Joel 1

Joel 1:2

YE old men] Signifying the Princes, the Priests, and the Governours. Or, such who by reason of old age have seene and heard many things.

hath this been in your dayes] He calleth the Jews to the consideration of Gods judgements, who had now destroyed the fruits of the ground for the space of foure years, which was for their sinnes, and to call them to repentance.

Joel 1:4

That which the palmer-worm hath left] Heb. the residue of the palmer-worm.

hath the locust eaten] A description of a most great spoile made by these vermine, which joyned with an extreme drought, had caused a most cruel dearth.

Joel 1:5

ye drnkards] Meaning, that the occasion of their excesse and drunkennesse was taken away.

Joel 1:6

a nation] Joel tels of swarms of Locusts, and Caterpillers like horses, and with lions teeth, spoken of in vers. 4. by a terme improperly attributed to those insects. See Prov. 30. 25, 26.

Joel 1:7

barked my fig-tree] Heb. laid my fig-tree for barking.

cast it away] Having thus made them unprofitable, men care not now for dressing them, or to look for any fruit from them.

Joel 1:8

Lament] O thou Jerusalem or Judah, mourn grievously.

like a virgin] Espoused, and not yet had hoe: or presently after her espousals.

for the husband of her youth] Mourn grievously, as a woman which hath lost her husband, to whom she hath been married in her youth: Or her young husband, as elsewhere it is said, a wife of youth, for a young wife. See Proverbs 5:18. Isaiah 54:6. Malachi 2:15. Others say, by husband is meant one that hath espoused a maid, and died before he came in unto her; or soon after the wedding; because here is speech of the virgins mourning.

Joel 1:9

meat-offering] The extreme dearth hinders them from furnishing their sacred offerings with bread, wine, and oyle, &c. See Exodus 29:40. Leviticus 3:1.

mourn] Partly because Gods service is interrupted: partly also because they want their ordinarie food, which they go from the offerings and sacrifices.

Joel 1:10

new wine] All comfort and substance for nourishment is taken away.

dried up] Or, ashamed.

Joel 1:11

O ye husbandmen] Or the husbandmen are confounded, and the vine-dressers howle.

Joel 1:12

oy is withered away.] He hath relation to the feasts and merriments which were in harvest time, and in time of vintage, Psalms 4:7. Isaiah 16:10. Jeremiah 48:33.

Joel 1:13

Gird your selves] He sheweth that the onely means to avoyd Gods wrath, and to have all things restored, is unfained repentance.

Joel 1:14

Sanctifie ye a fast] Chap. 2. 15. Appoint a time for this holy exercise, and prepare your selves unto it by all acts of piety and devotion.

call a solmn assembly] Or, day of restraint. Leviticus 23:36.

the elders] The Magistrates and chiefe of the people.

cry unto the LORD] Pray that he would take away the present evils.

Joel 1:15

Alas] Jeremiah 30:7.

for the day of] Isaiah 13:6. We see by these great plagues that utter destruction is at hand.

Joel 1:16

joy and gladnesse] Deuteronomy 16:11. 14. 15.

Joel 1:17

seed] Heb. grains.

rotten under their clods] Because it could not grow up by reason of the extreme drought, vers. 19, 20.

Joel 1:18

the flocks of sheep are made desolate] Which otherwise feed in the most drie and desert places.

Joel 1:19

the fire hath devoured] The drought hath burnt up the countrey, as if the fire had gone through it.

pastures] Or, habitations.

Joel 1:20

cry also unto thee] Psalms 104:21. By reason of extreme thirst: so it is said of the young ravens, Psalms 147:9. and other creatures, Job 39:3. when by reason of hunger or thirst they lift up their beakes.