God’s promise has been given in verses 19-20 as a response to the prayers of the people. Now there is an exhortation to rejoice, addressed first to the land (verse 21), then to the animals (verse 22), and finally to the people (verse 23).

Fear not, O land is a personification, that is, a figure of speech that speaks about the agricultural land as if it were a person. For the vocative expression O land, New Revised Standard Version has “O soil.” Older English style marked the vocative of direct address with an O. Good News Translation uses modern style by dropping the O and beginning the line with “Fields.” French style is reflected in Bible en français courant, which renders this line as “You, the ground, do not fear too much!”

Be glad and rejoice renders a pair of Hebrew synonyms. Good News Translation has retained this repetition as acceptable English style, saying “but be joyful and glad.” They may be rendered as a single verb in some languages, possibly with a modifying adverb, for example, “but be very joyful.”

For the LORD has done great things uses the same terms as those in the last line of verse 20, but this time the marvelous deeds of Yahweh are in view in contrast with those of the locusts. The Hebrew particle rendered for may be a logical connector or an emphatic marker here.

Quoted with permission from de Blois, Kees & Dorn, Louis. A Handbook on Joel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .