When was Joel written?

The prophet Joel ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah in the second half of the ninth century BC. Although Joel wasn’t a priest, he emphasized the importance of worshiping God in a holy way (e.g., Joel 1:9; 2:13–16). His references to the temple in Jerusalem indicate that he ministered during a time when it was still central to Judah’s worship. This detail suggests that Joel ministered before foreign powers disrupted temple worship through invasion or exile. The best evidence suggests that Joel wrote the book between 835 and 800 BC.

Bible scholars consider Joel one of the most difficult books in the Bible to date. One reason is that Joel does not mention any kings of Israel or Judah. In contrast, the opening verses of other prophetic books often name reigning kings, which helps determine when those prophets ministered (e.g., Isaiah 1:1; Jeremiah 1:2–3; Ezekiel 1:3).

However, certain details within the book of Joel offer helpful clues about when it was written. First, Joel identifies himself as the book’s author in the opening verse: “The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel” (Joel 1:1). While the book provides no further personal details about Joel or his father, this reference helps date the content to the prophet’s lifetime.

Furthermore, Joel names several nations hostile to Israel in his time, including Tyre, Sidon, and the regions of Philistia (Joel 3:4). These nations were notably active and antagonistic toward Israel during the second half of the ninth century BC. This lends support to the view that the book may have been composed during that period.

Similarly, Joel refers to Egypt and Edom, which lay to the south of Israel. He writes, “But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood” (Joel 3:19). These nations were active regional powers during the ninth century. This supports the timeframe of Joel’s ministry and the composition of the book.

While the nations Joel names help determine when the book was written, so do the ones he does not mention. Certain empires later played major roles in the histories of Israel and Judah, and their absence in Joel suggests the book was written before they rose to regional dominance. For instance, prominent future enemies such as Assyria, Babylon, and Persia, central players in later prophetic books, are not mentioned in Joel.

Joel also shares parallels with the prophets Hosea and Amos that help date the book. These similarities are significant because they suggest an overlap in the timing of their ministries. For example, Joel 3:16 and Amos 1:2 both say, “The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem.” Similarly, Joel 3:18 and Amos 9:13 include the imagery of “new wine dripping from the mountains.” These shared expressions support the notion that Joel wrote around the same time as Hosea and Amos and lend further weight to a ninth century BC date of writing.

Although little is known about Joel personally, his book makes it clear that he was devoted to God and cared deeply that people worship Him in a holy manner. His plea to his fellow Israelites, delivered during a time of national crisis, reflected both his heart and God’s: “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13).