Joel 1:8

Lament like a virgin,.... This is not the continuation of the prophet's speech to the drunkards; but, as Aben Ezra observes, he either speaks to himself, or to the land the Targum supplies it, O

Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth. Lament - O "my land" (Joe 1:6 ; Isaiah 24:4). Like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband.

The vicious and wicked among the Jews were alarmed and threatened in the former part of the chapter; now the prophet bespeaks the good and godly among them to prepare for mournful times. Lament: this is minatory, and threatens calamitous times shall come, as well as directive, what to do when they are come; when God calls for weeping we must not rejoice. Like a virgin: this tells us to whom the prophet directs this part of his sermon, it is to those who amidst the Jews were like chaste and modest virgins, whose heart was fixed on one, her own, her chosen beloved husband. Girded with sackcloth: in deep mournings the people of those countries did use sackcloth in their mourning habit, and wore it girded close to their skin. For the husband of her youth; either married to her in youth, or espoused to her, but snatched away from her by an untimely death, which she doth most bitterly lament.

Joe 1:8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.Ver. 8. Lament like a virgin] Our prophet hath done with his drunkards; and now applieth himself to the soberer sort, whom also he calleth to deep and downright mourning, in this case of common calamity; there being not any so innocent and holy, but had some hand, if not upon the greater cart ropes, yet surely upon the smaller cords, that drew down dearth and judgment upon the land. Lament therefore like a virgin] Betrothed, but bereft of her espoused husband before she was married to him: so Placater. Others understand it of her that (lately a virgin, but now newly married) passionately loved her husband and bitterly bewaileth his death; which some young women have taken so grievously, that they have refused to live any longer; but have chosen to put an end to their life and grief together, as historians testify. Girded with sackcloth] Sacco non serico, with mourning weeds as a testimony of help to your humiliation. The dead we see may be lawfully lamented; indeed, it is one of the dues of the dead, τανομιζομενα, iusta defunctorum. It is fit that the body, when sown in corruption, should be watered by the tears of those that plant it in the earth. Only we must not mourn in this case as heathens, without hope, 1 Thessalonians 4:13. Our grief must not be excessive, either for measure or continuance; neither must we mourn so much for our friends departed as for our sins against God. In the former case baldness is forbidden; in the latter it is required, Isaiah 22:12 Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 11:13. One poor woman weeping over Christ shall be as deeply affected as all the people were in that unspeakable loss of their good king Josiah, at Hadadrimmon, in the valley of Megiddo, where Jeremiah lamented, and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentation, and made them an ordinance, 2 Chronicles 35:24-25.

(8) For the husband of her youth.—The land is addressed as a virgin betrothed, but not yet married, and forfeiting her marriage by unworthy conduct. Such was the relation of Israel to the Lord: He was faithful, but Israel unfaithful. Now let her mourn the penalty.

Verse 8. Lament like a virgin - for the husband of her youth.] Virgin is a very improper version here. The original is בתולה bethulah, which signifies a young woman or bride not a virgin, the proper Hebrew for which is עלמה almah. See Clarke on Isaiah 7:14, and "Matthew 1:23".

5–12. All classes are to unite in lamenting this calamity, which has not only (1) deprived them of some of their most valued luxuries, Joe 1:5-7, but also (2) interrupted the public worship of God, Joe 1:8-10, and (3) even left them destitute of the means of subsistence, Joe 1:11-12. Awake, ye drunkards] viz. from the sleep of intoxication (Genesis 9:24; Proverbs 23:35), which the ruin of the vintage will soon render impossible. howl] in wild and desperate grief: so Joe 1:11; Joe 1:13. Comp. on Amos 8:3. because of the sweet wine] Heb. ‘âsîs: see on Amos 9:13. from your mouth] where it is a source to you of gratification.

Lament like a virgin - The prophet addresses the congregation of Israel, as one espoused to God ; “‘Lament thou,’ daughter of Zion,” or the like.

8. Lament — Hebrews ‘alah; only here, but the meaning is clear from the Aramaic and Syriac.