Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 4.djvu/946



We are altogether uncertain concerning the time when this prophet prophesied; it is probable that it wa? about the same time that Amos prophesied, not for the reason that the rabbins give, Because Amos be- gins his prophecy with that wherewith Joel concludes his; The Lord shall roar out of 7Jo>i; but for the reason Dr. Lightfoot gives. Because he speaks of the same judgments of locusts, and drought, and fire, that Amos laments, which is an intimation that they appeared about the same time, Amos in Israel, and Joel in Judah. Rosea and Obadiah prophesied about the same time; and it appears that Amos pro- phesied in the days of Jeroboam, the second king of Israel, Amos vii. 10. God sent a variety of pro- phets, that they might strengthen the hands one of another, and that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be established. In this prophecy, I. The desolation made by hosts of noxious insects is described, ch. i. and part of ch. ii. n. The people are hereupon called to repentance, ch. ii. III. Promises are made of the return of mercy upon their repentance, {ch. ii.) and promises of the pour- ing out of the Spirit in the latter days. IV. The cause of God's people is pleaded against their enemies, whom God would in due time reckon with ; {ch. iii. ) and glorious things are spoken of the gospel- Jerusalem, and of the prosperity and per- petuity of it.

This chapter is the description of a lamentable devastation made of the country of Judah by locusts and caterpil- lars ; some think that the prophet sjjeaks of it as a thing to come, and gives warning of it beforehand, as usuallv the prophets did of judgments coming. Others think that it was now present, and that his business is to affect the people with it, and awaken them by it to repentance. I. It is spoken of as a judgment which there was no precedent of in former ages, v. 1. .7. II. All sorts of people sharing in the calamity are called upon to lament it, v. 8. .13. III. They are directed to look up to God in their lamentations, and to humble themselves before him, v. 14. .20.

HE word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel. 2. Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fa- thers? 3. Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their cliildren, and their children another generation ; 4. That which the palmer-worm hath left, hath the locust eaten ; and that which the locust hath left, hath the canker-worm eaten ; and that which the canker-worm hath left, hath the caterpillar eaten. 5. Awake, ye drunkards and weep ; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine ; for it is cut off from your mouth. 6. For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, wiiose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek-teeth of a great lion. 7. He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig-tree; he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away ; the branches thereof are made white. It is a foolish fancy which some of the Jews liave, that this Joel the prophet was the same with that Joel who was the son of Samuel; (1 Sam. viii. 2.) yet one of their rabbins very gravely undertakes to