Joel | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Prophet Joel byMichelangelo, 1508–1512 | |
| Prophet | |
| Venerated in | [citation needed] |
| Majorshrine | Gush Halav, Israel |
| Feast | October 19 (Orthodox) |
| Attributes | Prophet |
| Major works | Book of Joel |
Joel[a] is aBiblical prophet, the second of theTwelve Minor Prophets, and, according to itself, the author of theBook of Joel, which is set in the early Assyrian period. Scholars meanwhile view the Book of Joel as having been completed in thePtolemaic period (c. 301-201 BC) due to its use of earlier texts and perspective onYahweh and the nations.[1]
Joel is mentioned by name only once in theHebrew Bible, in the introduction to that book, as the son ofPethuel (Joel 1:1). The name combines the covenant name of God,YHWH (or Yahweh), andEl (god), and has been translated as "YHWH is God" or "one to whom YHWH is God," that is, a worshiper of YHWH.[2]
Some commentators suggest that Joel lived in the 9th century BC,[2] whereas others assign him to the 5th or 4th century BC.[3] The dating of his book is similarly debated; there are no mentions of kings that might help locate it in time. The book's mention ofGreeks[4] has not given scholars any help in dating the text since the Greeks were known to have had access toJudah fromMycenaean times (c. 1600–1100 BC).[5] However, the book's mention ofJudah's suffering[6] and to the standing temple[7] have led some scholars to place the date of the book in the post-exilic period, after the construction of theSecond Temple.[citation needed] Joel was originally fromJudah/Judea, and, judging from its prominence in his prophecy, was quite possibly a prophet associated with the ritual ofeither Solomon's or the Second temple, depending on the date when he lived.[8]
According to a long-standing tradition, Joel was buried inGush Halav.[9] In the western outskirts of the modern village, there is a structure that has long been considered Joel's tomb, which contains several ancientrock-cut tombs.[10]
On theEastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, his feast day is19 October.[11]
In the Roman Martyrology, the prophet is commemorated on13 July.[12]
He is commemorated with the otherminor prophets in theCalendar of saints of theArmenian Apostolic Church on 31 July.
Joel's statement that "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" was applied bySt Peter in his sermon atPentecost to the events of that day.[13]
According to the Eastern Orthodox Christian hymns, the ancient hymnographerAnatolius links Joel's prophecy to the birth of Christ. In Joel 2:30, he says that the blood refers to theincarnation of Jesus Christ, the fire to theDivinity of Christ, and the pillars of smoke to theHoly Spirit.[11]
Joel is considered aminor prophet in theBaháʼí Faith.[14] In theKitab-i-Iqan, Baha'ullah states that previous prophecies by minor prophets such as Joel have symbolic meanings and significance and therefore should not be understood literally.[15]
InIslam, Yu'il ibn Fatu'il (Arabic: يُئيل بن فَتُئيل) isn't mentioned in theQuran nor theHadith.
The Qur’an, however, states:
“And We certainly sent messengers before you. Among them are those We have related to you, and among them are those We have not related to you.” (Qur’an 40:78)[16]
It's possible that Yu'il (Joel) was aprophet sent byGod to guideBani-Israel.
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