Joel 3

• ARGUMENT.* The following prophecy relates to the latter times of the world; when, upon their conversion, God shall deliver the Jews from their oppressors, and restore them to their own land. The prophet likewise foretells the destruction of their enemies, and other unbelievers, in some decisive.battle, such as that mentioned Rev. xvL 14. and the glorious state of the church that should follow.

Joel 3:1

JO OR behold in those days, and at that time. The time called the last days, ii. 28. according to St. Peter’s interpretation, Acts ii. 17. which comprehends all that time which reaches from the first to the second appearing of the Messias. (See the note upon Isa. ii. 1.) The context shews, that here is meant the latter part of these last days; or times. When I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem^ This is to be understood of that restoration of the Jewish nation and their capital city, which shall be brought to pass in the latter times of the world, according to many predictions of the prophets, as has been observed upon the last verse of the foregoing chapter. (Compare particularly this verse with Jer. xxx. 3.) The prophet’s mentioning only the kingdom or tribe of Judah, is a probable argument that he was of that tribe, and lived after the captivity of the ten tribes.

Joel 3:2

I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. The prophets speak of a general discomfiture of God’s enemies in some decisive battle before the general judgment, as hath been observed in the notes upon lsa. Ixvi. 1G. Such probably is the battle of Gog and Magog, described Ezek. xxxix. and that of Armageddon, spoken of Rev. xvi. 14. 1G. The place of this remarkable action is here called the valley of Jehoshaphat; as if the prophet had said, the place where the Lord will execute judgment, for so the word Jehoshaphat signifies in the original. So the valley of Jezreel, Hos. i. 4. means where God’s arm or strength will exert itself. The expression likewise alludes to the valley of Berachah, as it was afterward called, 2 Chron. xx. 26. which was famous, for the victory Jehoshaphat and his people obtained there over a great confederacy of their enemies. This valley was not far from Jerusalem, if it be the same with that described Zech. xiv. 4. And I will plead with them there.] God pleads with men, and vindicates the cause of oppressed truth and innocence by his judgments. Then their own consciences fly in the face of the guilty, and force them to acknowledge the justice of those punishments they suffer. (Compare Ezek. xvii. 20. xx. 35. xxxviii. 22.); -ja For my people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.] The prophets in the Old Testament denounce several judgments against Edom, Moab, and other ill neighbours of the Jews, who took advantage of their calamities to vent their spite against them. (See ver. 19. of this chapter, Jer, xxii. 14, &c. xlix. 1, 2. Ezek. xxv. 3, &c. Amos i. 11. Obad. ver. 10. Zeph. ii. 8.) But since all nations are summoned to answer the impeachment here mentioned, we may suppose the word Israel to comprehend the faithful of all ages; and then we may observe, that the judgments denounced against the church’s enemies, are chiefly for their hatred and cruelty towards God’s servants. (See Rev. xi. 18. xvi. G.xviii.20.24.),

Joel 3:3

And have cast lots for my people. Without troubling themselves to make any choice among the captives of my people, they have left the matter wholly to the chance of lots, which captive every man should take. (See Obad. ver. 11. Nahum iii. 10.) -.’ \ And have given a boy for a harlot, &c] And have sold their slaves to others, merely to supply their wanton and sinful extravagances. »

Joel 3:4

Yea, and what have you to do with me, O Tyre and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine. These, were some of the Jews’ evil neighbours, who took all occasions to distress them. (See Amos i. 6. 9. 2 Chron. xxi. 16. xxviii. 18.) Will ye render me a recompence?] Do you think to vent your spite against me by way of retaliation for the evils you have suffered from my people? Hardened sinners como to that degree of desperate boldness as to proclaim enmity against God, and shew their resentment towards him, for the hard usage they think that they have received at his hands: so Homer describes Achilles’s fierce temper at the beginning of the twenty-second Iliad, thus speaking to Apollo: “H <r av Tiaaifiriv el fioi dvvafiig ye iraptir), Were it in my power, my vengeful arm should soon return the wrong.

Joel 3:5

Because you have taJcen my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly things. The temple was despoiled of its ornaments, either through the necessities or the wickedness of the kings of Judah, several times. (See 2 Kings xii. 18. xviii. 16. 2 Chron xxviii. 24.) It was likewise plundered by the Chaldeans often; once in the reign of Jehoiakim, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 7. then in the short reign of Jehoiachin, 2 Kings xxi v. 13. before the last destruction of it, 2 Kings xxv. 17, 18. Some part of the furniture might perhaps be sold to the 1 meruiyiiizeu oy iviicroson \Q) A COMMENTARY, UPON JOEL [CHAt>. 111. chants of Tyre and Zidon. The profanation of the temple at Jerusalem, and the sacrilegious spoils of its ornaments, have been remarkably punished by God in heathens and infidels: (see Jcr. 1. 28. li. 11.) so it was in Belshazzar, Dan. v. 1. in Antiochus Epiphanes, 1 Mace. vi. 12. and in Pompey and Crassus afterward: because God had given remarkable proofs of a Divine presence in that place; and the heathens themselves might have discovered, by the light of nature, that thcro was but one true invisible God. (See Dan. v. 23.) Ver. G. The children also of Jadah, and the children of Jerusalem, have ye sold unto the Grecians.] It was customary for the merchants of the neighbouring countries, such were those of Tyre and Zidon here spoken of, to buy the children of Israel for slaves of their conquerors, in order to sell them again. (See 1 Mace. iii. 41.) It is said particularly of Javan, t. e. Greece, that they dealt in that sort of traffic, of buying and selling of slaves. (Ezek. xxvii. 13.) The histories which relate the calamities of the Jews, speak of great numbers of them made captives, and then sold and dispersed into foreign countries: so forty thousand were sold by Antiochus Epiphanes, 2 Mace. v. 14. and the greatest part of ninety-seven thousand at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. (See Joseph. Bell. Jud. lib. vi. cap. 9.)

