Joel 2:17

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

¹⁶ 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.

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?

¹⁸ Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

¹⁹ Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
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?
WEB: Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, LORD, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
ASV: Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?
DARBY: Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare, O Jehovah, thy people, and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that they should be a byword of the nations. Wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?
BLB: Between the porch and the altar, let the priests weep, those ministering to YHWH, and let them say, “Have pity, O YHWH, on Your people, and do not give Your heritage to reproach for the ruling over them [by] the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where [is] their God?’”

ÅB: Mellom forhallen og alteret skal prestene, Herrens tjenere, stå gråtende og si: Spar, Herre, ditt folk, og overgi ikke din arv til vanære, så hedninger får råde over den! Hvorfor skal de si blant folkene: Hvor er deres Gud?
OTB: La prestene, som tjener foran Herren,
gråte mellom forhallen og alteret.
La dem si,
“Spare ditt folk, Herre.
Gjør ikke din arv til en skam,
et ordtak blant nasjonene.
Hvorfor skulle de si blant folkene,
‘Hvor er deres Gud?’”
B1930: Mellem forhallen og alteret skal prestene, Herrens tjenere, stå gråtende og si: Spar, Herre, ditt folk, og overgi ikke din arv til vanære, så hedninger får råde over den! Hvorfor skal de si blandt folkene: Hvor er deres Gud?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 115:2
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Read in context
Psalms 79:10
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.
Read in context
Ezekiel 8:16
And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Read in context
Hosea 14:2
Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
Read in context
Exodus 34:9
And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Read in context
Daniel 9:18–19
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
Read in context
Joel 1:9
The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’s ministers, mourn.
Read in context
Amos 7:2
And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
Read in context