Joel 2

The Prophet Sets before the eyes of Zion the terribleness of Gods judgements, verse 1 , & c exhorteth to serious humiliation and repentance, 12. enjoyneth fasting and praying, 15 and thereupon promiseth Gods blessing and plagues removal, 18. be prophecieth further of present and future blessings, and the blessed estate of the church, through the coming of the Messiah and sending forth of the holy Ghost, 21. fortelling withal fearful troubles in the world before the last coming of Christ, and of the preservation of the church, 30.

1. Blow the trumpet at Zion [viz. to call the people together to the house of the LORD for a day of the fasting and prayer. See below verse 15. and Lev. 13. on verse 2, 24.] and call aloud [Oth. Make a broken sound, blow alarm. ( See Num. 10. on verse. 5. ) as at the approach of an enemy] on the mountain of my holiness [i.e upon my holy mountain See Psal. 2. on verse 6.] let the inhabitants of the land be troubled: [or, all the inhabitants of the land shall be troubled, or tremble] for the day of the LORD cometh, [as above chapter 1. 14. 15. See there]

2. A day of darkness and obscurity, a day of clouds and thick darkness, [i.e a time of very great sadness, trouble, misery and distress, which is frequently in seriture held forth by the word darkness. See Gen. 15. on v. 12. hereby the Prophet understands, the terrible and long long-contined famine, caused by the Vermin spoken of in the former chapter, and by and by again in this, for to stir up the people by the lively representation of the terribleness of this plague, to the due consideration of Gods wrath, and unto true repentance] Spread forth upon the mountains as the day breaks [this punishment was to surprise the whole land all over as suddenly, as the day-break overspreads the tops of the mountains all at once. Compare Hosea 10:15 with annotate.] a great and mighty people, [some do understand the Assyrians and Babylonians hereby ( See ch.1. on v. 6.) but that which both goeth before and followeth, doth plainly speak of these vermin, or devouring creatures, which are expresly compared to horsemen and soldiers, below, v.4, 5, 7. See further bel. Vers. 20. yet it may well be, that these plagues were the fore-runners and tokens of the desolations to come by the Assyrians and Babylonians, according to Gods method, of going on to punish as men go on in sin] such as was not of old, [or, in former times of the Heb. word Olam, thus taken see Jer. 2. on verse 20. and compare further the annot. Above chapter 1. on verse 2.] and shall be no more [Heb. generation and generation i.e in a very long time, or according to some, never more.]

3. Before the same a fire doth consume, and after the same a flame burneth; [See above chapter 1. 19. with the annotate.] the land before the same [i.e. before their approach]is a garden of pleasure ,[Heb. a, or, the garden of Eden see Genesis .8 with the annotate i.e before this judgment came the land was like a paradise ,]but after the same a waste wilderness ,Heb desert of wilderness or of desolation or loathsomeness as some which one abhorreth and is frighhted with and so below chap.3.19.[neither is there any escaping of them .]that is nothing ,or as others nobody shall escape his aforesaid people ,i.e. this vermine this enemy .]

4. The shape of them is as the shape of the horses :[Or the regard i.e. they look runne and transport themselves about , as if they were so many horses and riders .it should seem they were of a more and ordinary greatness] and they shall run like horsemen .

5. They shall leap on like a noise of charets ,on the heights or heads of the mountains ;[i.e. they shall make such a noise with their coming ,as if one heard a great number of chariots running and rumbling upon the hills ,which is heard a great way off]as the noise of the fiery flame, that consumeth the fiubble :[which like wise make a great noise ,and is heard a far off]as a mighty people ,tat is set in battle-aray .[see below verse 7.8.]

6. From the face of the nations shall be in pain ;[terrible and perplexed at this unusual plague ,and the famine threatened thereby] all faces shall draw on like a pot [Heb shall gather or have gathered ,to wit ,the color of a pot ,used at the fire ,and by the flame and smoke attracting a sad color .others have drawn in ,or, contracted the beauty ,according as we see fear and anguish doth dull and sadden the lively hue and color of the face ,and makes man look wan and pale .]

7. They shall run as champions ,as men of war shall they climb the wall :[Heb wall as verse 9.] and they march on ,everyone is in his ways ,[as soldiers ,marching under the conduct of their commanders]and shall not turn their paths [or not slacken their march as soldiers used to do sometimes ,by breaking their orders ,or ,quitting their ranks and files ,or otherwise getting in confusion .]

8. Neither shall they throng one another; [Heb the man or everyone his brother] they shall march on, each one in his path :[Heb the man in his] and though they should fall upon a weapon ,[or, a long naked sword .[See 2 Chron23 on verse 10 and Neh 4 on verse 17 .]they shall not be wounded the meaning is that they shall not be diverted or kept by any weapon be it never so sharp they should pass as it were through the midst of pikes and naked swords without being hurt .]

9. They shall run about [or leap skip] in the city they shall run upon the walls, they shall into the houses; they shall come in through the windows like a thief.

10. The earth is troubled before the face thereof. [i.e. because of the approach and the presence of the aforesaid host]The sun and moon grow black [i.e. they shine obscurely ,or give but little light] and the stars draw in their splendour ,[Heb properly have gathered ,c. i.e. kept back ,withdrawn ,withheld and so below chap 3.15 these are figurative expression signifying the general and earful desolations and heavy judgments of God ,at which even heaven and earth shall stand amazed and astonished in a manner .see Isiah 13.10 Ezekiel 32:7 and below here chap 3.15.]

11. And the Lord raiseth his voice along before his host ,changing and encouraging the same as below verse 25like their commander in chief ;or thrundreth along before his host see Psalms 29.] for his camp is very great :for he is mighty [He ,viz the Lord ;or it to wit, that the host doing his word ;[executing that which he spake or foretold or referring it to the host of the Lord executing his command] the day of the Lord [as above chap 1.15 Jeremiah30.7 Amos 5:18 Zeph1.15.] is great and very dreadful, and who shall endure it ?

12. Now then also saith the Lord ,convert your yourselves to me with all your heart :[Heb even unto me ;as some take this ,thus the Hebrew particle is likewise taken in this matter ,Deuteronomy 4:30 Lam.3.40. Amos 4:6,8,9,11. Hosea 14:1 implying as some do understand that God is not pleased with a shew ,or flying thought ,and a lose purpose or half a heart ,but requireth an upright turning away from evil and conversion to himself and that which is good in no wise to idols or any other vanities whatsoever and thus the following words and the rending of the heart ,and with all the heart, should serve to explain the emphasis or force of this particle .Compare Hosiah 6.4 and chap 7.16 with the annotate yet others take it simple for the particle to .]and that [thus the Heb letter vau is likewise used elsewhere for that or even see Jeremiah 17 on verse 10 and below verse 32]with fasting and weeping ,and with mourning .

13. And rend your heart [compare Psalms 34 on verse 19 and 51 on verse 19]and not your garments [that is not them alone without rending the heart ;not so much not principally see Hosiah 6 on verse 6] and convert your selves to the Lord your God ;for he is gracious and merciful ,long sufferings [see Numbers 14 on verse 18 Exodus 34 on verse 6 Psalms 86:15 Jon4.2] and great kindness [or the manifold abundant for kindness] and repenting himself of evil.[understand the evil of punishment which God turns away allayeth mitigateth c. when he is said to repent see Genesis 6 on verse 6 so in the next verse .]

14. Who knoweth he may turn about and repent [hereby the prophet doth in o wise call question whether God will receive a penitent sinner to mercy and forgive him his sins and save him which the scripture all throughout puts out doubt but by these expression the prophet shew his hope and wish that they would turn to God whereupon God would not fail to turn away or allay and mitigate these grievous temporal plagues as is plain by the sequel wherein God deals with his according fatherly pleasure so as he knows it most expedient for his honour and salvation of the penitent also the prophet dealeth with these gross sinners by degrees putting them in hope at first of having their punishment abated and afterwards upon the accomplishment of heir actual repentance assuring them thereof v.18.19 c. which provident care in the like cases Gods ministers do imitate compare Joshua 14:12 Esther 4:14 Jonah 3:9 Amos 5:15 Lamentations 3:29 Zeph2.3] and he may leave a blessing behind him [viz of corn and fruit ,and wine ,not wine suffering all to be wasted and spoiled ,when he shall pass through the land with his judgment compare Exodus 12.12Amos 5.17 and Psalms 65:12 with the annotate thus temporal gifts are called a blessing of the LORD Genesis 39:5 Levit 25.21 Isa65.8 Haggai 2:19 se also Genesis 12 verse 2 and chap 33 on verse 11.2Kings 18 on verse 31 others read after and behind it, to wit, the aforesaid host or people tat destroyed vermin which was to overspread all the land so that they should not devour all but leave somewhat behind yet ,for to offer meat offerings c.] for meat offering and drink offering for the Lord your God [see above chap 1 on verse 14]

15. Blow the trumpet at Zion [see above verse 1] hallow a fast [see above chap 1 on verse 14] proclaim a prohibition day [as above chap 1.14]

16. Assembly the people ,hallow the congregation ;[see Exod 19 on verse 10] gather the eldest [to go before the younger sort with their good example now, as before having done otherwise they were the cause of ensuring the general calamity] assembly the little children and those that suck the breast [see Psalms 8 on verse3 this served to convince the parents the more effectually of of their guilt and desert ,having their own young babes and suckling there before them who themselves also were member of the church and partakers of the covenant and by their tenderness to stir them up to the more serious repentance in regard that these poor infants must suffer no small share of the common calamity caused by the grievous sins of their parents and from which the very breasts were exempted see above chap 1.18 and with all thus to represent unto God in his house as and before his eyes the common distress and misery of young and old and members of his people with penitent behavior and disposition compare 2 Chrons 20.13 and Jonah 3:7 where the breasts are also brought into the same end and purpose]let bride-groom go forth out of his inner chamber and the bride out of her bed chamber [or bride chamber covering withdrawing the sence is put off or set by all manner of otherwise allowed rejoicing and give yourselves up to fasting and prayer compare 1 Cor 7.5]

17. Let the priest and ministers of the Lord weep between the court of the altar [see 1 Kings 6 on verse 3 Job 10.23 Acts 3:11 and chap 5.12.] and let them say spare thy people O Lord and not up [or put not so verse 19] tine inheritance to reproach that the heathen should reign over them [as a city is easily mastered being destiture of his provision so may the heathen lying round about easily subdue our nation if this general scarcity and famine should continue longer among and destroy us others that the heathen should use Proverb of us The Hebrew word being elsewhere also thus used see Ezekiel 17:2 and 18.2 c. in regard that proverbs and sentences stand eminently forth in discourses and seem to have a kind of mastery see 1 Kings 4:31] where for should they say among the nations where is their God ?Psalms 42:11 and 79.10 and 115.2]

18. Then the Lord shall be jealous over his land :[as above chap verse 6 see there jealous viz in compassion love and kindness towards his penitent people and his vengeance against the wicked enemies for the honor of his holy name which by reason of his plague upon his land and people is blasphemed as formerly he as jealous of is honor punishing the sins of his people see Deuteronomy 4:24 and Ezek 39.25c. others and the Lord was jealous &c and spared & c and answered &c or hath been jealous and so on .i.e he hath already heard and charged me to make me known unto his penitent people that which followeth ; or prophetically ,he hath &c. i. he shall then assuredly &c.]and he shall spare is people .

19. And the Lord shall answer and say unto his people behold I will send you [that is I will soon give or bestow upon you or cause you to get and receive]the corn and the new wine and the oil that ye shall be satisfied therewith [i.e have sufficiency of each for your bodily sustentation or refreshing or cheerful enjoyment] and I will no more deliver you up [understand on condition of obedience ;or ,further ,or hence forward put you c.i. c. I will not continue to plague you thus compare this answer of God with the prayer above verse 17] for a reproach among the heathen [whereof verse 17 compare Ezekiel 20,29,30]

20. And I will cause those of the north to withdraw far away from you [viz the foresaid host of grasshoppers c. which where come into the land of Juda from the north ;and may well have been fore runners also and figures or types of the Assyrians and Babylonians which where to come likewise from the north and are by some understood hereby those of the north as above chap 1 on verse 4]and drive it away into a dry and wast land [Heb a land of drought and desolation see Deuteronomy 1:19 and 8.15] its face [i.e the one or forepart the vanguard as it were of those devouring creatures] to the east sea [[i.e. to the dead sea in the south-east of Caanan where Sodom ,Gomorra c. were destroyed or the sea Kinnereth or Genesareth lying north-east compare the prophecy of Gog Ezekiel 39:11] and its end [or hind-most part the rear as it were ,] to the hindmost sea [i.e the Mediterranean see Deut 11 on verse 24 and Zach 14.8] and its stench shall go up and its odour shall arise [understand the loath some smell of this camp of the grass-hoppers c. when God shall destroy them again and suffer them to rot and perish on the ground as a stinking carion compare Isaiah 34:3.]for it [to wit those of the north the aforesaid]hath done great things [Heb he hath magnified or magnified himself or he hath magnified it with or in doing and dealing i.e. they shall have dealt presumptuously and dared Judas as it were to their faces and shall have cause great mischief here as on the contrary it is said in the sequel that God would likewise do very great things destroying this great and mighty host ,which he himself had sent forth before against Juda in his wrath you may dwell well to compare here Psalms 35,26,27 where there is likewise an opposition set down of the enemies magnifying themselves against David and godly on the contrary comforting themselves and saying ,the Lord be magnified or become or be great ,that is be praise and glorified as great indeed see there some refer the words of the text here as also that which followeth verse 21 to the Lord himself]

21. Fear not O land ;[i.e ye inhabitants of the land of Juda or the speech may be addressed to the land itself as in the sequel it is to the breast and frequently occurres the like compare Deuteronomy 32:1 and above chap 1 .10 Ezekiel 21:15 with the annotate] rejoice and be glad ;for the Lord had done great things [i.e he shall certainly bring great things to pass yet whereof some where already spoken of before and some yet to be mentioned in the sequel compare Isaiah 28:29]

22. And be not afraid ye breast of the field [compare above chap 1.18,19,20 this is ,as it were the answer upon the breasts crying to God]for the pasture of wilderness shall bring forth young grass again[Heb properly have brought forth and so in the sequel i.e shall as surely bring forth as if it were already before their eyes]for the trees shall bear their fruits the vine and fig-tree shall yield their substance [compare above chap 1.7,11,12 and Leviticus 26:4.20.]

23. And ye children of Zion be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God for he shall give you that teacher for righteousness and he shall cause the rain to come down unto you the early rain and the later rain [Heb hath given you that teacher for ,or of righteousness or that teacher to wit the teacher of righteousness that is he will for certain give you the promised Messiah Jesus Christ the chief prophet shepherd of souls who shall teach you outwardly by the word of the gospel and inwardly by the spirit working powerfully in you that justifying saith which is only our righteousness before God Jeremiah 23:6 .Thus sets down the promise of the Messiah in the first place as being the foundation of the Zions joys ,and of all the blessings of the covenant which are mentioned afterwards .Nevertheless the Hbrew word rendered here the teacher twice made use of in this verse signifying not only a teacher but also the early rain in regard that Gods mercies and benefits his teaching and instructions & the reasonable rain resemble one another very much in their use and comfortableness see Deuteronomy 32:2 Hosea 6:3 and 10.12 with the annotate as presently here in this same verse therefore some take this word here in both places alike thus he shall give you the early rain yea he shall cause to come down unto the early rain and the later rain rightly ,or just fittingly or liberally conceiving that the spiritual promises do not begin ,till verse 28 compare with the place Psalms 85:11,12,13,14.Isaiah 30:19,20,21,23&c where the spiritual and temporal promises are intermingled as elsewhere the spiritual one they are often times typified and represented by or compared with the temporal see Psalms 22:27 ,30 and 36.9 Hosea 2:21&c and 6.3 Amos 9:13 again below chap 3.18 with annotate reader may take notice of in the sequel and yet it doth often also fall out that one and the same verse as Judges 10:4 Aijarim for asses colts and for cities Psalms 74:19 Chaijah for a rude company and for Deer forest i.e for the enemies and for the company of poor distressed people that the church of God Eccl7.6 sit for a thorn and for a pot Ezekiel 21:22 Cazim as many do conceive for captains and for storming rams Again very elegantly the dead in different signification Matthew8.22 &c. besides the word Moreh stands somewhat differently in the second clause of this verse and with the addition of Jesehem signifying a shower ,or strong fall and gush of rain when as in the first it standeth alone by itself this may so have pleased the holy ghost ,to distinguish the former Moreh the better from the latter]in the first moneth [viz Nisan and Abib understand this of the later rain which God gave before the harvest see Exodus 34:18 or as some at first with the first .i.e timely seasonably as soon as it shall be fit and covenant .]

24. And the threshing floor shall be full of corn and the wine-presses shall run over with the new wine and oil .

25. thus shall recompense to you the years which the grass-hopper, the beetle ,the palmer-worm and the caterpillar have devoured [by the year are understood the fuits of the years as is plain by the sequel hence it is evident that the fearful plague of these creatures continued for some years in the land by the recompense is here promised the abundance of the fruits of the earth as should make full amends for the damage sustained] my great host [as above verse 11] which I sent among you .

