Joel 1:3

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Joel 1:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Tell ye your children of it, and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children another generation.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Tell ye your children of it, and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children another generation.
Joel 1:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Joel 1

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
3Tell ye your children of it, and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children another generation.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Tell ye your children of it, etc.] Give them a particular account of it; describe the creatures and their number as near as you can; say when they begun and how long they continued, and what devastations they made, and what was the cause and reason of such a judgment, your sins and transgressions: and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children other generation; or, “to the generation following” F11; let it be handed down from one generation to another that it may be a caution to future posterity how they behave and lest they bring down the like awful judgments on them. What this referred to was as follows:”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Tell ye your children--in order that they may be admonished by the severity of the punishment to fear God (Psa 78:6-8; compare Exo 13:8; Jos 4:7).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Tell ye your children of it - In the order of God’s goodness, generation was to declare to generation the wonders of His love. “He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children that they might ... not forget the works of God” Psalms 78:5-7. This tradition of thankful memories God, as the Psalmist says, enforced in the law; “Take heed to thyself, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, but teach them thy sons and thy sons’ sons” (Deuteronomy 4:9;…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“1:3 God’s people would tell future generations about what was taking place so that their descendants would benefit from the lessons they had learned (cp. Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Exo 10:1, Exo 10:2, Exo 13:14; Deu 6:7; Jos 4:6, Jos 4:7, Jos 4:21, Jos 4:22; Psa 44:1, Psa 71:18, Psa 78:3-8; Psa 145:4; Isa 38:19 Joel 1:4”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification