Joel 2:14 (DRB)

Passage

Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God?

Nearby Context

Joel 2:12 Now, therefore, saith the Lord. Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and mourning.

Joel 2:13 And rend your hearts, and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil.

Joel 2:14 Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God?

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

Joel 2:16 Gather together the people, sanctify the church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of her bridal chamber.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "knoweth", "return", "forgive", "leave", "blessing", "behind", "sacrifice", and "libation". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "knoweth" and "return", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "And rend your hearts and not your..." into verse 15's "Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctify a...", so "knoweth" and "return" 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 "knoweth" and "return" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.