Little is known about Joel or his father Pethuel (see Joel 1:1); but apparently they were of Israelite stock living in the province of Judah, and more specifically in its capital, Jerusalem. Joel was familiar with the sacred city and its people. He refers to Zion, and to the temple and the priests who served there (see verse 9).
Joel does not date his book, which consists of but three brief chapters, but the majority opinion seems to favor a date of about 400 B.C. The historical background of his message is far from being definite, as one might expect from the differing opinions held by scholars concerning its date.
The chief circumstance from which Joel derives his vivid illustrations is a plague of locusts, of extraordinary intensity, which had apparently occurred in the vicinity of Jerusalem before Joel commenced his book.
