Joel 1:3

KJV

Tell ye your children of it, and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children another generation.

KJV (with Strong's)

Tell {H5608} ye your children {H1121} of it, and let your children {H1121} tell their children {H1121}, and their children {H1121} another {H312} generation {H1755}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Tell your children about it, and have them tell it to theirs, and have them tell the next generation.

Berean Standard Bible

Tell it to your children; let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation.

American Standard Version

Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Joel 1:3 issues a powerful and urgent command for the intergenerational transmission of the profound lessons learned from the unprecedented locust plague and severe drought that devastated Judah. This verse underscores the critical importance of ensuring that the memory of this divine judgment, and the spiritual implications it carried, endures through successive generations, thereby shaping the spiritual heritage and identity of the people and preparing them for a proper response to God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** The book of Joel opens dramatically with an immediate and catastrophic event: a locust plague of unparalleled destruction, followed by a severe drought. This dual calamity is presented not merely as a natural disaster but as a direct act of divine judgment. Joel, whose name means "the Lord is God," calls for a solemn assembly and a national lament. Before detailing the call to repentance, the prophet emphasizes the profound impact of the current suffering and the imperative to remember it. This verse is part of Joel's initial address, urging the elders and all inhabitants to recognize the uniqueness of the event and its profound spiritual implications. It sets the stage for understanding the depth of the nation's plight and the subsequent call to [turn back to the Lord with all their heart](/joel/2-12 "Joel 2:12 - Call to Repentance").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ancient Israel was an agrarian society, making the devastation wrought by a locust plague and severe drought an existential threat, not just an economic one. Such calamities were often interpreted through a theological lens as divine judgment or a call to repentance, reflecting the covenant relationship between Yahweh and His people. In a culture heavily reliant on oral tradition for the transmission of history, law, and wisdom, the command to "tell your children" was not merely a suggestion but a foundational pedagogical imperative. This ensured that the collective memory of God's dealings, both in blessing and judgment, remained vibrant and shaped the national consciousness, reinforcing their identity as a people uniquely chosen and accountable to God.
* **Key Themes:** The command in [Joel 1:3](/joel/1-3 "Joel 1:3 - Intergenerational Command") powerfully underscores the vital importance of **Intergenerational Transmission**, ensuring that the profound lessons of divine judgment and the need for repentance are passed down through successive generations. This imperative highlights the **Power of Memory**, stressing the necessity of collective remembrance so that the unique and devastating experience of the plague, as described in [Joel 1:2](/joel/1-2 "Joel 1:2 - Unprecedented Devastation"), is internalized and serves as a perpetual reminder of God's **Sovereignty** and the consequences of disobedience. Ultimately, the verse speaks to the concept of a **Spiritual Heritage**, where the experiences and understanding of God's dealings with humanity, including His **Divine Judgment**, are preserved and conveyed, thereby shaping the spiritual health and identity of future generations and implicitly setting the stage for the prophet's later call to national repentance found in [Joel 2](/joel/2 "Joel 2 - Call to Repentance and Promise of Restoration").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Tell (Hebrew, _çâphar'_):** From H5608, this word means more than just speaking; it implies recounting, numbering, or declaring in detail. It suggests a thorough and precise narration, ensuring that the severity and implications of the event are fully grasped and accurately transmitted.
* **Children (Hebrew, _bên'_):** From H1121, this term encompasses not only direct offspring but also descendants, youth, and even broader familial or national relationships. Its repeated use emphasizes the direct lineage through which this vital information must flow, from one generation to the next.
* **Generation (Hebrew, _dôwr'_):** From H1755, this refers to a revolution of time, an age, or a specific group of people living at the same time. The phrase "another generation" (with H312 _ʼachêr_ meaning "other" or "next") stresses the perpetual, unbroken chain of transmission, extending the memory far into the future.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Tell ye your children of it":** This is a direct and urgent command to the current adult generation, particularly the elders addressed in [Joel 1:2](/joel/1-2 "Joel 1:2 - Unprecedented Devastation"). The imperative "tell" (Hebrew _saphar_) implies a detailed, comprehensive recounting of the unprecedented devastation caused by the locust plague and drought, ensuring that the gravity and uniqueness of the event are fully understood by the next lineage.
* **"and let your children tell their children":** This clause establishes the vital intergenerational chain of transmission. The responsibility is not merely for the present generation to tell their direct offspring, but for those children, in turn, to internalize the message and become active transmitters to their own descendants. This ensures the continuity of memory and spiritual understanding.
* **"and their children another generation":** This final phrase extends the command indefinitely, emphasizing the perpetual and unbroken nature of this oral tradition. The memory of God's powerful act, whether in judgment or deliverance, is to endure far into the future, shaping the identity and spiritual posture of every successive age.

