Written possibly about 820 B.C.E., nine years after Uzziah became king and about a century after Jehovah’s great victory over Moab, Ammon, and the inhabitants of Seir in the days of Jehoshaphat

From his references to Judah, Jerusalem, and Jehovah’s house there, it may be inferred that he prophesied in Judah and perhaps resided in Jerusalem. (1:9, 14; 2:17, 32; 3:1, 2, 16-20)

Time of Writing. Scholars variously assign the book of Joel dates from before 800 B.C.E. to about 400 B.C.E. Regarding their arguments in favor of a late or an early composition for the book, The International Standard Bible Encyclopædia (edited by James Orr, 1960, Vol. III, p. 1690) observes: “Many of the arguments adduced are of a negative kind, i.e. consideration of what the prophet does not mention or refer to [including the Chaldeans, the Assyrians, a Judean king, and the ten-tribe kingdom], and the argument from silence is notoriously precarious.” Similarly, whether Joel quoted other prophets or was quoted by them cannot be established with certainty. A date after the Babylonian exile would be indicated if Joel (2:32) quoted Obadiah (17). On the other hand, not only Obadiah but even the much earlier prophet Amos (compare Joe 3:16 with Am 1:2) may have quoted from Joel. This would mean that Joel wrote his book no later than the time of Uzziah (Am 1:1), perhaps about 820 B.C.E. Though not conclusive, the place occupied by the book of Joel in the Hebrew canon between Hosea and Amos seems to favor the earlier period.