Joel 2:13 (ASV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Joel 2:11 And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Joel 2:12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Joel 2:13 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.

Joel 2:14 Who knoweth whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah your God?

Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "rend", "heart", "garments", "turn", "jehovah", "gracious", "merciful", and "slow". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "rend" and "heart", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Yet even now saith Jehovah turn ye..." into verse 14's "Who knoweth whether he will not turn...", so "rend" and "heart" belong inside that flow. In Joel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "rend" and "heart" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.