#### Literary Devices
Joel 1:3 makes powerful use of **Repetition** to underscore its central message. The repeated phrase "your children... their children... their children" (Hebrew _bên_) creates a rhythmic, insistent cadence that emphasizes the unbroken, perpetual chain of intergenerational transmission. This anaphoric structure not only highlights the continuity of the command but also the absolute necessity of its fulfillment across time. Furthermore, the **Imperative Mood** of "Tell ye" (Hebrew _saphar_) conveys the urgency and non-negotiable nature of the command, presenting it as a divine mandate rather than a mere suggestion. The verse also employs a subtle form of **Chain Imagery**, where each generation is a link in a continuous line, responsible for passing on the collective memory and spiritual lessons to the next, ensuring that the profound impact of God's dealings is never forgotten.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joel 1:3 resonates deeply with the biblical emphasis on the importance of memory and the transmission of spiritual heritage. Throughout Scripture, God consistently commands His people to remember His mighty acts, His covenant, and His laws, not merely for historical record but for the ongoing formation of their identity and faithfulness. This verse highlights that the lessons learned from divine judgment are not to be confined to one generation's experience but are to become foundational truths passed down, shaping the spiritual consciousness of all who follow. Such intergenerational instruction ensures that the knowledge of God's character, His sovereignty, and His just dealings remains vibrant, preventing spiritual amnesia and fostering a continuous posture of humility and obedience before Him.

* [Deuteronomy 6:6-7](/deuteronomy/6-6-7 "Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - Teach Your Children Diligently")
* [Psalm 78:4-6](/psalms/78-4-6 "Psalm 78:4-6 - Recounting God's Deeds to Future Generations")
* [Exodus 12:26-27](/exodus/12-26-27 "Exodus 12:26-27 - Explaining the Passover to Children")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joel 1:3 issues a timeless and profound challenge to every generation of believers: the imperative to actively participate in the transmission of spiritual truth and experience. In an age often marked by historical amnesia and a disconnect from past spiritual realities, this verse calls us to be diligent stewards of God's story—both His acts of grace and His just judgments. It compels us to consider not only what we believe, but how we are ensuring that those beliefs, and the experiences that shape them, are faithfully conveyed to the next generation. This involves intentional discipleship, sharing personal testimonies of God's work, teaching biblical narratives with depth, and fostering environments where spiritual wisdom can be freely passed down. Our faith is not a private possession but a sacred heritage, meant to be shared and preserved so that the knowledge of God's character and His ways endures.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "stories" of God's faithfulness, intervention, or even judgment from your life or the history of the church are you responsible for sharing with the next generation?**
* **In what practical ways can you more intentionally engage in the spiritual formation and instruction of children, youth, or younger believers in your sphere of influence?**
* **How does the command to "tell" challenge any tendency to keep your faith private or to assume that spiritual knowledge will be acquired passively by others?**

### FAQ
**Why is intergenerational transmission of faith so critical in the biblical narrative?**

Answer: Intergenerational transmission is foundational because it ensures the continuity of God's covenant relationship with His people and prevents spiritual amnesia. By passing down the stories of God's mighty acts, His laws, and the lessons learned from both obedience and disobedience, each new generation is grounded in the collective history and identity of the faith community. This process, exemplified in [Deuteronomy 6](/deuteronomy/6 "Deuteronomy 6 - The Shema and Teaching Children"), ensures that the knowledge of God's character and His ways remains vibrant, shaping the spiritual posture and moral compass of future generations, and preparing them to respond faithfully to His ongoing work in the world.

**What specific "it" is Joel commanding the people to tell their children about in this verse?**

Answer: The "it" refers to the unprecedented and devastating locust plague and severe drought described in vivid detail throughout [Joel 1](/joel/1 "Joel 1 - The Locust Plague and Call to Lament"). This calamity was so severe that [Joel 1:2](/joel/1-2 "Joel 1:2 - Unprecedented Devastation") asks if such a thing has ever happened before. Joel commands the people to recount the memory of this unique and catastrophic event, not merely as a natural disaster, but as a profound act of divine judgment that serves as a powerful lesson for all future generations.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Joel 1:3 commands the transmission of a specific historical judgment, its underlying principle finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the Christ-centered message of the Gospel. The "it" that future generations must be told is ultimately the story of God's redemptive work culminating in Jesus Christ. Just as the ancient Israelites were to remember God's dealings, so too are believers now called to proclaim the good news of the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). The New Testament church is commissioned to ensure that the story of Christ's life, death, resurrection, and ascension—the ultimate act of God's judgment on sin and His provision of salvation—is passed down "from generation to generation" (cf. [Ephesians 3:21](/ephesians/3-21 "Ephesians 3:21 - Glory to God in the Church")). This eternal message, far surpassing any temporal judgment, is the ultimate spiritual heritage to be faithfully conveyed, ensuring that all peoples and all ages hear of the [grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ](/john/1-17 "John 1:17 - Grace and Truth Through Jesus Christ") and are called to repentance and faith in Him, the true hope for "another generation" and for all eternity.

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

Deuteronomy 6:7

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Psalms 145:4

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

Exodus 13:14

And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What [is] this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

Psalms 71:18

Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto [this] generation, [and] thy power to every one [that] is to come.

Isaiah 38:19

The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

Psalms 44:1

¶ To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

Exodus 10:1

¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: