Joel 1 - Introduction
_JOEL, DECLARING SUNDRY JUDGMENTS OF GOD, EXHORTETH TO OBSERVE THEM, AND TO MOURN: HE PRESCRIBETH A FAST FOR COMPLAINT._ _Before Christ 800._... [ Continue Reading ]
_JOEL, DECLARING SUNDRY JUDGMENTS OF GOD, EXHORTETH TO OBSERVE THEM, AND TO MOURN: HE PRESCRIBETH A FAST FOR COMPLAINT._ _Before Christ 800._... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THIS, YE OLD MEN— This prophesy begins with threatening the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Judah, with such desolation of their country, by swarms of locusts, as had never happened to them before in the memory of the oldest _inhabitants of the land,_ and as should occasion the utmost... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH THE PALMER-WORM HATH LEFT, &C.— Bochart has given many probable reasons to believe, that the four Hebrew words here used, חסיל _chasil,_ ילק _ielek,_ ארבה _arbeh,_ גזם _gazam,_ signify four species of locust; which the learned reader will find in his Hieroz. tom. ii. lib. v. c. 1. See als... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE, YE DRUNKARDS— This character is given to Ephraim, Isaiah 28:1; Isaiah 28:3.; and excessive drinking is assigned as a reason of the captivity of Israel, Amos 6:6. Kimchi's commentary on the place, is, "You who accustom yourselves to get drunk with wine; awake ye out of your sleep, and weep nig... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR A NATION IS COME UP— A word of consideration concerning the locusts may not be altogether improper, says Dr. Sharpe in his _Second Argument,_ &c. And as the commentators are divided in their opinions, it will be but fair to give a brief view of what has been said on both sides. To begin then wit... [ Continue Reading ]
MY VINE— This is the name of Judah, Psalms 80:8. Instead of, _Cast it away,_ Houbigant reads, _Deprived it of all fruit._... [ Continue Reading ]
LAMENT LIKE A VIRGIN— _A young woman._ Houbigant. These words are an apostrophe to the land of Judah; the prophet puts her in mind, that she ought to be deeply affected with the heavy strokes of divine vengeance, and express her inward sense of these calamities, with the same external marks of mourn... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VINE IS DRIED UP— In Barbary, in the month of June, the locusts collect themselves into compact bodies, a furlong or more square; and afterwards, marching directly on toward the sea, let nothing escape them; eating up every thing that is green or juicy, not only of the lesser kind of vegetables,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAY OF THE LORD IS AT HAND— See Jeremiah 46:10 and Ezekiel 30:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEED IS ROTTEN, &C.— _Rotted._ Whoever considers the authentic accounts given of the depredations of locusts in the year 1748 in our own country, wherein they were found burrowing under ground, and consequently destroyed the _seeds under the clods,_ thereby rendering the gardens desolate, must o... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW DO THE BEASTS GROAN!— That is, "How grievous will be the distress of the beasts of the field! How sadly will they complain, through the vehemency of thirst! How will the herds of cattle be troubled and perplexed! for their verdant pastures shall be all scorched up, and they will have none wherei... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE FIRE HATH DEVOURED, &C.— By _the fire,_ is meant the fiery heat and drought which burned up all the pastures or pleasant places, both in the wilderness and in the valleys.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEASTS, &C.—_THE PASTURES_— _Every one of the beasts cries,_ &c.—the pleasant places. REFLECTIONS.—1st, The prophet opens his discourse, 1. With an address to all the inhabitants of Judea, old and young, whose attention he demands to the message that he was about to deliver: a message of judgme... [ Continue Reading ]