Joel 1

The Prophet, at Gods command, setteth forth before the people the fearful plague of all manner of Vermin, and exhorts them to take special notice of and confider the same, verse 1,2,etc. as also to mourn and lament; with a command to fast and pray by reason of it, 14.

1. The word of the LORD, which came to Joel, the son of Petbuel.

2. Hear this, ye Eldest (ones) [i.e those in Juda, which are governing the rest, and which have more experience of things and times than others. See Exodus 3:16. and Leviticus 4:15. with the annotat. Or plainly ye old (ones) viz. in years, that have heard and seen more, than the younger fort, or middle-aged among you,] and give ear, all inhabitants of the land: did this happen in your days? [Do ye know or remember the like plague as is related in the sequel?] or also in the days of your fathers? [Exod.10. 4, 5, 6, 14, 15. there is likewise mention made of a grievous plague of grasshoppers upon the Egyptians; but the fame continued not so long, nor were there so many kinds of that destroying vermin, as here in the land of Juda, the one after the other, however the peoples stupidities was so great, that they were little sensible of it unto amendment; which is the reason, that God seeks to stir them up by this prophet in manner as followeth.]

3. Relate thereof unto your children, and (let) your children (relate it) to their children, [Compare Exodus 10:2. Psal. 78 4,6.] and the children of the same to another generation. [i.e. to the succeeding one, or to posterity.]

4. That which the caterpillar left, the grasshopper hath devoured, and that which the grasshopper left, Beetle hath devoured, and that which the Beetle left, palmerworm hath devoured. [Heb. The remnant of the caterpillar, & c. At what time this terrible and long continuing plague of these insects, accompanied with an excessive drought befell Juda, is uncertain. Some refer it to the time of Elia and Elisa, or when forum reigned in Israel, and Josiphat in Juda. See 1 Kings 17:1,etc. and 2 Kings 4:38. Others compare it with Ler. 14. 1. as also with Amos 1:2. and chap 46, 7, 8, 9, etc. Some conceive that by these destroying creatures are figuratively understood the Assyrians and Chaldeans, by whom the land should be extremely laid waste. The prophet doth indeed speak sometimes in past and present time, and sometime in the future; see bel. Verse 15. and chapter 2. 25. Yet some do hold, that this was a judgement to come; and that the Prophet doth prophetically speak of it as present]

5. Awake ye drunken (ones) and weep, and howl all ye wine-swillers, for the new wine, because it is cut off from your mouth. [In regard that the vine was utterly consumed by the aforesaid vermin, as followeth vers. 7. Compare Amos 4:9.]

6. For (there) is a people come up upon my land; mighty and without number: [Understand the infinite swarms of the aforesaid vermin, or insects, which God being greatly provoked by the sins of his people, should cause to come upon his own holy land, and being improperly called a people or a nation. See bel. chapter 2. 2. and compare Proverbs 30:25. 26. and annotate. There. Of Canaan, that God calleth it his land, see Hosea 9:3. with the annot. And so bel. Ch.2. 18.] his teeth are Lions, and hath the cheek-teeth of an old lion. [hereby is signified the greedy condition, devouring waste, and notable strength of those creatures. Compare Revel. 9. 8, 9, 10]

7. It [viz. that aforesaid people, i.e. those devouring creatures] hath made my vine a desolation. [Compare Hosea 2:8. God speaketh thus to shew that he doth not spare his own good creatures and gifts, in punishing the sins of men] and my fig-tree a scum: [i.e it fades away, comes to nothing, or spunge, Oth. Peeling, making bare, so that the skin or peel is eaten off, whereby the figs are made bare and naked as it were, and change their hue into palenesse. Compare Isaiah 24:7.] They have made it quite bare, and cast it down, his branches are become white. [or pale, pallid, whereas on the contrary the sappie branches are and pleasant.]

8. Lament [O Jerusalem,] as a virgin that is girded with a sack, [See Gen. 37. on vers. 34.] because of the man of her youth. [See Gen. 37 . on vers. 34.] because of the man of her youth. [i.e. her Bridegroom, or suitor (as some think) that died while they were betrothing, or soon after, i.e mourn bitterly. Compared Malachi 2:14, 15.]

9. Meat –offering and drink-offering is cut off from the house of the LORD: [See Levii. 2. on vers. 1. and Exodus 29:40. Numb. 15. 5, 7, 10. and 28 7. The meaning is, that but few of such offerings were brought to the house of the LORD, through the great scarcity of meat and drink, so below vers.13] the priests, the LORDS ministers, mourn. [Seeing the service and worship of God neglected and themselves thereby deprived and destitute of maintenance.]

