Bible Chapter Summary
Joel 1 Summary
The Locust Plague and Its Desolation
The word of the Lord comes to Joel concerning a plague of locusts that has devastated the land. Joel calls the elders and all inhabitants to remember this unprecedented destruction by successive waves of insects—palmerworm, locust, cankerworm, and caterpiller—each consuming what the previous left. The plague has destroyed all crops, wine, and oil, cut off sacrificial offerings from the temple, and caused widespread lamentation among priests and farmers; the prophet calls for a solemn assembly and fast, declaring that the day of the Lord is at hand.
Key themes
Key verses
Joel 1:2
“Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?”
Joel 1:4
“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.”
Joel 1:14
“Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,”
Joel 1:15
“Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.”
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