Joel · Chapter 2 · Forgiveness
Joel 2:13 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity."
KJV · King James Version
"And rend7167 your heart3824, and not your garments899, and turn7725 unto the LORD3068 your God430: for he is gracious2587 and merciful7349, slow750 to anger639, and of great7227 kindness2617, and repenteth5162 him of the evil7451."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses rend, unto, the, lord, while the WEB renders these as tear, yahweh, abundant, loving. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Joel 2:13 in Joel 2
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Joel 2:13 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Joel 2. Read the full chapter →
- v.11 Yahweh thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
- v.12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
- v.13 Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
- v.14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.
- v.15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.
Book background
About the Book of Joel
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Minor prophet
- Author
- Joel
- Date written
- c. 835 BC (debated; possibly 9th–5th century)
- Audience
- Judah
- Chapters
- 3
Joel uses a devastating locust plague as a sign of the coming "day of the LORD" — calling Judah to deep repentance. The book contains the famous prophecy ("I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh") quoted by Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2 — the inauguration of the church age.
Setting: After a devastating locust plague.
Key themes: day of the LORD · repentance · spirit · judgment · restoration
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Joel 2:13
Joel 2:13 contains 32 words in 8 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Tear your heart
TYH
- 2
and not your garments
ANYG
- 3
and turn to Yahweh
ATTY
- 4
your God
YG
- 5
for he is gracious and merciful
FHIGAM
- 6
slow to anger
STA
- 7
and abundant in loving kindness
AAILK
- 8
and relents from sending calamity.
ARFSC
Frequently asked
FAQ about Joel 2:13
What does Joel 2:13 say?
Joel 2:13 reads: "Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity." — from the Old Testament, Joel (Minor prophet). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Joel 2:13 in?
Joel 2:13 is in the book of Joel, traditionally attributed to Joel and written around c. 835 BC (debated; possibly 9th–5th century). Joel is minor prophet in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Judah. Best known for "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh" (quoted at Pentecost).
What is Joel 2:13 about?
Joel 2:13 is primarily a Bible verse about Forgiveness, with related themes including God's Love. Within Joel, Joel uses a devastating locust plague as a sign of the coming "day of the LORD" — calling Judah to deep repentance. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Joel 2:13 in WEB and KJV?
Joel 2:13 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "And rend7167 your heart3824, and not your garments899, and turn7725 unto the LORD3068 your God430: for he is gracious2587 and merciful7349, slow750 to anger639, and of great7227 kindness2617, and repenteth5162 him of the evil7451.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Joel 2:13?
Joel 2:13 is 32 words in the WEB translation (185 characters), broken into 8 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 10 seconds.
How can I memorise Joel 2:13?
To memorise Joel 2:13, split it into its 8 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Joel 2:13 matter in Joel?
Joel uses a devastating locust plague as a sign of the coming "day of the LORD" — calling Judah to deep repentance. The book contains the famous prophecy ("I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh") quoted by Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2 — the inauguration of the church age. Joel 2:13 sits within this larger story — Joel as a whole emphasises day of the LORD, repentance, spirit.
How can I apply Joel 2:13 today?
Many readers use Joel 2:13 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Joel 2:13 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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-
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
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2 Chronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will fo…”
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Matthew 5:44
“But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,”
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
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-
1 Peter 4:8
“And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
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Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
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Psalms 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”
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-
Psalms 103:12
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
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