Joel 2:14 (GNV)

Passage

Who knoweth, is he wil returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him, euen a meate offring, and a drinke offring vnto ye Lord your God?

Nearby Context

Joel 2:12 Therefore also now the Lord sayth, Turne you vnto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning,

Joel 2:13 And rent your heart, and not your clothes: and turne vnto the Lord your God, for he is gratious, and mercifull, slowe to anger, and of great kindnes, and repenteth him of the euill.

Joel 2:14 Who knoweth, is he wil returne and repent and leaue a blessing behinde him, euen a meate offring, and a drinke offring vnto ye Lord your God?

Joel 2:15 Blowe the trumpet in Zion, sanctifie a fast, call a solemne assembly.

Joel 2:16 Gather the people: sanctifie the congregation, gather the elders: assemble the children, and those that sucke the breastes: let the bridegrome go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bride chamber.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "knoweth", "returne", "repent", "leaue", "blessing", "behinde", "euen", and "meate". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "knoweth" and "returne", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "And rent your heart and not your..." into verse 15's "Blowe the trumpet in Zion sanctifie a...", so "knoweth" and "returne" 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 "returne" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.