Joel 2:20 kjv — But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face…

King James Version

"But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things."

— Joel 2:20, King James Version

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Joel 2:20 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • ASV

    “but I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea; and its stench shall come up, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things. ”

  • WEB

    “But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things.”

  • NET

    “I will remove the one from the north far from you. I will drive him out to a dry and desolate place. Those in front will be driven eastward into the Dead Sea, and those in back westward into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise up as a foul smell.” Indeed, the LORD has accomplished great things.”

  • DRB

    “And I will remove far off from you the northern enemy: and I will drive him into a land unpassable, and desert, with his face towards the east sea, and his hinder part towards the utmost sea: and his stench shall ascend, and his rottenness shall go up, because he hath done proudly.”

  • BBE

    “I will send the one from the north far away from you, driving him into a dry and waste land, with his front to the sea of the east and his back to the sea of the west, and the smell of him will go up, even his evil smell will go up.”

  • KJVA

    “But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.”

Joel 2 — Context

17

Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

18

Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

19

Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

20

But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

21

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.

22

Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

23

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

Joel 2:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Joel 2:20 say?
Joel 2:20 in the King James Version reads: “But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.”
Where is Joel 2:20 in the Bible?
Joel 2:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Joel, chapter 2, verse 20.
Who wrote Joel?
Joel is traditionally attributed to Joel son of Pethuel. It was written c. 835–796 BC (date uncertain).
What is the book of Joel about?
Joel uses a present catastrophe — a locust plague — to point to a greater "day of the LORD" still to come, both terrible and hopeful. The book promises that God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh, a prophecy Peter quotes at Pentecost.
What are the major themes of Joel?
Joel explores themes including Day of the LORD, Repentance, Outpouring of the Spirit, Restoration. These themes shape the meaning and context of Joel 2:20.
What translation should I read Joel 2:20 in?
Joel 2:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Joel 2:20?
Joel 2:20 reads (KJV): “But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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