THERE ARE TWO TRADITIONS of verse and chapter divisions used today for Joel. Stephen Langton undertook the earliest division into chapters, using the Vulgate, in the early thirteenth century A.D. His division, used in the English Bible and this commentary, has three chapters, consisting of Joel 1:1–20; 2:1–32; 3:1–21. From the sixteenth century, Jewish tradition divides the book into four sections (1:1–20; 2:1–27; 3:1–5; 4:1–21),1 which are reflected in square brackets in this outline and in the headings, but not in the body of the commentary itself.
I. Heading, and Warnings to Judah (1:1–20)
A. Heading (1:1)
B. Warnings to Judah (1:2–14)
C. Lament (1:15–20)
II. Invasion of a Locust Army (2:1–11)
III. Turn Back to Me! (2:12–17)
IV. Yahweh Responds (2:18–32 [2:18–3:5])
A. Yahweh’s First Response (2:18–20)
B. People, Rejoice! (2:21–24)
C. Yahweh’s Second Response (2:25–27)
D. Yahweh’s Third Response (2:28–32 [3:1–5])
V. Judah’s Enemies Judged (3[4]:1–12)
VI. The Day of the Lord for Nations and God’s People (3[4]:13–21)
A. The Valley of Decision (3[4]:13–17)
B. In That Day (3[4]:18–21)