Joel 2:6

Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

Before their face {H6440} the people {H5971} shall be much pained {H2342}: all faces {H6440} shall gather {H6908} blackness {H6289}.

At their presence the peoples writhe in anguish, every face is drained of color.

Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.

At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces are waxed pale.

Joel 2:6 vividly describes the terror and anguish that will grip the people in the face of the impending judgment, depicted as an overwhelming invasion or a devastating locust plague. This verse is part of a larger prophetic warning about the Day of the Lord.

Context

The book of Joel primarily addresses the kingdom of Judah, using a severe locust plague as a metaphorical and literal precursor to God's coming judgment. This plague, described in terrifying detail in the preceding verses (Joel 2:1-5), is so destructive that it is likened to an invading army. Verse 6 focuses on the human response to this overwhelming force, portraying the deep distress and hopelessness among the populace. The prophet calls the people to repentance and a return to the Lord in light of these dire warnings.

Key Themes

  • Overwhelming Terror and Despair: The central theme is the profound fear and hopelessness that will consume the people. "Much pained" and "gather blackness" paint a picture of utter distress.
  • Divine Judgment: While not explicitly stated as God's action in this verse, the context of Joel points to this calamity as a manifestation of God's righteous judgment against sin and spiritual complacency.
  • Human Vulnerability: The verse highlights humanity's helplessness when confronted by forces beyond their control, whether natural disasters or divine wrath.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "much pained" translates the Hebrew word ḥîl (חִיל), which can denote intense physical anguish, writhing, or even the pains of childbirth (Jeremiah 30:6). It conveys a deep, visceral suffering. The expression "all faces shall gather blackness" uses the Hebrew qibbeṣū pā’rûr (קִבְּצוּ פָּארוּר). While pā’rûr is a rare word and its precise meaning debated, it is generally understood to mean a darkening or reddening of the face due to extreme terror, starvation, or mourning. This vivid imagery speaks to the visible manifestation of inward despair and dread, perhaps even a pallor from shock or lack of nourishment.

Practical Application

Joel 2:6 serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of spiritual apathy and the reality of divine judgment. While the immediate context is ancient Israel, the themes of terror, despair, and the need for repentance resonate universally. It prompts reflection on:

  • The importance of heeding warnings, both spiritual and practical.
  • The human response to overwhelming calamity, which often involves profound fear and a sense of helplessness, much like men's hearts failing them for fear in eschatological prophecies.
  • The ultimate need to turn to God in times of distress and to seek His mercy before judgment fully unfolds.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Nahum 2:10

    She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain [is] in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

  • Isaiah 13:8

    And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be as] flames.

  • Jeremiah 30:6

    Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

  • Lamentations 4:8

    Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

  • Jeremiah 8:21

    For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

  • Psalms 119:83

    ¶ For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; [yet] do I not forget thy statutes.

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