The Meaning of Joel 1:4 Explained

Joel 1:4

KJV: That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.

YLT: What is left of the palmer-worm, eaten hath the locust, And what is left of the locust, Eaten hath the cankerworm, And what is left of the cankerworm, Eaten hath the caterpillar.

Darby: that which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.

ASV: That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm eaten; and that which the canker-worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.

Discover Joel 1:4

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Joel 1:4?

MEANING: What does Joel 1:4 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Joel 1:4 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Joel 1:4?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That which the palmerworm  hath left  hath the locust  eaten;  and that which the locust  hath left  hath the cankerworm  eaten;  and that which the cankerworm  hath left  hath the caterpiller  eaten. 

What does Joel 1:4 Mean?

Study Notes

palmerworm
The palmerworm, locust, etc., are thought to be different forms, at different stages of development, of one insect. The essential fact is that, according to the usual method of the Spirit in prophecy, some local circumstance is shown to be of spiritual significance, and is made the occasion of a far-reaching prophecy (e.g.) Isaiah 7:1-14 where the Syrian invasion and the unbelief of Ahaz give occasion to the great prophecy of Joel 1:14 . Here in Joel a plague of devouring insects is shown to have spiritual significance Joel 1:13 ; Joel 1:14 and is made the occasion of the prophecy of the day of the Lord, not yet fulfilled. This is more developed in Joel 2, where the literal locusts are left behind, and the future day of Jehovah fills the scene.
The whole picture is of the end-time of this present age, of the "times of the Gentiles" Luke 21:24 ; Revelation 16:14 of the battle of Armageddon; Revelation 16:14 ; Revelation 19:11-21 of the regathering of Israel. and of kingdom blessing. It is remarkable that Joel, coming at the very beginning of written prophecy (B.C. 836), gives the fullest view of the consummation of all written prophecy.
The order of events is:
(1) The invasion of Palestine from the north by Gentile world-powers headed up under the Beast and false prophet Joel 2:1-10 "Armageddon," .
(2) the Lord's army and destruction of the invaders Joel 2:11 ; Revelation 19:11-21 .
(3) the repentance of Judah in the land Joel 2:12-17 .
(4) the answer of Jehovah Joel 2:18-27
(5) the effusion of the Spirit in the (Jewish) "last days" Joel 2:28 ; Joel 2:29 .
(6) the return of the Lord in glory and the setting up of the kingdom Joel 2:30-32 ; Acts 15:15-17 by the regathering of the nation and judgment of the nations Joel 3:1-16
(7) full and permanent kingdom blessing Joel 3:17-21 ; Zechariah 14:1-21 .
Day of the Lord (Day of Jehovah) vs.
Isaiah 2:10-22 ; Isaiah 4:1-6 ; Isaiah 11:10-13 ; Isaiah 13:9-16 ; Isaiah 24:21-23 ; Isaiah 26:20 ; Isaiah 26:21 ; Isaiah 63:1-6 ; Isaiah 66:15-24 ; Jeremiah 25:29-33 ; Jeremiah 46:10 ; Ezekiel 30:3 ; Revelation 19:11-21
Jacob
Summary: Israel, so named from the grandson of Abraham, was chosen for a fourfold mission:
(1) To witness to the unity of God in the midst of universal idolatry Deuteronomy 6:4 ; Isaiah 43:10 ; Isaiah 43:12
(2) to illustrate to the nations the blessedness of serving the true God Deuteronomy 33:26-29 ; 1 Chronicles 17:20 ; 1 Chronicles 17:21 ; Psalms 144:15 .
(3) to receive, preserve, and transmit the Scripture Deuteronomy 4:5-8 ; Joel 3:1-8 ; Romans 3:2 .
(4) to produce, as to His humanity, the Messiah Genesis 3:15 ; Genesis 12:3 ; Genesis 22:18 ; Genesis 28:10-14 ; Genesis 49:10 ; 2 Samuel 7:12-16 ; Isaiah 7:14 ; Isaiah 9:6 ; Matthew 1:1 ; Romans 1:3 . According to the prophets, Israel, regathered from all nations, restored to her own land and converted, is yet to have her greatest earthly exaltation and glory. See "Kingdom (O.T.)"; Genesis 1:26 ; Zechariah 12:8 .
(See Scofield " Zechariah 12:8 ") N.T. Luke 1:31-33 ; 1 Corinthians 15:24 .
"Davidic Covenant" (See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 ") .
For Another Point of View: See Topic 301242
kings Times of the Gentiles Revelation 16:19 ; Luke 21:24 .
world "oikoumene" = inhabited earth. (See Scofield " Luke 2:1 ") .
turn thy captivity
The Palestinian Covenant gives the conditions under which Israel entered the land of promise. It is important to see that the nation has never as yet taken the land under the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, nor has it ever possessed the whole land (cf. Genesis 15:18 ; Numbers 34:1-12 . The Palestinian Covenant is in seven parts.
(1) Dispersion for disobedience, Deuteronomy 30:1 ; Deuteronomy 28:63-68 (See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 ")
(2) The future repentance of Israel while in the dispersion, Deuteronomy 30:2 .
(3) The return of the Lord, Deuteronomy 30:3 ; Amos 9:9-14 ; Acts 15:14-17 .
(4) Restoration to the land, Deuteronomy 30:5 ; Isaiah 11:11 ; Isaiah 11:12 ; Jeremiah 23:3-8 ; Ezekiel 37:21-25
(5) National conversion, Deuteronomy 30:6 ; Romans 11:26 ; Romans 11:27 ; Hosea 2:14-16
(6) The judgment of Israel's oppressors, Deuteronomy 30:7 ; Isaiah 14:1 ; Isaiah 14:2 ; Romans 3:1 ; Matthew 25:31-46
(7) National prosperity, Deuteronomy 30:9 ; Amos 9:11-14
For Another Point of View: See Topic 301242
See, for the other seven covenants:
EDENIC (See Scofield " Genesis 1:28 ") ADAMIC See Scofield " Genesis 3:15 " ABRAHAMIC See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 " NOAHIC See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 " MOSAIC See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 " DAVIDIC See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 " NEW See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 "
And before him
This judgment is to be distinguished from the judgment of the great white throne. Here there is no resurrection; the persons judged are living nations; no books are opened; three classes are present, sheep, goats, and brethren; the time is at the return of Christ ( Matthew 25:31 ); and the scene is on the earth. All these particulars are in contrast with Revelation 20:11-15 .
The test in this judgment is the treatment accorded by the nations to those whom Christ here call "my brethren." These "brethren" are the Jewish Remnant who will have preached the Gospel of the kingdom to all nations during the tribulation. See "Remnant" Isaiah 1:9 ; Romans 11:5 .
The test in Revelation 20:11-15 is the possession of eternal life. See, for the other six judgments: (See Scofield " John 12:31 ") 1 Corinthians 11:31 " See Scofield " 2 Corinthians 5:10 " See Scofield " Ezekiel 20:37 " See Scofield " Judges 1:6 " See Scofield " Revelation 20:12 "

Verse Meaning

Several waves of locusts had consumed all the agricultural produce of the land. What one wave of these voracious insects had left uneaten, other subsequent waves had destroyed. The devastation of the land had been complete (cf. Amos 4:9). God had threatened locust plagues as punishment if His people proved unfaithful to Him ( Deuteronomy 28:38; Deuteronomy 28:42).
Four different words for "locusts" appear in this verse (and in Joel 2:25), but a total of nine occur in the Old Testament. These words have led some interpreters to conclude that four types of locust are in view or that locusts in four stages of their maturity are. [1] It seems better, however, to view the locusts as coming in waves, gnawing, swarming, creeping, and stripping as they devoured the vegetation. [2] Four waves of invasion picture a thorough devastation (cf. Jeremiah 15:3; Ezekiel 14:21). Though the prophets sometimes used locusts as a figure for horses (e.g, Jeremiah 51:27), most interpreters have concluded that Joel described a real locust invasion rather than a military invasion by soldiers on horses.

Context Summary

Joel 1:1-20 - A Summons To Penitence
We know nothing of Joel beyond this book. He was content to be God's mouthpiece and remain unknown. His message was one of unparalleled woe. The memory of God's loving kindness ought to have kept His people faithful and loyal, but since grace and love had failed to affect them awful judgments were announced. A small insect, the locust, was to prostrate man's boasted power. The four kinds of locusts here described and which doubtless devastated the country, were also symbols of the four world-empires, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome, which were to lay waste the Holy Land. Such judgments call for acts of repentance, such as fasting, humiliation, and intercession. There are days in national experience when it becomes us to gird ourselves and lament. The ministers and elders of the Church should lead the way. Where there has been infidelity to the great Lover of souls, when the visible Church or the individual member has turned from Christ to the wanton world, then joy withers away, Joel 1:12, spiritual worship ceases, Joel 1:9, and there can be neither peace nor safety until there has been repentance and return. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joel 1

1  Joel, declaring various judgments of God, exhorts to observe them,
8  and to mourn
14  He prescribes a solemn fast to deprecate those judgments

What do the individual words in Joel 1:4 mean?

What left the chewing locust has eaten the swarming locust and what left the swarming locust the crawling locust the crawling locust has eaten the consuming locust
יֶ֤תֶר הַגָּזָם֙ אָכַ֣ל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה וְיֶ֥תֶר הָאַרְבֶּ֖ה הַיָּ֑לֶק הַיֶּ֔לֶק אָכַ֖ל הֶחָסִֽיל

יֶ֤תֶר  What  left 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
הַגָּזָם֙  the  chewing  locust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּזָם  
Sense: locusts.
אָכַ֣ל  has  eaten 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה  the  swarming  locust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְבֶּה  
Sense: a kind of locust, locust swarm (coll).
וְיֶ֥תֶר  and  what  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
הָאַרְבֶּ֖ה  the  swarming  locust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְבֶּה  
Sense: a kind of locust, locust swarm (coll).
הַיָּ֑לֶק  the  crawling  locust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶק  
Sense: young locust (early stage of development).
הַיֶּ֔לֶק  the  crawling  locust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶק  
Sense: young locust (early stage of development).
אָכַ֖ל  has  eaten 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
הֶחָסִֽיל  the  consuming  locust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָסִיל  
Sense: locust.

What are the major concepts related to Joel 1:4?

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Similar Scriptures for Joel 1:4

Joel 2:25 [7]
Amos 4:9 [5]
Isaiah 33:4 [4]
Exodus 10:4 [4]
Psalms 78:46 [4]
Deuteronomy 28:38 [4]
Psalms 105:34 [4]
Amos 7:1 [4]
Deuteronomy 28:42 [3]
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