Joel 3:7

Behold, I will raise them out of the place ivhither ye have sold them. I will restore them, or their posterity, which are to be looked upon as making one natural body, out of their several captivities, whither their enemies have dispersed them. (See Isa. xliii. 5, 6. xlix. 12. Jer. xxiii. 8.)

Joel 3:8

-And I will sell your sonsandyour daughters into the hand of the children of Judah. This might probably come to pass when Alexander/ after the taking of Tyre, sold thirty thousand of the inhabitants for slaves: Gaza, a considerable city upon the coast of Palestine, (see ver. 4.) at the same time was sacked, and the women and children sold for slaves. (See Dr. Prideaux’s Connex. of Script. Hist. par. i. book vii.) And they shall sell you to the Saheans, to a people far off.] So the country of Shcba is described, Jer. vi. 20. (See the note there.) They are called the Sabeansfrom the wilderness, Ezek. xxiii. 42. t. e. who came from Arabia Deserta, or the places bordering upon it.

Joel 3:9

Proclaim ye this among the gentiles. After these particular threatcnings against Tyre and Zidon, and that coast, the prophet returns to what he had mentioned, ver. 2. concerning “the heathen or unbelieving world, gathering themselves either to oppose the Jews in their return homeward, or some other way to hinder the growth of Christ’s kingdom. Prepare war, make up the mighty men, &c.] The prophet, in an ironical and insulting manner, encourages them to make their utmost effort to oppose the designs of Providence: but it should be all in vain. (See the like expressions, Isa*. viii. 9, 10. Jer. xlvi. 3, 4. Ezek. xxxviii. 7.)

Joel 3:10

Beat your ploughshares into swords. Let not only the military men prepare for war, but even the husbandmen arid vine-dressers: all the forces you can muster together will be little enough for the enterprise you are undertaking. Peaceful times are described by the contrary expressions, of turning swords into plough-shares, and spears into pruning-hooks, Isa. ii. 4. Let the weak say, I am strong.] Feebleness, or want of strength, should be no pretence to excuse any from this service. This is still spoken by way of irony, and insulting such a confederacy, and the preparations they make for war.

Joel 3:11

TJdther cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Thy mighty angels, to discomfit thine enemies. Angels are often described as mighty in strength: (see Psal. lxxviii. 25. ciii. 20. Rev. x. 1.) and here they are spoken of as chosen warriors proper to execute any enterprise, as they are directed by God. (Compare Isa. xiii. 3. and see below, vcr.13.)

Joel 3:12

Let the heathen be awakened. Let their courage be roused up. (See ver. 9.) And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, &c] See ver. 2.

Joel 3:13

Put ye hi the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. God will give his commands to the angels, who are the reapers, Matt. xiii. 39. to cut off the wicked by a speedy destruction; for their iniquities are come to maturity, and are ripe for judgment. (Compare Jer. li. 33. Hos. vi. 11. Matt. xiii. 38. 41. Rev. xiv. 15.) Come, get you down; for the press is full, &c] The angels are again commanded to go down; from heaven to the valley of decision, ver. 14. The LXX. and the Chaldee paraphrase render the -words, Come, tread, deriving the Hebrew word from radah, which verb still retains that sense in the Arabic, as Dr. Pocock informs us.< For the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.] The wicked have filled up the.measure of their iniquities. The former words allude to. the* time of the harvest; these to the season of the vintage. (Compare Rev. xiv. 19.) As the juice of the vine is called the blood of the grape; in pursuance of the same metaphor, God’s extraordinary judgments are expressed by his treading the wine-press of his wrath. (See Isa. Ixiii. 3. Lam. i. 15. Rev. xiv. 19, 20.)

Joel 3:14

Multitudes, nmltitudes in the valley of decision. This makes it probable that the battle here spoken of is the same with that of Gog and Magog, described Ezek. xxxviii. xxxix. for there the valley where Gog is said to be buried, is called Hamon Gog; i. e. the multitude of Gog, xxxix. 11. Tlie valley of decision is the same with the valley of Jehoshaphat abovementioned, the place where the great cause shall be decided between God and his enemies. ForJhe day of the Lord is near.] See ii. 1.

Joel 3:15

The sun and the moon shall be darkened, &c. This particular judgment shall be a forerunner of the; gcneral one, when the whole frame of nature shall be dissolved. (See the note upon ii. 10. 31.) ■

Joel 3:16

The Lord also shall roar out of Zion. Where he shall give tokens of his especial residence. God’s anger, when he speaks to us by his judgments, is fitly compared to the roaring of a lion. (Sec Jer. xxv. 30. Amos i. 2. iii. 8.) And the heavens and the earth shall shake.] Great commotions or convulsions of states and governments are expressed by shaking the heavens and the earth. (Compare Ezek. xxxviii. 19. Hag. ii. 6. 22.) But here the words may be understood in a literal sense, because the action here described in this chapter is a forerunner and token of the approaching day of judgment. But the Lord will be the hope ofhispeople P &cj Tliough