Joel chapter 2

The Hebrew of Joel 2 is only 27 verses where the English is 32. The remaining 5 verses are in chapter 3 of the Hebrew. Chapter 3 English is chapter 4 Hebrew. I wonder if the music reflects a rationale for this division.  So let's look in detail at each phrase.

Probably its best if you want to read what follows, to open the document below in full screen and have the text on a separate page where your eyes can flit back and forth. You could also sing it to yourself too.

so Verse 1: It's a long first phrase, subdued recitation on the tonic e with ornaments that remain close to the reciting note - e qad,ger-rev,qad,qad,
then we move to a B reciting note with z-q,z-g, (abbreviated from zaqef qatan, zaqef gadol. All the ornaments are abbreviated. See here and here.)
then quickly to the cadence via g# B ^A
the second phrase of the verse sounds like a verse all by itself without a rest, beginning and ending on the tonic. e f g# f e
It is a very low key intro to the day of Yahweh.

Then verse 2 - this will take a long time - (a whole book to describe) so pardon me if we skip to the high points. Day of darkness is magnified suddenly by the jump of a major seventh.

This beginning of a verse with the jump of a major seventh occurs only 14 times in the Bible's 23000+ verses. If you are a traditionalist, the sequence darga-munah occurs 14 times at the beginning of a verse. The sequence occurs 256 times in total.

The cadence in this verse is in the middle of a thought (IMO). The abundant people is similarly highlighted by high notes - fierce perhaps. (Note the English is NOT mapped to a word underlay in this copy but is just there as a tease. See if you could create an English lyric.)

Got to verse 3. Note the rest note has a long recitation on it about Eden - I have not noted this sort of recitation elsewhere and I cannot think how to search for similar passages. One would have to have a syllable count on each note. Possible - but needs an intermediate table for such searching.

Verses 4 and 15 are a relatively common pattern occurring 65 times - quite symmetrical e f g# ^A g# f e.

You can see the other common patterns below. Of the 27 verses 19 are unique in their sequence of accents.

The maximum recitation length is 29 syllables in this chapter - that is a long recitation. (Look for it - on verse 20 the ultimate defeat and isolation of the scary enemy).

If you persist in the analysis of each verse, you will find it eminently singable and purposeful in its music. Sometimes the high notes are fierce, sometimes tender. Sometimes the rest is particularly poignant. Sometimes an ornament highlights a particularly important motif in the text.

Can we answer the division into chapters? Probably it is the significant change in subject. You can see the music for the 5 verse chapter 3 in the usual places.



The sequences of notes and ornaments in Joel 2 - the music is clearer!

Verse	Sequence of notes and ornaments	Freq in Bible
1	e qad,ger-rev,qad,qad,B z-q,z-g,g# B ^A e f g# f e	1
2	c B rev,C qad,z-q,g# B e ^A C B z-q,rev,C e qad,B z-q,e qad,B z-q,g# f e	1
3	e qad,B z-q,g# B e ^A qad,ger-rev,e qad,B z-q,g# f e	1
4	e f g# ^A g# f e	65
5	e B rev,C e qad,z-q,qad,B z-q,g# ^A B z-q,g# e	2
6	e g# B ^A g# f e	40
7	e B z-q,f g# B ^A C qad,e z-q,f g# e	1
8	e C qad,B z-q,f g# e ^A f d g# f e	1
9	e B rev,e qad,z-q,g# ^A c d g# e	1
10	e qad,B z-q,g# ^A C qad,qad,z-q,g# f e	2
11	e rev,C qad,B z-q,B C qad,z-q,f g# B ^A  c d f g# f e	1
12	e qad,z-q,f g# ^A f g# e	6
13	e C qad,z-q,g# B e ^A e C qad,z-q,C qad,qad,z-q,g# e	1
14	f g# B ^A C e qad,z-q,B z-q,g# e	1
15	e f g# ^A g# f e	65
16	e tar,C qad,B z-q,qad,e z-q,g# ^A C qad,e z-q,g# e	1
17	C qad,z-q,qad,B z-q,g# ^A e tar,c B rev,qad,C qad,B z-q,C B e z-q,g# e	1
18	e f g# ^A g# e	54
19	e qad,ger,B rev,qad,C qad,qad,B z-q,g# ^A qad,f d g# e	1
20	e tar,B rev,zar,B B seg,rev,qad,z-q,g# B e ^A B rev,qad,qad,z-q,f g# e	1
21	e e g# ^A B z-q,e f g# e	1
22	e e qad,B z-q,f g# B ^A e qad,B z-q,f g# f e	1
23	e B rev,C qad,B e z-q,e f d g# ^A B rev,d f g# e	1
24	e f g# ^A f g# f e	41
25	e C qad,z-q,qad,B e z-q,g# B ^A qad,z-q,f g# e	1
26	e C qad,z-q,rev,C qad,B z-q,f g# ^A f g# e	1
27	e rev,B C qad,z-q,d f g# B ^A f g# e	1

Musical phrases in Joel

For what its worth, it is feasible to list all the unique and not unique musical phrases in Joel.

Sequence of accents	Frequency in the Bible	Frequency in Joel
e f g# ^A A g# f e	65	3
e f g# ^A A g# e	54	1
e f g# ^A A f g# f e	41	1
e g# B ^A A g# f e	40	2
e qad,B z-q,g# e	25	1
e d f g# B ^A A f g# f e	9	1
e qad,z-q,f g# ^A A f g# e	6	1
e C qad,B z-q,g# B ^A A f g# f e	3	1
e C qad,z-q,g# ^A A C qad,z-q,g# e	3	1
e g# ^A A C qad,B z-q,g# f e	3	1
e B rev,C e qad,z-q,qad,B z-q,g# ^A A B z-q,g# e	2	1
e B z-q,g# e ^A A C qad,B z-q,g# e	2	1
e C qad,z-q,g# B ^A A z-g,f g# e	2	1
e f d g# B ^A A e qad,B z-q,g# e	2	1
e g# B ^A A qad,z-q,g# f e	2	1
e qad,B z-q,g# ^A A C qad,qad,z-q,g# f e	2	1
B c e d g# ^A A z-g,e f g# e	1	1
C qad,B e z-q,f g# B ^A A B z-q,g# e	1	1
C qad,e z-q,e g# ^A A e z-q,g# f e	1	1
C qad,z-q,qad,B z-q,g# ^A A e tar,c B rev,qad,C qad,B z-q,C B e z-q,g# e	1	1
c B rev,C qad,z-q,g# B e ^A A C B z-q,rev,C e qad,B z-q,e qad,B z-q,g# f e	1	1
e B e rev,C qad,z-q,g# B e ^A A qad,B z-q,B z-q,g# e	1	1
e B rev,C B z-q,qad,qad,e z-q,g# ^A A f g# e	1	1
e B rev,C qad,B e z-q,e f d g# ^A A B rev,d f g# e	1	1
e B rev,e qad,z-q,g# ^A A c d g# e	1	1
e B rev,qad,qad,B z-q,d f g# ^A A f g# e	1	1
e B rev,qad,qad,e z-q,g# ^A A f g# f e	1	1
e B z-q,f g# B ^A A C qad,e z-q,f g# e	1	1
e B z-q,f g# ^A A C e qad,e B z-q,qad,qad,z-q,f g# e	1	1
e B z-q,g# ^A A C B z-q,f g# f e	1	1
e B z-q,g# ^A A tar,B rev,C qad,z-q,e f g# f e	1	1
e B z-q,qad,z-q,f g# ^A A f g# e	1	1
e C qad,B z-q,f g# e ^A A f d g# f e	1	1
e C qad,z-q,g# B e ^A A e C qad,z-q,C qad,qad,z-q,g# e	1	1
e C qad,z-q,qad,B e z-q,g# B ^A A qad,z-q,f g# e	1	1
e C qad,z-q,rev,C qad,B z-q,f g# ^A A f g# e	1	1
e e g# ^A A B z-q,e f g# e	1	1
e e qad,B z-q,f g# B ^A A e qad,B z-q,f g# f e	1	1
e e qad,e z-q,g# ^A A B z-q,e g# e	1	1
e f e g# ^A A B z-q,g# e	1	1
e f g# B ^A A C e qad,B z-q,z-g,g# f e	1	1
e f g# ^A A B rev,e qad,B z-q,B z-q,g# f e	1	1
e f g# ^A A e qad,z-q,g# e	1	1
e g# B ^A A C qad,qad,z-q,d f g# e	1	1
e g# B e ^A A e g# f e	1	1
e qad,B z-q,B rev,C B z-q,g# B ^A A g# e	1	1
e qad,B z-q,g# B ^A A qad,B z-q,e f g# e	1	1
e qad,B z-q,g# B e ^A A qad,ger-rev,e qad,B z-q,g# f e	1	1
e qad,ger,B rev,qad,C qad,qad,B z-q,g# ^A A qad,f d g# e	1	1
e qad,ger-rev,qad,qad,B z-q,C B z-q,g# ^A A f d f g# f e	1	1
e qad,ger-rev,qad,qad,B z-q,z-g,g# B ^A A e f g# f e	1	1
e qad,qad,B e z-q,z-g,f g# e ^A A e qad,B z-q,f g# e	1	1
e qad,qad,B z-q,g# ^A A rev,C B z-q,g# e	1	1
e qad,qad,B z-q,g# e ^A A B rev,d f g# e	1	1
e qad,z-q,B z-q,g# e ^A A qad,ger-rev,qad,C qad,B B z-q,g# e	1	1
e qad,z-q,e z-q,g# B ^A A C qad,e z-q,g# f e e	1	1
e qad,z-q,g# ^A A qad,qad,z-q,B e z-q,g# f e	1	1
e qar,qad,ger,c B rev,qad,B z-q,f g# B ^A A rev,C qad,z-q,g# f e	1	1
e rev,B C qad,B z-q,g# B ^A A C qad,qad,z-q,f e g# e	1	1
e rev,B C qad,z-q,d f g# B ^A A f g# e	1	1
e rev,C qad,B z-q,B C qad,z-q,f g# B ^A A e c d f g# f e	1	1
e rev,c d f g# ^A A tal,qad,ger,e B rev,e qad,B z-q,qad,z-q,f g# e	1	1
e tar,B e rev,qad,B z-q,f g# B ^A A f g# e	1	1
e tar,B rev,qad,qad,B z-q,g# B ^A A e qad,e B z-q,g# f e	1	1
e tar,B rev,zar,B B seg,rev,qad,z-q,g# B e ^A A B rev,qad,qad,z-q,f g# e	1	1
e tar,C qad,B z-q,qad,e z-q,g# ^A A C qad,e z-q,g# e	1	1
e z-g,f e g# f e	1	1
f g# B ^A A C e qad,z-q,B z-q,g# e	1	1
rev,d f g# B ^A A f d f g# e	1	1
tal,f qad,B z-q,g# B ^A A rev,qad,B z-q,C qad,z-q,B z-q,f g# e	1	1

Joel chapter 1

What sort of prophet is Joel, I wonder... I have read him before, but I don't remember. In this first chapter he describes devastation. I note the perplexity of the animals. As if they are asking, what have you humans done?

The music has some interesting patterns, some very short beginnings and very short endings. You can see these from the carriage returns in the text and from the syllable counts before and after the atnach in column 4. (Music is in the usual place) The opening statement of the prophet is very meet for our time, especially if we consider the lands where human violence is so evident.

Joel 1		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
דְּבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֔ה אֶל־יוֹאֵ֖ל בֶּן־פְּתוּאֵֽל	1		The word of Yahweh which happened to Joel, child of Petuel.	3e	4B	15
שִׁמְעוּ־זֹאת֙ הַזְּקֵנִ֔ים וְהַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ כֹּ֖ל יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ הֶהָ֤יְתָה זֹּאת֙ בִּֽימֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֖ם בִּימֵ֥י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם	2		Hear this, elders, and give ear, all inhabitants of the land: This happened in your days and also in the days of your ancestors.	3e	4C	17 15
עָלֶ֖יהָ לִבְנֵיכֶ֣ם סַפֵּ֑רוּ וּבְנֵיכֶם֙ לִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם לְד֥וֹר אַחֵֽר	3		About it, to your children recount, and your children to their children and their children to a generation following.	3e	4B	9 13
יֶ֤תֶר הַגָּזָם֙ אָכַ֣ל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה וְיֶ֥תֶר הָאַרְבֶּ֖ה אָכַ֣ל הַיָּ֑לֶק וְיֶ֣תֶר הַיֶּ֔לֶק אָכַ֖ל הֶחָסִֽיל	4	C	What remained from the nymph the locust ate, and what remained from the locust, the pygmy ate, and what remained from the pygmy, the caterpillar ate.	3e	4C	21 11
הָקִ֤יצוּ שִׁכּוֹרִים֙ וּבְכ֔וּ וְהֵילִ֖לוּ כָּל־שֹׁ֣תֵי יָ֑יִן עַל־עָסִ֕יס כִּ֥י נִכְרַ֖ת מִפִּיכֶֽם	5		Awake, boozers, and weep and howl, all imbibers of wine, over the pressing, because it is cut off from your mouth.	3e	4C	17 9
כִּֽי־גוֹי֙ עָלָ֣ה עַל־אַרְצִ֔י עָצ֖וּם וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר שִׁנָּיו֙ שִׁנֵּ֣י אַרְיֵ֔ה וּֽמְתַלְּע֥וֹת לָבִ֖יא לֽוֹ	6		For a nation ascends over my land, numerous and there is no one to count. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion and its fangs of a great cat.	3e	4B	13 12
שָׂ֤ם גַּפְנִי֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה וּתְאֵנָתִ֖י לִקְצָפָ֑ה חָשֹׂ֤ף חֲשָׂפָהּ֙ וְהִשְׁלִ֔יךְ הִלְבִּ֖ינוּ שָׂרִיגֶֽיהָ	7	C	It has rendered my vine desolate and raged my fig tree. It has stripped it to strip and cast away, bleaching what is intertwined.	3e	4C	13 15
אֱלִ֕י כִּבְתוּלָ֥ה חֲגֻֽרַת־שַׂ֖ק עַל־בַּ֥עַל נְעוּרֶֽיהָ	8		Sob like a virgin attired with sackcloth over the owner of her youth.	3e	3g	16
הָכְרַ֥ת מִנְחָ֛ה וָנֶ֖סֶךְ מִבֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אָֽבְלוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י יְהוָֽה	9		Cut off is gift and libation from the house of Yahweh. Lamenting are the priests, the ministers of Yahweh.	3d	4B	11 11
