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Joel2

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

3A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and none hath escaped them.

4The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so do they run.

5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

6At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces are waxed pale.

7They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and they break not their ranks.

8Neither doth one thrust another; they march every one in his path; and they burst through the weapons, and break not off their course.

9They leap upon the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.

10The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

11And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

12Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14Who knoweth whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah your God?

15Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly;

16gather the people, sanctify the assembly, assemble the old men, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?

18Then was Jehovah jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

19And Jehovah answered and said unto his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations;

20but I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea; and its stench shall come up, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things.

21Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for Jehovah hath done great things.

22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength.

23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month.

24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you.

26And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame.

27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah your God, and there is none else; and my people shall never be put to shame.

28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.

30And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh.

32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Joel 2.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: God's judgments. (1-14) . Exhortations to fasting and prayer; blessings promised. (15-27) . A promise of the Holy Spirit, and of future mercies. (28-32).

vv1-14

The priests were to alarm the people with the near approach of the Divine judgments. It is the work of ministers to warn of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal the wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The striking description which follows, shows what would attend the devastations of locusts, but may also describe the effects from the ravaging of the land by the Chaldeans. If the alarm of temporal judgments is given to offending nations, how much more should sinners be warned to seek deliverance from the wrath to come! Our business therefore on earth must especially be, to secure an interest in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we should seek to be weaned from objects which will soon be torn from all who now make idols of them. There must be outward expressions of sorrow and shame, fasting, weeping, and mourning; tears for trouble must be turned into tears for the sin that caused it. But rending the garments would be vain, except their hearts were rent by abasement and self-abhorrence; by sorrow for their sins, and separation from them. There is no question but that if we truly repent of our sins, God will forgive them; but whether he will remove affliction is not promised, yet the probability of it should encourage us to repent.

vv15-27

The priests and rulers are to appoint a solemn fast. The sinner's supplication is, Spare us, good Lord. God is ready to succour his people; and he waits to be gracious. They prayed that God would spare them, and he answered them. His promises are real answers to the prayers of faith; with him saying and doing are not two things. Some understand these promises figuratively, as pointing to gospel grace, and as fulfilled in the abundant comforts treasured up for believers in the covenant of grace.

vv28-32

The promise began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, and it was continued in the converting grace and miraculous gifts conferred on both Jews and Gentiles. The judgments of God upon a sinful world, only go before the judgment of the world in the last day. Calling on God supposes knowledge of him, faith in him, desire toward him, dependence on him, and, as evidence of the sincerity of all this, conscientious obedience to him. Those only shall be delivered in the great day, who are now effectually called from sin to God, from self to Christ, from things below to things above.

Cross References

Joel 2
v30Acts 2:19fulfillment

Peter explicitly quotes this prophecy of wonders in heaven and earth at Pentecost.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v31Acts 2:20fulfillment

Peter quotes this verse regarding the sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v4Revelation 9:7allusion

The description of apocalyptic locusts resembling horses running to battle closely mirrors this passage.

Supported by JFB

v13Jonah 4:2thematic

Uses the exact same liturgical formula of God being gracious, merciful, and slow to anger.

Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB

v2Exodus 10:14thematic

Parallels the unique, unprecedented severity of the Egyptian plague of locusts.

Supported by JFB

v3Genesis 13:10thematic

The 'garden of Eden' is the proverbial standard of fertile, pristine land before destruction.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v9Jeremiah 9:21thematic

Describes the judgment entering into the windows like a thief, illustrating inescapable invasion.

Supported by JFB

v15Joel 1:14thematic

Repeats the solemn charge to sanctify a fast and call a solemn assembly in Zion.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v1Hosea 5:8thematic

Blowing the trumpet and sounding alarms of impending divine judgment and war.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v3Ezekiel 36:35thematic

Contrast of a desolate wilderness becoming like the garden of Eden, reversing the judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v6Isaiah 13:8thematic

Faces gathering blackness or paleness under the terror of the Day of the Lord.

Supported by JFB

v7Proverbs 30:27thematic

The proverb of locusts having no king, yet advancing in perfect, orderly bands.

Supported by JFB

v10Joel 3:15thematic

Repeats the cosmic signs of the sun, moon, and stars withdrawing their shining.

Supported by JFB

v20Exodus 10:19typology

Typological pattern of God casting the plague (locusts/northern army) into the sea.

Supported by Matthew Poole

God repenting himself for His servants when He sees their power is gone.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v17Joel 1:13thematic

Priests, as ministers of the altar, are commanded to lament and cry out to God.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin