, As the garden of Eden is the land before it, And after it a wilderness -- a desolation! And also an escape there hath not been to it, Smith's Literal Translation Before him a fire devoured, and after him a flame shall burn; the land as the garden of Eden before him, and after him a desert of desolation; and also there was no escaping to him. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBefore the face thereof a devouring fire, and behind it a burning flame: the land is like a garden of pleasure before it, and behind it a desolate wilderness, neither is there any one that can escape it. Catholic Public Domain Version Before their face is a devouring fire, and behind them is a burning flame. The land before them is like a lush garden, and behind them is a desolate desert, and there is no one who can escape them. New American Bible Before it, fire devours, behind it flame scorches. The land before it is like the garden of Eden, and behind it, a desolate wilderness; from it nothing escapes. New Revised Standard Version Fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, but after them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleA fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns; the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; and nothing shall escape them. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Before it the fire consumes and after it the flame burns the land before it like Paradise of Eden, and behind it is a desolate wilderness, and nothing shall escape from it OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917A fire devoureth before them, And behind them a flame blazeth; The land is as the garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Yea, and nothing escapeth them. Brenton Septuagint Translation Before them is a consuming fire, and behind them is a flame kindled: the land before them is as a paradise of delight, and behind them a desolate plain: and there shall none of them escape. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Army of Locusts…2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come. 3Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland— surely nothing will escape them. 4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.… Cross References Before them a fire devours, Psalm 50:3 Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him. Ezekiel 20:47 Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched. Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. and behind them a flame scorches. Isaiah 10:17 And the Light of Israel will become a fire, and its Holy One a flame. In a single day it will burn and devour Assyria’s thorns and thistles. Psalm 83:14 As fire consumes a forest, as a flame sets the mountains ablaze, Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.” The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, Genesis 13:10 And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) Ezekiel 36:35 Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’ Isaiah 51:3 For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song. but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland— Jeremiah 4:26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger. Ezekiel 6:14 I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’” Jeremiah 2:6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ surely nothing will escape them. Jeremiah 11:11 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them. Jeremiah 46:6 “The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall. Amos 9:1-4 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Topple them on the heads of all the people, and I will kill the rest with the sword. None of those who flee will get away; none of the fugitives will escape. / Though they dig down to Sheol, from there My hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, from there I will pull them down. / Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. … Revelation 9:7-10 And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads; and their faces were like the faces of men. / They had hair like that of women, and teeth like those of lions. / They also had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. … Treasury of Scripture A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yes, and nothing shall escape them. fire. Joel 1:19,20 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field… Psalm 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. Amos 7:4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. the land. Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Isaiah 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. and behind. Joel 1:4-7 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten… Exodus 10:5,15 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: … Jeremiah 5:17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword. Jump to Previous Blazes Burn Burneth Burning Burns Consumed Consumes Desert Desolate Desolation Destruction Devoureth Devours Eden Escape Escaped Escapes Escapeth Fire Flame Garden Kept Land Safe Sends Unpeopled Waste WildernessJump to Next Blazes Burn Burneth Burning Burns Consumed Consumes Desert Desolate Desolation Destruction Devoureth Devours Eden Escape Escaped Escapes Escapeth Fire Flame Garden Kept Land Safe Sends Unpeopled Waste WildernessJoel 2 1. He shows unto Zion the terribleness of God's judgment.12. He exhorts to repentance; 15. prescribes a fast; 18. promises a blessing thereon. 21. He comforts Zion with present, 28. and future blessings. Before them a fire devours, The advancing host brings ruin wherever it goes, consuming the land’s crops, trees, and resources. Its approach is compared to fire because nothing can withstand its destructive path. Psa 50:3 Our God approaches and will not be silent!… and behind them a flame scorches. What remains is burned and barren, showing that the devastation is complete rather than temporary or superficial. Isa 10:17 And the Light of Israel will become a fire,… The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, Judah’s fertile fields and cultivated land stand in sharp contrast to the disaster about to overtake them. Gen 13:10 And Lot looked out and saw the whole plain… but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland— The army leaves the country stripped of its abundance, as though a fruitful garden had been turned into wilderness. Jer 4:26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert.… surely nothing will escape them. The judgment reaches every part of the land, leaving no refuge from the destruction. Jer 11:11 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring… Persons / Places / Events 1. JoelThe prophet who authored the book, delivering God's message to the people of Judah. 2. Judah The southern kingdom of Israel, the primary audience of Joel's prophecy. 3. Garden of Eden A symbol of perfection and abundance, representing the land before the devastation. 4. Desert Wasteland The aftermath of destruction, symbolizing desolation and judgment. 5. Locust Plague Often interpreted as a literal or metaphorical army bringing destruction, representing God's judgment. Teaching Points The Reality of JudgmentGod's judgment is real and often depicted through vivid imagery to convey its seriousness. The transformation from Eden to wasteland serves as a stark warning of the consequences of sin. The Call to Repentance The devastation described is a call to repentance. Just as the land can be restored, so can our relationship with God when we turn back to Him. The Sovereignty of God God is in control of both blessing and judgment. Understanding His sovereignty helps us trust in His plans, even when they involve discipline. Hope Amidst Desolation While the imagery is bleak, it also points to the possibility of restoration. God's ultimate desire is to bring His people back to a state of blessing. The Importance of Spiritual Vigilance The sudden shift from Eden to wasteland reminds us to remain spiritually vigilant, always seeking to align our lives with God's will. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joel 2:3?2. How does Joel 2:3 illustrate God's power in judgment and restoration? 3. What can we learn about repentance from the imagery in Joel 2:3? 4. How does Joel 2:3 connect with Revelation's descriptions of end times? 5. How should the imagery of "before them a garden" impact our daily lives? 6. In what ways can Joel 2:3 inspire us to seek spiritual renewal today? 7. What does Joel 2:3 reveal about God's judgment and restoration? 8. How does Joel 2:3's imagery relate to historical events in Israel? 9. What is the significance of the "Garden of Eden" reference in Joel 2:3? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joel 2? (3) Before them . . . behind them.--As with the locusts, so with the invading hosts of enemies: the country is found a paradise, and left a desert.Verse 3. - A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth. (1) The fire was the extreme drought preceding them; and the flame refers to the devastation of the locusts, for the places laid waste by them presented the appearance of being burnt with fire, the locusts consuming not only the grain and grass, but the very roots. (2) Or it may refer to the locusts themselves; their destructive power being as though fire spread along before them. and flame swept the ground behind them. (3) Or the fire may have been literally such, the people, in self-de fence, kindling it to stop, or turn aside, or drive away the advance of the locust-army. . . . Joel 2:3 paints a vivid, literal picture of God-sent devastation: an unstoppable force that consumes everything in its path, turning Eden-like fertility into desolation. The imagery underscores the seriousness of covenant unfaithfulness and the certainty of divine judgment, yet simultaneously sets the stage for God’s invitation to repent and find restoration in Him.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Before themלְפָנָיו֙ (lə·p̄ā·nāw) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 6440: The face a fire אֵ֔שׁ (’êš) Noun - common singular Strong's 784: A fire devours, אָ֣כְלָה (’ā·ḵə·lāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 398: To eat and behind וְאַחֲרָ֖יו (wə·’a·ḥă·rāw) Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 310: The hind or following part them a flame לֶֽהָבָ֑ה (le·hā·ḇāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 3852: A flash, a sharply polished blade, point of a, weapon scorches. תְּלַהֵ֣ט (tə·la·hêṭ) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 3857: To blaze up, flame The land הָאָ֜רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land before them לְפָנָ֗יו (lə·p̄ā·nāw) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 6440: The face is like the Garden כְּגַן־ (kə·ḡan-) Preposition-k | Noun - common singular construct Strong's 1588: An enclosure, garden of Eden, עֵ֨דֶן (‘ê·ḏen) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 5731: Eden -- the garden home of Adam and Eve but behind them, וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ (wə·’a·ḥă·rāw) Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 310: The hind or following part it is like a desert מִדְבַּ֣ר (miḏ·bar) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech wasteland— שְׁמָמָ֔ה (šə·mā·māh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 8077: Devastation, astonishment surely וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and nothing לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no will הָ֥יְתָה (hā·yə·ṯāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be escape פְּלֵיטָ֖ה (pə·lê·ṭāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 6413: Deliverance, an escaped portion them. לּֽוֹ׃ (lōw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew Additonal Resources Joel 2:3 Blue Letter BibleJoel 2:3 Bible Gateway Joel 2:3 Bible.com Joel 2:3 NIV |
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