Joel 2:20

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:

But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

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
The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.
KJV
But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.
WEB
But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.
ASV
but I will remove far off from you the northern [army], and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea; and its stench shall come up, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things.
DARBY
And I will remove far off from you him [that cometh] from the north, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the hinder sea; and his stench shall come up, and his ill odour shall come up, for he hath exalted himself to do great things.
BLB
And the northern I will put far away from you⁺, and I will drive him away into a land of dryness and desolation, with his face toward the Eastern Sea, and his back toward the western sea; and his stench will come up, and his smell will rise up, for He has been great in doing.
ÅB
Og fienden fra Norden vil jeg drive langt bort fra dere og jage ham avsted til et tørt og øde land, hans fortropp til havet i øst og hans baktropp til havet i vest; og det skal stige opp en stank fra ham, en motbydelig lukt; for altfor store ting har han tatt seg fore.
OTB
“Jeg vil drive den nordlige hæren langt bort fra dere,
presse den inn i et tørt og øde land;
dens fortropp inn i det østlige havet
og dens baktropp inn i det vestlige havet.
Dens stank vil stige opp, dens lukt vil stige.”
Sannelig, han har gjort store ting!
B1930
Og fienden fra Norden vil jeg drive langt bort fra eder og jage ham avsted til et tørt og øde land, hans fortropp til havet i øst og hans baktropp til havet i vest; og det skal stige op en stank fra ham, en motbydelig lukt; for altfor store ting har han tatt sig fore.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Zechariah 14:8

    And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

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  • Amos 4:10

    I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

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  • Isaiah 34:3

    Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.

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  • Deuteronomy 11:24

    Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

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  • Ezekiel 47:18

    And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side.

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  • Ezekiel 39:12–16

    And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.

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  • Exodus 10:19

    And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

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  • Joel 2:2–11

    A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

    Read in context