Joel 1:8

A Call to Mourning · Joel 1:8–12
Read Joel 1

Translations

Modern
Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband of her youth.
Traditional
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
Literal
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth over the husband of her youth.
Latin
Plange quasi virgo accincta sacco super virum pubertatis suæ.

Original

Hebrew
English
Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband of her youth.

Notes

Wail like a virgin: Judah is like a young engaged woman whose marriage never happens because her husband dies.

The prophet Joel describes a severe locust plague that struck Judah and Jerusalem.

Theme notes and profiles

Famine The Day of the Lord

Events

Glossary

Book of Joel Fig, Fig Tree Plagues upon Egypt

Topics

Marriage: The Jews: Contracted when Young Nation: Chastised Sackcloth: A Symbol of Mourning