Joel 1

2 the land. Of Judah.

4 palmerworm . . . locust . . . cankerworm . . . caterpillar. These four words are all different names for the locust, expressing respectively the gnawing, the swarming, the licking, and the consuming insect; all expressive of its destructiveness.

5. Awake, ye drunkards. The destruction of the vines will particularly affect those who are given to excess in drinking.

6 a great lion. Rather, “a lioness.” The invasion of a country by a swarm of locusts is a fearful calamity. They sometimes cover the earth for several miles; and wherever they spread the verdure of the country entirely disappears, the corn is consumed, the trees and plants are stripped of their leaves, and the rind is peeled from the young shoots.

7. My vine . . . my fig tree! This is the exclamation of the people.

8. Lament. The land (mentioned in ver. 6) is here addressed. The figure employed, that of a betrothed maiden, expresses the bitterest lamentation.

9. The meat (meal) offering. So complete was the devastation that there could not be found sufficient fine flour, oil, and frankincense for the minchah, or gift accompanying the daily burnt offering. So with the wine for the drink offering. This interruption in the course of worship was regarded as a serious calamity—ominous of Jehovah’s withdrawal from His people.

13 bird yourselves. i.e., with sackcloth.

15 the day of the Lord is at hand. Cp. Isa. xiii. 6, and note.

18 the cattle are perplexed. This is perhaps the most pathetic touch in the whole picture of desolation.

19 the fire hath devoured, etc. This may be a figure for scorching drought, or it may refer to the actual kindling of the herbage either through extreme heat, or else by design, that the flame and smoke might hinder the advancing locust-pest.

20 cry. Rather, “pant” (R.V.), as in Psa. xiii. 1.