Who was Joel in the bible?

Joel is a biblical name that, according to a Hebrew lexicon gloss, belonged to multiple Israelites, and it also names “the prophet Joel” cited in the New Testament. The name is explained (in the same lexicon material) as meaning “Jehovah (is his) God,” formed from components referring to Yehovah and ’el (“mighty/strength”).

Joel in Scripture

In the genealogies and lists of 1 Chronicles, “Joel” appears for more than one person, sometimes as an ancestor, sometimes as a contemporary leader, and sometimes within Levitical service settings.

1 Chronicles 4:35 (WEB): “Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,”

One Joel is placed in a chain of names in a genealogy list in 1 Chronicles 4.

A different Joel appears in the genealogical material of Reuben. 1 Chronicles 5 presents a larger narrative about Reuben and related tribes, within which Joel is named as a forebear whose descendants are listed.

1 Chronicles 5:4 (WEB): “The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,”

As the chapter continues, the same Joel is mentioned again in a line of descent connected with settlement boundaries.

1 Chronicles 5:8 (WEB): “and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon;”

Within the same chapter, another Joel is presented as a chief among the Gadites living in Bashan.

1 Chronicles 5:12 (WEB): “Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.”

The broader flow of 1 Chronicles 5 recounts that the sons of Reuben are listed; it notes that they and related groups fought the Hagrites (“In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites,” 1 Chronicles 5:10), and that in battle “they cried to God in the battle, and he answered them, because they put their trust in him” (1 Chronicles 5:20). The narrative then describes the scale of spoil (“They took away their livestock,” 1 Chronicles 5:21) and interprets the outcome: “For many fell slain, because the war was of God” (1 Chronicles 5:22). It also reports later unfaithfulness—“They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land” (1 Chronicles 5:25)—followed by exile: “So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh” (1 Chronicles 5:26). These events form the narrative setting in which the Reubenite Joel’s descendants and the Gadite chief Joel are mentioned.

Elsewhere in 1 Chronicles, Joel occurs in additional family lines and official lists. One Joel is an ancestor in a line that includes Samuel and Heman.

1 Chronicles 6:33 (WEB): “These are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,”

Another Joel appears in a separate chain of descent.

1 Chronicles 6:36 (WEB): “the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,”

Joel also appears among chiefs in a tribal listing of Issachar.

1 Chronicles 7:3 (WEB): “The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, five; all of them chief men.”

In a list of warriors, a Joel is identified by a close family tie.

1 Chronicles 11:38 (WEB): “Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,”

In connection with Levitical organization, one Joel is “the chief” among the sons of Gershom.

1 Chronicles 15:7 (WEB): “of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;”

When David calls for priests and Levites, Joel is named among the Levites summoned.

1 Chronicles 15:11 (WEB): “David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,”

In the same chapter, a Joel is identified as the father of Heman, who is appointed by the Levites.

1 Chronicles 15:17 (WEB): “So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;”

Finally, in a listing of the sons of Ladan, Joel appears as one of three.

1 Chronicles 23:8 (WEB): “The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three.”

In the New Testament, Joel is mentioned as a prophet whose words are invoked by Peter during a public address in Jerusalem. The scene includes mockers and Peter’s response, and it leads into a long quotation attributed to Joel.

Acts 2:13-14 (WEB): “Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.”

Acts 2:16-17 (WEB): “But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.’”

Peter continues the citation to describe God’s Spirit poured out on servants, cosmic “wonders,” and the promise: “It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

Multiple Bearers

The Hebrew name “Joel” is used of multiple people in 1 Chronicles, including (among others) an ancestor with “sons” listed in Reuben’s genealogy (1 Chronicles 5:4), a “chief” in Bashan (1 Chronicles 5:12), a figure in Kohathite service lines (1 Chronicles 6:33), a “chief” among Gershomites (1 Chronicles 15:7), and a man called “the brother of Nathan” (1 Chronicles 11:38). Separately, Acts refers to “the prophet Joel” as the source of the prophetic words Peter quotes (Acts 2:16).

Name and Meaning

In Hebrew, the name is written יוֹאֵל (transliteration: Yow’el; pronunciation: yo-ale’). A Greek form appears as Ἰωήλ (transliteration: Ioel; pronunciation: ee-o-ale’), identified as being of Hebrew origin. The name’s derivation is explained as coming from components associated with Yehovah (described in lexicon material as the self-Existent or Eternal) and ’el (described as “strength,” and as an adjective “mighty”), yielding the sense “Jehovah (is his) God.”

Observation

Across these passages, “Joel” functions both as a recurring personal name in Israel’s genealogies and leadership lists (notably “Joel the chief,” 1 Chronicles 5:12) and as the named prophet whose message is presented as being fulfilled in Peter’s proclamation (Acts 2:16-17).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Joel mean?

Joel means “Jehovah (is his) God.”

How many times does Joel appear in the Bible?

Joel appears 19 times in the Bible across the Hebrew and Greek forms listed.

Who was Joel?

Joel is the name of twelve Israelites, and it is also the name of the prophet Joel referenced in Acts 2:16.

Was there more than one person named Joel?

Yes. The name Joel is used for multiple people, including twelve Israelites and the prophet Joel (Acts 2:16).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Joel interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).