Joel 1:11

Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.

Be ye ashamed {H3001}, O ye husbandmen {H406}; howl {H3213}, O ye vinedressers {H3755}, for the wheat {H2406} and for the barley {H8184}; because the harvest {H7105} of the field {H7704} is perished {H6}.

Despair, you farmers; lament, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley - the harvest from the fields is lost.

Be dismayed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, over the wheat and barley, because the harvest of the field has perished.

Be confounded, O ye husbandmen, wail, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; for the harvest of the field is perished.

Commentary

Joel 1:11 is a poignant cry of despair from the prophet Joel, addressed directly to those most impacted by an unprecedented agricultural catastrophe in ancient Israel: the farmers and vinedressers. This verse vividly portrays the immediate and devastating effects of a severe locust plague and accompanying drought, which ravaged the land.

Context

The book of Joel opens with a description of an overwhelming natural disaster – a locust plague of such magnitude that it left the land utterly barren. This calamity is presented not merely as an unfortunate event, but as a direct act of divine judgment and a precursor to the much-feared "Day of the Lord." Joel 1:11 specifically targets the agricultural community, highlighting the complete ruin of their livelihood. The preceding verses, such as Joel 1:4, detail the successive waves of destruction brought by the locusts, leading to the scenario described here.

Key Themes

  • Economic Devastation: The verse powerfully conveys the total destruction of the primary food sources – "the wheat and for the barley" – which were staples of the Israelite diet and economy. This signifies widespread famine and economic collapse.
  • Call to Lamentation: Joel commands the "husbandmen" (farmers) and "vinedressers" (grape growers) to "be ashamed" and "howl." This is a call to profound public mourning, reflecting the shame and anguish of a community stripped of its sustenance and prosperity.
  • Divine Judgment: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the broader context of Joel's prophecy frames this agricultural disaster as a consequence of the people's spiritual state and a warning of greater impending judgment if there is no repentance.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV terms "husbandmen" and "vinedressers" specifically identify the agricultural workers who would feel the most immediate and acute pain of the "perished" harvest. The Hebrew word translated "perished" ('abad - אבד) means to be utterly destroyed, lost, or ruined. It conveys a sense of complete and irrecoverable loss, underscoring the severity of the devastation.

Practical Application

Joel 1:11 serves as a stark reminder of humanity's dependence on God's provision and the potential consequences when a community drifts from Him. For believers today, it prompts reflection on:

  • Humility in Prosperity: It underscores that all sustenance comes from God, fostering a spirit of gratitude rather than self-reliance.
  • Responding to Crisis: The call to lament and shame is a model for acknowledging hardship and seeking God's face in times of distress, much like the broader call to repentance in Joel 2:12.
  • Spiritual Famine: Beyond physical crops, the verse can metaphorically speak to times when spiritual sustenance or fruitfulness seems to have perished, prompting introspection and a return to the source of life.
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Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 14:3 (5 votes)

    And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, [and] found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

  • Jeremiah 14:4 (5 votes)

    Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

  • Isaiah 17:11 (4 votes)

    In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: [but] the harvest [shall be] a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.

  • Jeremiah 9:12 (3 votes)

    ΒΆ Who [is] the wise man, that may understand this? and [who is he] to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth [and] is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

  • Romans 5:5 (2 votes)

    And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

  • Amos 5:16 (2 votes)

    ΒΆ Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing [shall be] in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.