Joel 2:13 “So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your…”

Joel 2:13

So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

World English Bible

Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

American Standard Version

and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Geneva Bible 1599

And rent your heart, and not your clothes: and turne vnto the Lord your God, for he is gratious, and mercifull, slowe to anger, and of great kindnes, and repenteth him of the euill.

Darby Translation

and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Young's Literal Translation

And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful [is] He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the evil.

Bible in Basic English

Let your hearts be broken, and not your clothing, and come back to the Lord your God: for he is full of grace and pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, ready to be turned from his purpose of punishment.

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Cross references

“rend”

Psalm 34:18 Isaiah 57:15 Isaiah 66:2 Psalm 51:17 2 Kings 22:19 Ezekiel 9:4

Psalm 34:18 · BSB

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

Isaiah 57:15 · BSB

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive th…

Isaiah 66:2 · BSB

Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Psalm 51:17 · BSB

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

2 Kings 22:19 · BSB

because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its people, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn you…

Ezekiel 9:4 · BSB

“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”

“your garments”

2 Samuel 1:11 Job 1:20 1 Timothy 4:8 Matthew 6:16–18 Genesis 37:29 Genesis 37:34

2 Samuel 1:11 · BSB

Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.

Job 1:20 · BSB

Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,

1 Timothy 4:8 · BSB

For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.

Matthew 6:16–18 · BSB

When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Genesis 37:29 · BSB

When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,

Genesis 37:34 · BSB

Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

“for”

Psalm 86:15 Micah 7:18 Psalm 86:5 Jonah 4:2 Ephesians 2:4 Numbers 14:18

Psalm 86:15 · BSB

But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.

Micah 7:18 · BSB

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance— who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?

Psalm 86:5 · BSB

For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.

Jonah 4:2 · BSB

So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to an…

Ephesians 2:4 · BSB

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

Numbers 14:18 · BSB

‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the…

“slow”

Psalm 103:8 Nehemiah 9:17 Nahum 1:3 James 1:19 James 1:20

Psalm 103:8 · BSB

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.

Nehemiah 9:17 · BSB

They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and co…

Nahum 1:3 · BSB

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

James 1:19 · BSB

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

James 1:20 · BSB

for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

“and repenteth”

Psalm 106:45 Amos 7:2–6 Jeremiah 18:7 Jeremiah 18:8

Psalm 106:45 · BSB

And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion.

Amos 7:2–6 · BSB

And when the locusts had eaten every green plant in the land, I said, “Lord GOD, please forgive! How will Jacob survive, since he is so small?”

Jeremiah 18:7 · BSB

At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.

Jeremiah 18:8 · BSB

But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

12“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

14Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him— grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Read Joel 2