10. The field is laid waste the land mourns; for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, [The vines being scorched and withered. Oth ashamed, as not being able to shew forth any good fruit, in a figurative expression] the oil is faint. [even as fruit-trees are said to be weak, sick, ill, when they fail and do not bear.]

11. The Husbandmen are ashamed, the vine dressers howl, [Or be ashamed ye husbandmen, howl ye vine dressers] for the wheat, and for the barley : for the harvest of the field is perished. [this clause hath relation to husbandmen, as the beginning of the next verse doth regard the vigneron, or vinedressers.]

12. The vine is withered, [Or, ashamed as below vers. 10.] the fig-tree is faint ; the pome-granate-tree, also the palm-tree and apple tree; all the trees of the field are withered; yea the cheerfulness’ [which men used to shew in the time of good harvest. See Psal. 4.8. Isaiah 16:10. Jer. 48, 33. Hosea 9:1 with the annotat.] is withered from the children of men. [or, ashamed among etc, as in the beginning of the verse, that is, as it fairs with the land, so it doth also with mens hearts; there is nothing to be seen but sadness, meagerness and confusion; joy and gladness dare not shew the face, as it were, all the land being filled with mourning.]

13. Gird your selves about, [To wit with sacks, in token of mourning, as above vers. 8. and here in the next words] and lament ye priests; howl, ye ministers of the alter; enter in, lie all night in sacks, ye ministers of my God; for meat offering and drink-offering is forbidden from the house of your God. [as above vers.9.]

14. Hallow a fast, [i.e by a holy meditation of this heavy judgement of God hitting and preparing yourselves, appoint and set apart a certain time, wherein ye may solemnly meet, and abstaining from meat and drink, both outwardly and inwardly humble your selves before the LORD, publicly professing and acknowledging your Repentance, and submissively asking mercy and forgiveness, and so below chapter 2. 12, 15.] proclaim a prohibition-day, [See Lev. 23. on vers. 36] gather the eldest, [i.e the Rulers and Governours, See above on vers. 2.] (and) all inhabitants of this land, (to) the house of the LORD your God: and call unto the LORD.

15. Ah, that day! [These and the following words to the end of this chapter, are taken by some to be a form, or pattern (prescribed to the people of God by the Prophet) of a penitent lamentation; to be made unto God, because of this heavy punishment; adding onely to the end of the former verse saying ; others hold them to be words of the Prophet himself; taking up this lamentation before the people, that by this example they may be awakened and stirred up to the serious consideration of this judgement of God; both in good sense.] for the day of theLORD, [i.e the appointed time, wherein the LORD will punish his people; so below chapter 2.3 See Psal. 37 on verse 13. and Ezek. 30. on verse2.] is nigh at hand. [from these words some do gather, that the judgement before rehearsed, was to come yet, or drawing neer. Compare chapter 2.1 others think, that this hath respect to an other judgement to come, which should be more heavy yet, then the present, by reason of the peoples senselessness and impenitency under the fearful plague of all plague of all these devouring loathsome creatures and grievous drowth] and shall come as a desolation ( or devastation ) from the almighty. [that hath power and ability sufficient, as well to punish, as to reward; so that none shall be able to avoid or prevent his day of execution. See of the Hebr. Word Shadai, Gen. 17. on vers. 1. and compare Isaiah 13:6.]

16. Is not the meat cut off before our eyes? Joy and rejoicing from the house of our God ?[In regard that there were no more thank – offerings brought in and offered, whence it may be gathered, that by meat or food before mentioned, there may be understood, not onely common food but also especially the offering or oblations themselves. Compare Malachi 1:7. 12. and see Leviticus 3:11. Ezek 44. on vers. 7.]

17. The grains are rotted under their clods, [i.e, the feed that was sown is spoiled in the ground, through the great heat, the want of seasonable rain, and the like casualties] the treasures are laid waste, [i.e the places , wherein the treasures, that is the fruits of the land ( as Jeremiah 41:8, etc.) are wont to be laid up and bare, the prophet implies] the barns are broken down: for the corn is withered.

18. O how sigheth the cattel ! [For want of fodder, figuratively spoken, as below vers. 20. crieth etc.] the birds are fainting; [or how are the beards fainting ? or, astonied, amazed, understand this of the herds of great cattle,] for they have no pastures; the sheep flocks also are laid waste. [i.e the smaller sort of cattel.]

19. To the, O LORD, I call ; for a fire bath consumed the pastures of the wilderness, and a flame bath kindled all the trees of the field. [i.e the great heat and drought, or the foresaid plague, and the fire of Gods wrath. See Job 15:30, 34. with the annot. And so in the sequel.]

20. Also each beast of the field cryeth, [See of the i.e. each beast.] unto the; for the water-streams [or, gulfes, or dykes, ditches] are dried up, and a fire hath consumed the pastures of the wilderness.