Joel is a slim three-chapter book, but it still has plenty to unpack.
To begin each prophetic book, we need a little background on the author, the date of the composition, his relation to the other prophets, and his intended audience. For many prophets, writing their bio is a straightforward process. Six of the twelve make it easy by including a historical superscription: Hosea, Amos, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah. Others name kings who reigned during their ministry, linking them to the chronology known from 1 or 2 Kings. Prophets sometimes describe significant datable events. Amos and Zechariah both referenced a significant earthquake which shows up in the archaeological record from the eighth century BCE. These particulars in the text help fix the prophets in time. Joel does not work that way. In fact, Joel scholars often spend their careers trying to nail down the historical setting for the book’s composition.
Joel as a historical person is unknown. His name (“Yahweh is God”) was common, but no other books allude to him specifically, and he gives us scant biographical information. One theory is that Joel was so well-known in his own time as a holy man of Jerusalem that he did not have a need to justify his prophetic status. Or since those in his small community were the direct recipients of his prophecy, he did not need to provide a written historical setting. What we do know is that he was a prophet to the Kingdom of Judah. His discourse revolves around Jerusalem and the Temple so he lived somewhere in its environs. In fact, Joel had a high view of the Temple and the sacrificial system, knowing a good deal about the priestly ritual requirements. Scholars therefore speculate that he held the office of both prophet and priest, like Ezekiel.
