--- title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible" author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 512 of 927 url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/512/ cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 512. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/512/" --- # Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible *Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown* The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation. ## 512. Joel · 2 of 4 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/512/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/512/#p-N [¶0] solemn assembly--literally, a "day of restraint" or cessation from work, so that all might give themselves to supplication ([Joe 2:15], ; [1Sa 7:5], ; [2Ch 20:3-13]). [¶1] elders--The contrast to "children" ([Joe 2:16]) requires age to be intended, though probably elders in office are included. Being the people's leaders in guilt, they ought to be their leaders also in repentance. [¶2] 15. day of the Lord--([Joe 2:1], ); that is, the day of His anger ([Is 13:9]; Ob 15; [Zep 1:7], ). It will be a foretaste of the coming day of the Lord as Judge of all men, whence it receives the same name. Here the transition begins from the plague of locusts to the worse calamities ([Joe 2:1-11]) from invading armies about to come on Judea, of which the locusts were the prelude. [¶3] 16. Compare [Joe 1:9], and latter part of [Joe 1:12]. [¶4] joy--which prevailed at the annual feasts, as also in the ordinary sacrificial offerings, of which the offerers ate before the Lord with gladness and thanksgivings ([De 12:6], [7, 12]; , [14, 15]). [¶5] 17. is rotten--"is dried up," "vanishes away," from an Arabic root [Maurer]. "Seed," literally, "grains." The drought causes the seeds to lose all their vitality and moisture. [¶6] garners--granaries; generally underground, and divided into separate receptacles for the different kinds of grain. [¶7] 18. cattle ... perplexed--implying the restless gestures of the dumb beasts in their inability to find food. There is a tacit contrast between the sense of the brute creation and the insensibility of the people. [¶8] yea, the ... sheep--Even the sheep, which are content with less rich pasturage, cannot find food. [¶9] are made desolate--literally, "suffer punishment." The innocent brute shares the "punishment" of guilty man ([Ex 12:29]; [Jon 3:7]; ). [¶10] 19. to thee will I cry--Joel here interposes, As this people is insensible to shame or fear and will not hear, I will leave them and address myself directly to Thee (compare [Is 15:5]; [Jr 23:9]). [¶11] fire--that is, the parching heat. [¶12] pastures--"grassy places"; from a Hebrew root "to be pleasant." Such places would be selected for "habitations" (Margin). But the English Version rendering is better than Margin. [¶13] 20. beasts ... cry ... unto thee--that is, look up to heaven with heads lifted up, as if their only expectation was from God ([Job 38:41]; [Psa 104:21]; ; ; compare [Psa 42:1]). They tacitly reprove the deadness of the Jews for not even now invoking God. ### Chapter 2 ### Joe 2:1-32. The Coming Judgment a Motive to Repentance. Promise of Blessings in the Last Days [¶16] A more terrific judgment than that of the locusts is foretold, under imagery drawn from that of the calamity then engrossing the afflicted nation. He therefore exhorts to repentance, assuring the Jews of Jehovah's pity if they would repent. Promise of the Holy Spirit in the last days under Messiah, and the deliverance of all believers in Him. [¶17] 1. Blow ... trumpet--to sound an alarm of coming war ([Nu 10:1-10]; [Ho 5:8]; [Am 3:6]); the office of the priests. [Joe 1:15] is an anticipation of the fuller prophecy in this chapter. [¶18] 2. darkness ... gloominess ... clouds ... thick darkness--accumulation of synonyms, to intensify the picture of calamity ([Is 8:22]). Appropriate here, as the swarms of locusts intercepting the sunlight suggested darkness as a fit image of the coming visitation. [¶19] as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people--Substitute a comma for a colon after mountains: As the morning light spreads itself over the mountains, so a people numerous [Maurer] and strong shall spread themselves. The suddenness of the rising of the morning light, which gilds the mountain tops first, is less probably thought by others to be the point of comparison to the sudden inroad of the foe. Maurer refers it to the yellow splendor which arises from the reflection of the sunlight on the wings of the immense hosts of locusts as they approach. This is likely; understanding, however, that the locusts are only the symbols of human foes. The immense Assyrian host of invaders under Sennacherib (compare [Is 37:36]) destroyed by God ([Joe 2:18], 20, 21), may be the primary objects of the prophecy; but ultimately the last antichristian confederacy, destroyed by special divine interposition, is meant (see on [Joe 3:2]). [¶20] there hath not been ever the like--(Compare [Joe 1:2]; [Ex 10:14]). [¶21] 3. before ... behind--that is, on every side ([1Ch 19:10]). [¶22] fire ... flame--destruction ... desolation ([Is 10:17]). [¶23] as ... Eden ... wilderness--conversely ([Is 51:3]; [Eze 36:35]). [¶24] 4. appearance ... of horses--([Re 9:7]). Not literal, but figurative locusts. The fifth trumpet, or first woe, in the parallel passage ([Re 9:1-11]), cannot be literal: for in [Re 9:11] it is said, "they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit"--in the Hebrew, Abaddon ("destroyer"), but in the Greek, Apollyon--and ([Re 9:7]) "on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men." Compare [Joe 2:11], "the day of the Lord ... great and very terrible"; implying their ultimate reference to be connected with Messiah's second coming in judgment. The locust's head is so like that of a horse that the Italians call it cavalette. Compare [Job 39:20], "the horse ... as the grasshopper," or locust. [¶25] run--The locust bounds, not unlike the horse's gallop, raising and letting down together the two front feet. [¶26] 5. Like the noise of chariots--referring to the loud sound caused by their wings in motion, or else the movement of their hind legs. [¶27] on the tops of mountains--Maurer connects this with "they," that is, the locusts, which first occupy the higher places, and thence descend to the lower places. It may refer (as in English Version) to "chariots," which make most noise in crossing over rugged heights. [¶28] 6. much pained--namely, with terror. The Arab proverb is, "More terrible than the locusts." [¶29] faces shall gather blackness--([Is 13:8]; [Jr 30:6]; [Na 2:10]). Maurer translates, "withdraw their brightness," that is, wax pale, lose color (compare [Joe 2:10]; [Joe 3:15]). [¶30] 7-9. Depicting the regular military order of their advance, "One locust not turning a nail's breadth out of his own place in the march" [Jerome]. Compare [Pr 30:27], "The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands." [¶31] 10. earth ... quake before them--that is, the inhabitants of the earth quake with fear of them. [¶32] heavens ... tremble--that is, the powers of heaven ([Mt 24:29]); its illumining powers are disturbed by the locusts which intercept the sunlight with their dense flying swarms. These, however, are but the images of revolutions of states caused by such foes as were to invade Judea. [¶33] 11. Lord ... his army--So among Mohammedans, "Lord of the locusts" is a title of God. [¶34] his voice--His word of command to the locusts, and to the antitypical human foes of Judea, as "His army." [¶35] strong that executeth his word--([Re 18:8]). [¶36] 12. With such judgments impending over the Jews, Jehovah Himself urges them to repentance. [¶37] also now--Even now, what none could have hoped or believed possible, God still invites you to the hope of salvation. [¶38] fasting ... weeping ... mourning--Their sin being most heinous needs extraordinary humiliation. The outward marks of repentance are to signify the depth of their sorrow for sin. [¶39] 13. Let there be the inward sorrow of heart, and not the mere outward manifestation of it by "rending the garment" ([Jos 7:6]). [¶40] the evil--the calamity which He had threatened against the impenitent. [¶41] 14. leave ... a meat offering and a drink offering--that is, give plentiful harvests, out of the first-fruits of which we may offer the meat and drink offering, now "cut off" through the famine ([Joe 1:9], 13, 16). "Leave behind Him": as God in visiting His people now has left behind Him a curse, so He will, on returning to visit them, leave behind Him a blessing. [¶42] 15. Blow the trumpet--to convene the people ([Nu 10:3]). Compare [Joe 1:14]. The nation was guilty, and therefore there must be a national humiliation. Compare Hezekiah's proceedings before Sennacherib's invasion ([2Ch 30:1-27]). [¶43] 16. sanctify the congregation--namely, by expiatory rites and purification with water [Calvin], ([Ex 19:10], ). Maurer translates, "appoint a solemn assembly," which would be a tautological repetition of [Joe 2:15]. [¶44] elders ... children--No age was to be excepted ([2Ch 20:13]).