Editing Book of Joel (section)

== Date ==
As there are no explicit references in the book to datable persons or events, scholars have assigned a wide range of dates to the book. The main positions are:
* Ninth century BC, particularly in the reign of [[Jehoash of Judah|Joash]] – a position especially popular among nineteenth-century scholars (making Joel one of the earliest [[Literary prophets|writing prophets]]). The enemies mentioned – Philistines, Phoenicians, Egypt and Edom – are consistent with this date.<ref name="ZIBD"/> The lack of mention of the Assyrians or Babylonians, who were the main enemies of Judah during the eighth, seventh and sixth centuries, leads many conservative scholars to suggest the choice is between this date, and a fourth century date.<ref name="ZIBD">''Joel'', [[Zondervan]] Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Revising Editor [[Moises Silva]], 2011</ref> 
* Early eighth century BC, during the reign of [[Uzziah]] (contemporary with [[Hosea]], [[Amos (prophet)|Amos]], and [[Jonah]])<ref>{{cite book|last1=Patterson|first1=Richard D.|title=The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 7|publisher=Zondervan}}</ref>
* c. 630–587 BC, in the last decades of the kingdom of Judah (contemporary with [[Jeremiah]], [[Ezekiel]], [[Habakkuk]])
* c. 520–500 BC, contemporary with the return of the exiles and the careers of [[Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)|Zechariah]] and [[Haggai]].
* The decades around 400 BC, during the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] period (making him one of the latest writing prophets), or around 350 BC. This is supported by the apparent mention of the [[Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)|587 BC destruction of Jerusalem]] as a past event in 3:1 and 3:17, and the mention of [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Greeks]] in 3:6.<ref name="ZIBD"/>
* Some scholars argue that further additions to Joel took place during the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Ptolemaic]] period (c. 301-201 BCE) due to its use of earlier texts and what they perceive to be a "late" perspective on Yahweh and the nations.<ref>“Joel.” Hagedorn, Anselm C. The Oxford Handbook of the Minor Prophets. Edited by Julia M. O'Brien. pp. 411–423. “The book's engagement with earlier texts ( especially those relating to the ‘Day of Yahweh’) attests to its late origin, and its ending reflects late theological thinking about the relationship between Israel and the nations, portraying Yahweh as the ruler of the whole world…These theological debates point to a very late origin of Joel 2:28-3:21 [Heb. chaps. 3-4]. The universal judgment of the nations probably belongs to discourse of the late Persian period (Steck 1996), while the vision of Joel 2:28-32 [Heb. chap. 3] may best be understood during the relative peace of Ptolemaic times.”</ref>

Evidence produced for these positions includes allusions in the book to the wider world, similarities with other prophets, and linguistic details. Some commentators, such as [[John Calvin]], attach no great importance to the precise dating.