Joel 1:8

Lament The verb is fem in the Hebrew, the community, personified as a woman, the "daughter of Judah," or "daughter of my people," being addressed. So often in the prophets: comp. on Amos 5:2. The word rendered lament("âlâh) occurs only here in the O.T., though it is common in Aramaic.

like a virgin, &c. "The interruption of the fellowship between the land and Jehovah through the failure of the sacrifices the prophet throws into the figure of a young wife bereaved and in mourning. The land is the virgin; the dreary bleak aspect of it is the mourning which she wears. The bereavement lies in this: that through the cutting off of the meal-offering and the drink-offering, the tokens of Jehovah's presence and favour, manifested in His acceptance of the offerings, have been removed; communications between the land and its God have been removed, and the land is bereaved" (A. B. Davidson).

sackcloth The regular sign of mourning in the East (Amos 8:10).

husband lit. possessor, owner(Deuteronomy 24:4; 2 Samuel 11:26 al.).