Joel 2:16
“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Everyone is called to the assembly, from elders to nursing infants, even newlyweds leaving their wedding chamber.
What Does Joel 2:16 Mean?
The summons leaves no one out. Joel calls for the whole people, the elders, the children, even nursing infants, to be gathered. Most striking, the bridegroom and bride are to leave the wedding chamber, the one place where custom granted them seclusion and joy. When God calls, even the most personal celebration yields to the greater urgency of seeking Him together.
This sweeping inclusion teaches that turning to God is the business of the entire community, not a select few. Infants who cannot understand and newlyweds in their happiest days are all drawn in, because the crisis touches everyone and the mercy is offered to everyone. There is a holy seriousness here: nothing, not even legitimate joy, ranks above the call to humble oneself before the Lord. Yet the goal is not to crush gladness but to secure it, for repentance now is the path back to lasting joy in God's restored favor.