שֻׁדַּ֣ד שָׂדֶ֔ה אָבְלָ֖ה אֲדָמָ֑ה כִּ֚י שֻׁדַּ֣ד דָּגָ֔ן הוֹבִ֥ישׁ תִּיר֖וֹשׁ אֻמְלַ֥ל יִצְהָֽר	10		Devastated is field, faded is the ground, for devastated is the grain, dried up the new wine, feeble the clarified oil.	3e	4C	9 13
הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ אִכָּרִ֗ים הֵילִ֙ילוּ֙ כֹּֽרְמִ֔ים עַל־חִטָּ֖ה וְעַל־שְׂעֹרָ֑ה כִּ֥י אָבַ֖ד קְצִ֥יר שָׂדֶֽה	11		Dry up, farmers. Howl, vineyards over wheat and over barley, for perished is the harvest of the field.	3e	4B	19 7
הַגֶּ֣פֶן הוֹבִ֔ישָׁה וְהַתְּאֵנָ֖ה אֻמְלָ֑לָה רִמּ֞וֹן גַּם־תָּמָ֣ר וְתַפּ֗וּחַ כָּל־עֲצֵ֤י הַשָּׂדֶה֙ יָבֵ֔שׁוּ כִּֽי־הֹבִ֥ישׁ שָׂשׂ֖וֹן מִן־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם ס	12		The vine is dried up and the fig tree is enfeebled. The pomegranate, even the palm tree, and the quince, all the trees of the field dried up, because dried up is the joy from the children of humanity.	3e	4C	13 28
חִגְר֨וּ וְסִפְד֜וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים הֵילִ֙ילוּ֙ מְשָׁרְתֵ֣י מִזְבֵּ֔חַ בֹּ֚אוּ לִ֣ינוּ בַשַּׂקִּ֔ים מְשָׁרְתֵ֖י אֱלֹהָ֑י כִּ֥י נִמְנַ֛ע מִבֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מִנְחָ֥ה וָנָֽסֶךְ	13		Wear and wail. Let the priests howl, the ministers of the altar. Come, stop over, in sackcloth, ministers of my God, because withheld from the house of your God is gift and libation.	3d	4C	30 14
קַדְּשׁוּ־צוֹם֙ קִרְא֣וּ עֲצָרָ֔ה אִסְפ֣וּ זְקֵנִ֗ים כֹּ֚ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם וְזַעֲק֖וּ אֶל־יְהוָֽה	14		Sanctify a fast. Call a conclave. Gather the elders, all inhabitants of the land, the house of Yahweh your God, and appeal to Yahweh.	3e	4C	26 7
אֲהָ֖הּ לַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם יְהוָ֔ה וּכְשֹׁ֖ד מִשַׁדַּ֥י יָבֽוֹא	15		Aye yai yai of the day, because near is the day of Yahweh and as a devastation from the Sufficient who comes.	3e	4C	4 13
הֲל֛וֹא נֶ֥גֶד עֵינֵ֖ינוּ אֹ֣כֶל נִכְרָ֑ת מִבֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֥ה וָגִֽיל	16	d	Is not food cut off in front of our eyes, from the house of our God, gladness and rejoicing?	3d	4B	11 10
עָבְשׁ֣וּ פְרֻד֗וֹת תַּ֚חַת מֶגְרְפֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ אֹֽצָר֔וֹת נֶהֶרְס֖וּ מַמְּגֻר֑וֹת כִּ֥י הֹבִ֖ישׁ דָּגָֽן	17		Rancid is the kernel under their clumps of earth, desolate are the treasuries, overthrown are the granaries, because the grain is dried up.	3e	4C	24 5
מַה־נֶּאֶנְחָ֣ה בְהֵמָ֗ה נָבֹ֙כוּ֙ עֶדְרֵ֣י בָקָ֔ר כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין מִרְעֶ֖ה לָהֶ֑ם גַּם־עֶדְרֵ֥י הַצֹּ֖אן נֶאְשָֽׁמוּ	18		How the beast sighs. Perplexed are the troops of oxen because there is no pasture for them. Even the troops of the flock bear the guilt.	3d	4B	20 8
אֵלֶ֥יךָ יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א כִּ֣י אֵ֗שׁ אָֽכְלָה֙ נְא֣וֹת מִדְבָּ֔ר וְלֶ֣הָבָ֔ה לִהֲטָ֖ה כָּל־עֲצֵ֥י הַשָּׂדֶֽה	19		To you Yahweh I call, because fire devoured the haunts of the wilderness and the flame blazed all the trees of the field.	3e	4B	7 21
גַּם־בַּהֲמ֥וֹת שָׂדֶ֖ה תַּעֲר֣וֹג אֵלֶ֑יךָ כִּ֤י יָֽבְשׁוּ֙ אֲפִ֣יקֵי מָ֔יִם וְאֵ֕שׁ אָכְלָ֖ה נְא֥וֹת הַמִּדְבָּֽר פ	20		Even the beasts of the field yearn for you, because dried up are the channels of water and fire has devoured the haunts of the wilderness.	3e	4C	12 18

