Joel 1:14

Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet Joel addresses the priests, altar ministers, and all residents of Judah during a severe agricultural crisis that has halted temple grain and drink offerings. He commands the entire community to respond to this national disaster by assembling at the temple.

The words — The text commands קַדְּשׁוּ־ (ka.de.shu-), meaning "consecrate," and צוֹם (tzOm), meaning "a fast," to formally set apart a day of mourning. It also uses אִסְפ֣וּ ('is.Fu), "gather," to direct the elders and all inhabitants to assemble at the Lord's house.

The thread — This command to consecrate a fast and proclaim a solemn assembly recurs in Joel 2:15 and echoes the festival regulations of Leviticus 23:36 and the covenant renewal gathering in Deuteronomy 29:10.

Why it lands — The verse demands immediate, corporate repentance and prayer from every social stratum when divine judgment halts normal worship. It requires readers to recognize that national crisis calls for unified, consecrated response rather than isolated lament.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

קַדְּשׁוּ־ka.de.shu-consecrate צוֹם֙tzOma fast קִרְא֣וּkir.'Ucall עֲצָרָ֔ה'a.tza.Rahan assembly אִסְפ֣וּ'is.Fugather זְקֵנִ֗יםze.ke.Nim[the] elders כֹּ֚לkolall יֹשְׁבֵ֣יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land בֵּ֖יתbeit[the] house of יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your וְזַעֲק֖וּve./za.'a.Kuand/ cry out אֶל־'el-to יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

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,

Cross-references

Joel 2:15 Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly.
Leviticus 23:36 For seven days you are to present a food offering to the LORD. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work.
Deuteronomy 29:10 All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel,
2 Chronicles 20:3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
2 Chronicles 20:13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.
Jonah 3:8 Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands.
Nehemiah 9:2 Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
Nehemiah 8:18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.