Joel 1:14

KJV

¶ Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders [and] all the inhabitants of the land [into] the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,

KJV (with Strong's)

Sanctify {H6942} ye a fast {H6685}, call {H7121} a solemn assembly {H6116}, gather {H622} the elders {H2205} and all the inhabitants {H3427} of the land {H776} into the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068} your God {H430}, and cry {H2199} unto the LORD {H3068},

Complete Jewish Bible

Proclaim a holy fast, call for a solemn assembly, gather the leaders and all who live in the land to the house of ADONAI your God, and cry out to ADONAI,

Berean Standard Bible

Consecrate a fast; proclaim a solemn assembly! Gather the elders and all the residents of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.

American Standard Version

Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the old men and all the inhabitants of the land unto the house of Jehovah your God, and cry unto Jehovah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Joel 1:14 issues a dire command for national repentance and corporate supplication in the face of an unprecedented ecological disaster in Judah. The prophet Joel urges the people, from elders to all inhabitants, to consecrate a solemn fast and gather in the temple, the "house of the LORD," to collectively and desperately cry out to God for deliverance from the devastating locust plague and severe drought that have ravaged their land and livelihoods. This verse marks a pivotal turning point, moving from lamentation to a prescribed, unified act of seeking divine intervention.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Joel 1:14 serves as the climax of the first chapter's vivid depiction of national calamity. Chapters 1 and 2 describe an unparalleled locust plague, likened to an invading army, followed by a severe drought, leading to widespread famine and despair. The land mourns, the fields are desolate, and even the priests lament the cessation of offerings. Prior to this verse, Joel has called upon various groups—drunkards, farmers, priests—to lament and acknowledge the disaster's severity. Verse 14, however, shifts from lament to a specific, urgent, and universal directive for a national response, setting the stage for God's eventual restoration and judgment described in later chapters.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Joel does not provide explicit historical markers, making precise dating challenging, though many scholars place it in the post-exilic period, possibly around the 5th or 4th century BC. Regardless of the exact date, the setting is Judah, centered around Jerusalem and its temple. Fasts and solemn assemblies were established practices in ancient Israel for times of national crisis, mourning, or seeking divine favor. The "house of the LORD" refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, the central place of worship and sacrifice, where the people would gather to present their petitions and offerings to God. The devastation described would have been a direct threat to the agrarian society's survival and was understood as divine judgment, necessitating a communal act of repentance and intercession.
* **Key Themes:** Joel 1:14 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Joel and broader biblical theology. It underscores the theme of **Corporate Repentance and Humility**, highlighting that in times of widespread calamity, a unified, communal act of humility before God is essential. This moves beyond individual lament to a collective acknowledgment of sin and a desperate plea for mercy, echoing the principle found in [2 Chronicles 7:14](/2_chronicles/7-14 "2 Chronicles 7:14 - God's Promise of Healing"). The command to gather in the "house of the LORD" emphasizes the **Centrality of Public Worship and Communal Prayer** in times of crisis, where the community seeks God's face. Finally, the instruction to "cry unto the LORD" encapsulates the theme of **Desperate Supplication**, signifying an impassioned, heartfelt cry for divine intervention and deliverance from what is perceived as divine judgment.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Sanctify (Hebrew, _qâdash'_):** From H6942, meaning "to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally); appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), [idiom] wholly." In this context, "sanctify a fast" means to set apart the fast as a holy act, consecrated to God, indicating that it is not merely abstaining from food but a sacred spiritual discipline intended to draw near to God in purity and sincerity.
* **Solemn assembly (Hebrew, _ʻătsârâh'_):** From H6116, meaning "an assembly, especially on a festival or holiday; (solemn) assembly (meeting)." This term refers to a sacred, often restricted, gathering for religious purposes, emphasizing its serious, binding, and divinely ordained nature. It implies a cessation from normal activities to focus entirely on spiritual matters.
* **Cry (Hebrew, _zâʻaq'_):** From H2199, meaning "to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly; assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed." This word denotes a loud, urgent, and often distressed cry for help, signifying a deep sense of need, desperation, and dependence on God for rescue and intervention. It is not a casual prayer but an impassioned plea.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Sanctify ye a fast":** This is a direct, imperative command to consecrate a period of abstention from food. The purpose is not merely physical deprivation but spiritual preparation and dedication to God, setting aside time and resources to focus entirely on repentance and seeking divine mercy. It signifies a profound act of humility and earnest seeking.
* **"call a solemn assembly":** Following the call to fast, the prophet commands the convocation of a sacred gathering. This assembly is not ordinary; it is "solemn," indicating its serious, religious, and binding nature. It implies a formal, communal act of worship, lament, and supplication, bringing the entire community together for a unified purpose before God.
* **"gather the elders [and] all the inhabitants of the land [into] the house of the LORD your God":** This clause specifies the participants and the location. "Elders" represent the leadership and wisdom of the community, while "all the inhabitants of the land" emphasizes the universal scope of the command—no one is exempt. The designated place is the "house of the LORD," the Temple in Jerusalem, which was the spiritual center and the customary place for national gatherings and appeals to God. This highlights the corporate nature of the crisis and the required response.
* **"and cry unto the LORD":** This final imperative reveals the ultimate purpose of the fast and assembly: to make an urgent, desperate appeal to God. The word "cry" (Hebrew: _zâʻaq_) suggests a loud, anguished, and fervent plea, born out of profound distress and a recognition of utter dependence on God's intervention. It is a direct and impassioned act of intercession, acknowledging God's sovereignty over the calamity and His power to deliver.

