Devine Scripture

Joel 1:6

What does Joel 1:6 mean?

A plain-English look at Joel 1:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Joel 1:6 means

The locust swarm is portrayed as a “nation” invading Jehovah’s land—strong, innumerable, and terrifying, like lions tearing prey. This metaphor elevates the event from mere pestilence to an organized, unstoppable force under divine oversight. Calling the land “my land” signals God’s ownership and covenant claim. The imagery of lion’s teeth emphasizes the swarm’s power to consume, not negotiate. The verse invites Judah to see behind natural phenomena a moral dimension: God can summon instruments of judgment that render human defenses useless, pressing the people to seek mercy from Him rather than trust in their own strength.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For a nation has come up over my land, strong and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the back teeth of a great lion.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

For a nation hath come up on my land, Strong, and there is no number, Its teeth <FI>are<Fi> the teeth of a lion, And it hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For a nation come up upon my land, strong, and without number: his teeth are like the teeth of a lion: and his cheek teeth as of a lion's whelp.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For a nation is come up upon my land, strong and without number: his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a lioness.

Context

Joel expands the description from empty cups to the character of the invader, intensifying the crisis. The next verse will detail how this “nation” has ruined vine and fig, stripping bark and leaving white, dead branches. The progression ties metaphor to outcome: an overwhelming, God-sent force produces visible devastation in Judah’s symbols of blessing. This prepares for the call to lament like a bereaved bride, showing that the loss is as intimate and painful as a shattered marriage, and not merely an economic setback.

v.5Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and wail, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.

v.6This passage

v.7He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig-tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Joel 2:25

    And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you.

  • Isaiah 32:13

    Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

  • Hosea 9:3

    They shall not dwell in Jehovah’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.

  • Proverbs 30:14

    There is a generation whose teeth areasswords, and their jaw teethasknives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

  • Isaiah 8:8

    and it shall sweep onward into Judah; it shall overflow and pass through; it shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

  • Revelation 9:7

    And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.

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