26. And ye shall eat abundantly and to satisfaction [Heb ye shall eat eating and being satisfied]and praise the name of the Lord your God that [or because before that he]dealt wonderfully with you :[Heb having done ,or dealt wonderfully or by you doing or dealing wonderfully]and my people shall not be made ashamed forever [i.e I will deliver them from the reproach which the neighboring heathen shall have aspersed them with because of this late plague upon them and moreover in general according to my covenant promises in the Messiah take care that my church shall never be frustrated in their penitent prayers to and confident relying upon me compare Isaiah 29:22 &c]

27. And ye shall know or acknowledge that I am in the midst of Israel [i.e ye shall find it really and experimentally by the presence of the Messiah among you and the blessings enjoyed and to be enjoyed of you by him Zephaniah 3:14,15,16,17 Job 1:14 whose coming and present being among you shall be followed with the sending and coming down of the holy Ghost whereof below verse 28] and that I am the Lord you God and none besides [see Genes 17 on verse 7] and my people shall not be ashamed forever .

28. And after that [viz in the later days after the coming and appearing of the Messiah in the flesh see Acts 2:17] it shall come to pass that I shall pour out [viz in greater abundance and diversity of gifts then where bestowed before the coming of the Christ and his ascension see Job 7.39 Acts 2:33]my spirit [that is the gifts of my spirits compare Psalms 3:8] upon all flesh [that is upon all manner of all flesh all sorts and condition of men as is declared in the sequel as also upon all kind of nations compare Psalms 65:3 and the annotate there]and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie and your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see vision [that is to say ;they shall be enabled through the operation and revelation of the spirit both to understand & explain the mysteries of the holy Gospel see Hosea 12:11 with the annotate these expressions are borrowed from the state and the condition of the old Testament, wherein God used to reveal himself to the prophets by dreams and vision see Numbers12.6]

29. Yea upon the men-servants also and upon the maid-servant will I pour out the spirit in those days

30. And I will give wonderful signs in or on heaven and on earth blood and fire smoak-pillars .

31. The sun shall be changed into darkness and the moon into blood ,before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord [the terms and expressions used in these 30.31 verse do signifie the strange , fearful and general trouble ,miseries and desolations which should befall the world before the coming of the Lord Christ to judge the living and the dead compare above chap .10 and below chap 3.15 Matthew 24:29 Mark 13:24,25 Luke 21:25,26 and Revelations from chap 6 up to 20.]

32. And it shall come to pass [during all the aforesaid troubles] ;whosoever [viz whether he be Jew or Gentile Romans 10:12,13.] shall call upon the name of the Lord [that is uprightly serve the Lord and make him their refuge in all these straits by faithful prayer]shall be saved [or rescued delivered and accordingly be kept safe from sin devil and death ,and through he may at any time be drawn into bodily tribulation and happen to suffer and die for Christ name yet shall he be sure still here of a gracious God in the Messiah and the stedfast comfort in life and death ;and after all of life and glory everlasting] for upon mount Zion and at Jerusalem they shall be an escaping [that is safetle and salvation shall be no where but in the true church which at that time used to assemble within Jerusalem upon mount Zion for the worship of God see Psalms 2 on verse 6] according as the Lord hath saith ;[viz unto or by myself other of his prophets so below cha 3.8 and therefore it shall also come to pass thus how unlikely or impossible so ever it may seem in regard of men’s deserts or abilities]and that[or to wit see of the like use of the Hebrew letter Vau Jeremiah 17 on verse on verse 10 as also Judges 7:24 1 Samuel 17:14 and chap 28.3 and above chap 2.12.] with the remnant [other together with the remnant and understanding here the believing Gentiles and in the former clause the believing Jews] whom the Lord shall call [the foresaid salvation and escaping shall be for them whom God according to the election of grace shall keep and cause to remain for himself in general destruction apostasie and obstinacy of the world compare Isaiah 10:22 Romans 9:27 and 11,4,5,7c] and that by his call that is according to his free grace and pleasure by his effectual drawing and bringing them by his word and spirit unto the blessed communion of Christ and his church consisting of both Jews and Gentiles see John 6:44,65 and 10.16 Acts 2:39 Romans 8:30 and chap 9.23 ,24 c.]