Texts in Conversation
Joel describes people turning pale and collapsing in fear before an invading force, echoing Nahum’s picture of Nineveh’s fall. The similar language suggets Joel draws on earlier prophetic language that was already part of Israel’s tradition.
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Joel 2:6
Hebrew Bible
4 They look like horses; they charge ahead like war horses. 5 They sound like chariots rumbling over mountain tops, like the crackling of blazing fire consuming stubble, like the noise of a mighty army being drawn up for battle. 6 People writhe in fear when they see them. All their faces turn pale with fright. 7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. Each one proceeds on his course; they do not alter their path. 8 They do not jostle one another; each of them marches straight ahead. They burst through the city defenses and do not break ranks.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Nahum 2:10
Hebrew Bible
8 Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, but now her people are running away; she cries out: “Stop! Stop!”—but no one turns back. 9 Her conquerors cry out: “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!”There is no end to the treasure—riches of every kind of precious thing. 10 Destruction, devastation, and desolation! Hearts faint, knees tremble; every stomach churns, all their faces have turned pale! 11 Where now is the den of the lions and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, lioness, and lion cub once prowled and no one disturbed them? 12 The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed and strangled prey for his lionesses; he filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... A distinctive characteristic of [Joel], its use of specific phrases from other canonical works, gives Joel the appearance of a learned interpreter. Where earlier prophets claim to have received their words directly from YHWH, Joel frequently "cites" predecessors. In some instances he probably draws on phrases in vogue at the time, but sometimes Joel may actually quote written texts ... (compare Joel 1:15 - Ezekiel 30:2; Joel 2:2 - Zephaniah 1:14-15; Joel 2:6 - Nahum 2:11; Joel 2:14 - Jonah 3:9; Joel 2:17 - Psalm 79:10; Joel 3:5 - Obadiah 17; Joel 4:1 - Jeremiah 33:15; Joel 4:2 - Isaiah 66:18) ... Establishing priority in such cases is notoriously difficult, and determining dates for insertions into older prophetic complexes seldom carries much conviction (e.g., Isaiah 13:6, 16; Amos 9:13). The texts under scrutiny do include some rather late postexilic entries, particularly Obadiah and Malachi ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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