The Prophet Joel
⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑
- Chapter 2 -
(Amos 7:1–9)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Return with All Your Heart
12
13
14
15
16
17
Restoration Promised
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
I Will Pour Out My Spirit
(Acts 2:14–36)
28
29
30
31
32
Footnotes
(a)2:1
The day of the Lord: That is, the time when he will execute justice upon sinners.(Challoner)
(b)2:2
A numerous and strong people: The Assyrians, or Chaldeans. Others understand all this of an army of locusts laying waste the land.(Challoner)
(c)2:3 The pronoun used in the Latin to refer to the ‘numerous and strong people’ of the previous verse is singular in Latin. However, in English, when we use a pronoun to refer to a group, we use the plural. For example: a group of people entered the building, and they sat down. So ‘eum’ is translated in the plural here.(Conte)
(d)2:6 There are two ideas expressed in the last part of this verse. The first refers to the reaction of each person and their facial expression, which becomes withdrawn or driven back, as if into a jar. The second meaning refers to the losses in battle of those who oppose them. Their appearance (in battle) is driven back as if into a jar. All opposition is driven back by them, whether personal opposition shown even by facial expression, or forceful opposition with weapons.(Conte)
(e)2:6 This entire passage can be interpreted to refer to the coming war (World War III) between the Arab nations of the Middle East and the Western nations (U.S. and Europe). It can also refer to much later battles, whereby the Antichrist conquers the world.(Conte)
(f)2:8 Literally, the text says, ‘they will fall through the windows,’ but the context is warfare, so the translation uses ‘drop’ instead of ‘fall’ and ‘breach’ instead of ‘window.’ In other words, during battle, they will break through the breach point (narrow opening) in order to advance militarily.(Conte)
(g)2:10 Here the text does not say that the sun and the moon go dark, but are lessened in their light. Similarly, the stars do not go dark, they reduce their shining beauty.(Conte)
(h)2:13 Or, ‘excelling over ill will.’ Or, ‘....steadfastly rising above ill will.’ Or, ‘excelling above malice.’(Conte)
(i)2:19 In the Christian view of this text, the ‘Gentiles’ are those who are non-Christian and non-Jews, those who do not believe in the teachings of the Bible. And grain, wine, and oil represent the Sacraments, which make use of these things.(Conte)
(j)2:20 This verse is about the Antichrist, who will first take power in the kingdom of the North (as the Book of Daniel says). The phrase ‘extremum eius ad mare novissimum’ could be interpreted to mean ‘with his back towards the furthest sea.’ The word ‘novissimum’ can mean ‘newest,’ but it can also mean furthest, since the newest troops are the last in the line of troops and the furthest away. This phrase is something of a play on words, since his furthest part, his extremity, is towards the furthest sea.(Conte)
(k)2:20
The northern enemy: Some understand this of Holofernes and his army: others, of the locusts.(Challoner)
(l)2:21 This last phrase does not actually say, ‘For the Lord has done great things.’ It says, ‘because the Lord has greatly esteemed that which he has done.’(Conte)
(m)2:22 Or, ‘The fig tree and the vine have given their strength.’ The virtue of the fig tree and the vine is in their fruits, but these are also symbols of the true fruits of Creation, such as virtue and the other gifts of God’s grace.(Conte)
(n)2:23 In Israel, it rains a little in the fall and a little in the spring. Most of the rain falls in the winter. The early and late rains, at the start and finish of the planting season (from fall to spring) can make the difference between a crop that succeeds and one that fails.(Conte)
(o)2:28 Here is an example of a verse where the Challoner Douay-Rheims version translation refers to men: ‘old men,’ and ‘young men,’ but the text itself is fairly gender inclusive. The word ‘senes’ is masculine, but if the text wanted to refer specifically to men, it could easily have been worded with the word ‘vir.’ And the same can be said for ‘juvenes,’ (juveniles or youths). This translation (the CPDV) is certainly NOT an inclusive language or gender neutral version. Instead, the text is translated with whatever words most closely fit the Latin text, even if at times it might seem to be inclusive language. Notice also that the text actually says ‘sons and daughters’ in the Latin. Therefore, when the text only says ‘sons,’ a translation of ‘sons and daughters’ or ‘people’ would not be justified.(Conte)