Joe 2:13-14 | NET2full | STEP | Tear your hearts , not just your garments .” Return to the Lord your God , for he is merciful and compassionate , slow to anger and boundless in loyal love —often relenting from calamitous punishment .

‏ Joel 2:13-14

13 Tear your hearts, ^{▼▼sn The figurative language calls for genuine repentance and not merely external ritual that goes through the motions.}
not just your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and boundless in loyal love ^{▼▼tn Heb “and great of loyal love.”} —often relenting from calamitous punishment. ^{▼▼tn Heb “and he relents from calamity.”}
14 Who knows?
Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, ^{▼▼tn Heb “turn” or “turn back.”}
and leave blessing in his wake ^{▼▼tn Heb “leave a blessing behind him.”} —
a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God! ^{▼▼tn The phrase “for you to offer” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.}