OET interlinear JOEL 3:19

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לִ⁠שְׁמָמָ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה

(miʦrayim li⁠shəmāmāh tihyeh)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of desolation, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [Egypt will become desolate]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מֵֽ⁠חֲמַס֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה

(mē⁠ḩₐmaş bənēy yəhūdāh)

Yahweh is using this possessive form to describe not violence that the sons of Judah committed but violence that was committed against them. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [for the violence that they committed against the sons of Judah]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שָׁפְכ֥וּ דָם־נָקִ֖יא

(shāfəkū dām-nāqiyʼ)

Yahweh is using the term blood to mean the lives of people, by association with the way people’s blood may be shed when they are killed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [killed innocent people]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

בְּ⁠אַרְצָֽ⁠ם

(bə⁠ʼarʦā⁠m)

The word their could refer to: (1) the sons of Judah, and would mean that the violence was done in Judah. Alternate translation: [in the land of Judah] or (2) Egypt and Edom, and would mean that the violence was done in those countries. Alternate translation: [in their lands]