#### Literary Devices
Joel 1:14 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its urgent message. The most prominent is the **Imperative Mood**, seen in "Sanctify," "call," "gather," and "cry." These direct commands create a sense of immediate urgency and non-negotiable action, emphasizing the prophet's authority and the gravity of the situation. **Inclusio** is subtly present in the call for "elders" and "all the inhabitants," encompassing the entire social spectrum, ensuring no one is excluded from the corporate act of repentance. **Symbolism** is rich throughout the verse: the "fast" symbolizes humility, self-denial, and earnest seeking; the "solemn assembly" symbolizes unity and corporate responsibility; and the "house of the LORD" symbolizes God's presence, the place of atonement, and the spiritual heart of the nation. The very act of "crying unto the LORD" is a powerful **Metonymy** for desperate prayer and intercession, where the physical act of crying stands for the spiritual state of profound distress and reliance on divine mercy.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joel 1:14 profoundly articulates the biblical principle that national calamity often serves as a divine call to corporate repentance and a return to God. It underscores the belief that God is sovereign over natural phenomena and that His people's spiritual state has direct implications for their communal well-being. The prescribed response—fasting, solemn assembly, and desperate crying out—demonstrates a deep theological understanding of humanity's dependence on God, the efficacy of corporate prayer, and the necessity of humility before a holy God. It teaches that true repentance involves not just individual introspection but also a communal turning, acknowledging shared responsibility and seeking collective mercy. This act of national supplication is an appeal to God's covenant faithfulness and His willingness to restore when His people genuinely seek Him.