Here is the recurrence pattern for words recurring more than twice. There is an emphasis on dried up (which some amend to shamed. The two are very close in sound so who needs to amend such an image?)

It is not difficult to see the locusts as metaphor for human causes of such devastation. How about greed, fear, self-protection, and violence?

Word / Gloss	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	Vs	Stem
בּןּ child of	░											1	בּןּ
כּל all		░										2	כּל
הארץ the land			░									2	ארץ
בּימּיכּםּ in your days				░								2	יוםּ
בּימּי in the days of				░								2	יוםּ
לבּנּיכּםּ to your children	░											3	בּןּ
ובּנּיכּםּ and your children	░											3	בּןּ
לבּנּיהםּ to their children	░											3	בּןּ
ובּנּיהםּ and their children	░											3	בּןּ
יתּר what remained from					░							4	יתּר
אכּל ate						░						4	אכּל
ויתּר and what remained from					░							4	יתּר
אכּל ate						░						4	אכּל
ויתּר and what remained from					░							4	יתּר
אכּל ate						░						4	אכּל
והיללו and howl							░					5	ילל
כּל all		░										5	כּל
ארצי my land			░									6	ארץ
מּבּיתּ from the house of								░				9	בּיתּ
שׂדּה is field									░			10	שׂדּה
הובּישׁ dried up										░		10	יבּשׁ
הבּישׁו dry up										░		11	יבּשׁ
הילילו howl							░					11	ילל
שׂדּה the field									░			11	שׂדּה
הובּישׁה is dried up										░		12	יבּשׁ
גּםּ even											░	12	גּםּ
כּל all		░										12	כּל
השׂדּה the field									░			12	שׂדּה
יבּשׁו dried up										░		12	יבּשׁ
הבּישׁ dried up										░		12	יבּשׁ
בּנּי the children of	░											12	בּןּ
הילילו let howl							░					13	ילל
מּבּיתּ from the house of								░				13	בּיתּ
כּל all		░										14	כּל
הארץ the land			░									14	ארץ
בּיתּ the house of								░				14	בּיתּ
ליוםּ of the day				░								15	יוםּ
יוםּ the day of				░								15	יוםּ
אכּל food						░						16	אכּל
מּבּיתּ from the house of								░				16	בּיתּ
הבּישׁ is dried up										░		17	יבּשׁ
גּםּ even											░	18	גּםּ
אכּלה devoured						░						19	אכּל
כּל all		░										19	כּל
השׂדּה the field									░			19	שׂדּה
גּםּ even											░	20	גּםּ
שׂדּה the field									░			20	שׂדּה
יבּשׁו dried up are										░		20	יבּשׁ
אכּלה devoured						░						20	אכּל