1.
The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
TITLE. The word of the LORD. Therefore not Joel's. This is the Divine key to the book Joel's pen, but not Joel's words, Compare Acts 1:16 for a similar fact concerning David.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
Joel = Jehovah [is] GOD.
the son of Pethuel. This does not imply that Pethuel was a prophet. It merely distinguishes this Joel from others of the same name.
2.
Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Hear. Note this indication of the formula of Joel's prophetic utterances. See App-82 .
ye. Hebrew has no proper vocative. The simple Noun with the Article takes its place.
old men. Not official elders, but those whose memory goes back farthest.
Hath . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis ( App-38 ), for emphasis. Compare Joel 2:2 .
3.
Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Tell ye your children. Ref to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:9 ; Deuteronomy 6:6 , Deuteronomy 6:7 ; Deuteronomy 11:19 ). App-92 . Compare Psalms 78:3-8 .
children = sons. Note the Figure of speech Climax ( App-6 ).
4.
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
That which, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:38 ). Compare Joel 2:25 . The English of this verse is beautifully idiomatic, but twelve Hebrew words condense the whole. See below.
palmerworm. This is named first of four different stages of the locust. English = hairy caterpiller Hebrew gazam, or the gnawer. The pupa stage.
locust. Hebrew. 'arbeh = the swarmer. The imago stage.
cankerworm . Hebrew. yelek = the devourer.
caterpillar. Hebrew hasil = the consumer. The larva stage. Compare Joel 2:25 , and Nahum 3:15 , Nahum 3:16 .
These four words show the completeness of the destroying agencies. The Heb, reads "Gnawer's remnant, Swarmer eats: Swarmer's remnant, Devourer eats Devourer's remnant, Consumer eats. "
5.
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27 . L
new wine. Hebrew. asis , App-27 .
6.
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
a nation. See Joel 2:20 ; and compare Daniel 11 . Put for the great destroying powers which are symbolized in Joel 1:4
by the locusts. Compare Joel 2:2 , Joel 2:11 , Joel 2:25 .Revelation 9 .
My land . So called because Jehovah is about to put in His claim. The end-time is here referred to, when He will do this:
"the day of the Lord". See Joel 1:15 , and Joel 2:1 , &c.
7.
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
He. The nation of Joel 1:6 .
My vine . . . My fig tree . Note this "My", for Jehovah is about to recover His People Israel, as the issue of "the day of the Loan". Compare Psalms 80:8 , Psalms 80:14 .Isaiah 5:1-6 ; Isaiah 27:2 .Hosea 10:1 . Also for the fig-tree compare Hosea 9:10 . Matthew 21:19 . Luke 13:6 , Luke 13:7 .
barked = reduced to splinters or chips. Hebrew &c kezaphah . Occurs only here. The root is connected with foam, compare Hosea 10:7 .
8.
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
Lament. Feminine. agreeing with "land", Joel 1:6 .
9.
The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.
meat offering = the meal or gift offering. Hebrew. minchah. See App-43 . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 2 ). App-92 . Compare Joel 2:14 .
drink offering . Ref to Pentateuch (Exodus 29:40 . Leviticus 23:13 .Numbers 15:3-10; Numbers 15:3-10 ) and App-92 . See App-43 .
ministers. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 3:6 , &c.) App-92 .
field . . . wasted. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ). Hebrew. shuddad. . . sadeh
land = soil. Hebrew 'adamah Not the same word as in verses: Joel 2:6 , Joel 2:14 , &c., in this book; but the same as in Joel 2:21 . Verses 10-12 show why the offerings cannot be brought.
new wine. Hebrew tirosh. App-27 . Same word as in Joel 2:19 , Joel 2:24 . Not the some as in Joel 1:5 and Joe 8:18 .
10.
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
11.
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
12.
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
men. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
13.
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
ministers of the altar. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 30:20 ). App-92 .
lie all night , &c. The symbol of mourning; p. 2 Samuel 12:16 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
14.
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
a solemn assembly = a day of restraint. Hebrew. 'azarah. Occurs only here, in Joel 2:15 ; 2 Kings 10:20 ; and Isaiah 1:13 . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 23:36 . Numbers 29:35 .Deuteronomy 16:8; Deuteronomy 16:8 ) where the feminine form 'azereth is used ( App-92 ). It is found also in 2 Chronicles 7:9 , Nehemiah 8:18 .
gather the elders. There being no mention of a king in this book is held by some as pointing to the time of Athaliah's usurpation. But see notes on p. 1224, and App-77 .
15.
Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
the day of the LORD. See note on Isaiah 2:12 . This is the great subject of Joel's prophecy, already the. "at hand".
destruction from the ALMIGHTY . Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ). Hebrew. ke shod mishshaddai = mighty destruction from the Almighty. Compare Isaiah 13:6 .
the ALMIGHTY = the All-bountiful. Hebrew. Shaddai. App-4 . In this connection it is similar to "the wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation 6:16 , Revelation 6:17 ) in its violent contrast.
16.
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Is not . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
joy and gladness. Ref to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 12:6 , Deuteronomy 12:7 ; Deuteronomy 16:11 , Deuteronomy 16:14 , Deuteronomy 16:15 ).
17.
The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
The seed, &c. Note the Figure of speech Anabasis ( App-6 ) in this verse.
18.
How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
the beasts, Compare nos. Joe 4:3
19.
O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
to Thee will I cry. Compare Psalms 50:15 .
the fire . Compare Joel 2:3 .
wilderness = common land.
20.
The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
rivers = waters of the Aphikim. See note on "channels", 2 Samuel 22:16 .