* [2 Chronicles 7:14](/2_chronicles/7-14 "2 Chronicles 7:14 - God's Promise to Heal the Land")
* [Jonah 3:5-9](/jonah/3-5-9 "Jonah 3:5-9 - Nineveh's Corporate Repentance")
* [Isaiah 58:6-7](/isaiah/58-6-7 "Isaiah 58:6-7 - The Nature of True Fasting")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joel 1:14 offers timeless principles for how communities, nations, and even local churches can respond to severe crises, whether they are natural disasters, pandemics, economic downturns, or moral decay. It teaches that in times of profound adversity, a collective turning to God in humility and earnest prayer is not merely an option but a spiritual imperative. This requires leaders and all people to acknowledge their need for God's mercy and to participate in a unified act of seeking His face. Corporate prayer, especially when accompanied by genuine humility and fasting, is a powerful spiritual discipline that demonstrates a profound reliance on God's sovereignty and opens the door for His intervention. The "house of the LORD" today often symbolizes the gathered body of believers, reminding the church of its vital role in leading communities in prayer and intercession during times of adversity, demonstrating faith and hope in God's power to restore and heal.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does our community or nation typically respond to crises, and how might Joel's call to corporate repentance challenge those responses?**
* **What does "sanctifying a fast" mean for us today, beyond merely abstaining from food?**
* **In what ways can the church today embody the "solemn assembly" and "cry unto the LORD" for the challenges facing our world?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of "the house of the LORD" in Joel 1:14?**

Answer: "The house of the LORD" (H1004, _bayith_) in Joel 1:14 refers specifically to the Temple in Jerusalem. It was the central place of worship for the Israelites, where sacrifices were offered, and where God's presence was believed to dwell. Its significance in this verse is multifaceted: it emphasizes the corporate nature of the command, as the entire community was to gather there; it highlights the sacredness of the assembly, as they were entering God's dwelling place; and it underscores the idea that appeals to God, especially for national deliverance, were to be made at the designated place of covenant encounter. Gathering there demonstrated their reliance on God's covenant promises and His established means of reconciliation.

**Why is a "fast" commanded in response to a locust plague and drought?**

Answer: A fast (H6685, _tsôwm_) in ancient Israel was a spiritual discipline undertaken in times of mourning, repentance, or intense supplication. In Joel 1:14, it is commanded in response to the devastating locust plague and drought because these calamities were understood as divine judgment for the people's sins. Fasting was a tangible expression of humility, sorrow for sin, and utter dependence on God. It was a way to deny the flesh and focus the spirit, demonstrating the sincerity of their repentance and their desperate plea for God's mercy and intervention. It was believed that such a collective act of humility could move God to relent from His judgment, as seen in the example of Nineveh in [Jonah 3:5-10](/jonah/3-5-10 "Jonah 3:5-10 - Nineveh's Repentance and God's Compassion").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joel 1:14, with its urgent call for corporate repentance, solemn assembly, and a desperate cry to the LORD in the face of judgment, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transformation in Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament fasts and assemblies pointed to a need for atonement and divine intervention, they were temporary measures. Christ is the perfect fulfillment of the "house of the LORD," for He declared Himself to be the true temple, the place where God truly dwells among humanity ([John 2:19-21](/john/2-19-21 "John 2:19-21 - Jesus Predicts His Resurrection as the Temple")). The desperate "cry unto the LORD" for deliverance from the consequences of sin finds its answer in the ultimate sacrifice of the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), whose death on the cross atoned for humanity's greatest plague—sin. Through His finished work, believers are now called to a spiritual fast—a life of self-denial and devotion to God ([Matthew 6:16-18](/matthew/6-16-18 "Matthew 6:16-18 - Jesus on Fasting")), and to gather not in a physical temple, but as the living temple of God, the church, where the Spirit dwells ([1_corinthians/3-16](/1-corinthians/3-16 "1 Corinthians 3:16 - You are God's Temple")). Our "cry unto the LORD" is now made with confidence through our great High Priest, Jesus, who ever lives to intercede for us ([Hebrews 4:14-16](/hebrews/4-14-16 "Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus, Our Great High Priest")), ensuring that our prayers are heard and answered according to God's perfect will. Thus, Joel's call for repentance is ultimately a foreshadowing of the profound spiritual repentance and turning to God made possible only through faith in Christ.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Joel 2:15

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

Joel 2:16

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

2 Chronicles 20:3

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:4

And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

Jonah 3:8

But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that [is] in their hands.

Leviticus 23:36

Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a solemn assembly; [and] ye shall do no servile work [therein].

2 Chronicles 20:13

And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.