Matthew Poole and continuators on Joel 1

1 THE word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel .

Since this Preface is word for word the same with that of Hosea, chap. 1. ver. 1. see it there explained.

Supposed to be of the Posterity of Reuben, therefore could not be (as the Iews suppose) Samuel's Son, nor will his time fit to 1 Chron. 5.4, 8. but of what Tribe soever, we know he came from God, and with his authority, and is so cited by the Apostle, Acts 2.16.

More of this man I know not, and 'tis possible he might be, as the Iews suppose, very eminent, because he is named, however 'tis an honour to be reported a Prophets Father. The time of his Prophesying, though not demonstrable, is with greatest probability laid about the latter end of Ieroboam the second his Reign over Israel, and in the dayes of Vzziah over Iudah.

2 Hear this , ye old men , and give ear all ye inhabitants of the land g: Hath this been in your dayes , or even in the days of your fathers ?

He is about to report a very wonderful occurrence, and desires all to consider it, mark it well, and tell me what you know.

The oldest among you, who can remember things done in your dayes, when you were young, some scores of years past.

It is an appeal to all that may possibly know more then others, and remember better then others can.

Did you personally ever know the like?

Did your Fathers ever tell you of such a thing happening in their dayes? was there ever such a thing known among them? Have you ever heard them speak of it?

3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.

Declare it very particularly, or record it, write it as in a book, that your children may know it, and the memory of it may be perpetuated, for as it was a very wonderful and unusual thing; so it was for to mind us of the cause of it, and what it taught, or should have taught them and us.

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.

Four sorts of Insects pernicious to all sorts of Trees, Corn and Herbs, are here mentioned, which did succeed each other, and devouted all that might be a future support to the Iewes, whence ensued a grievous famine for four years together, say the Iewish Interpreters, though there is no cogent reason in what they mention for proof hereof. These insects might in the same year succeed each other, the one as is usual might come sooner, the rest successively, each in its season, and so spoil the springing of all things, which they did (I do believe) really, and though these might be Emblems of some future devastation, yet it seems most agreeable to reason, and the Context, that there should really have been such caterpillars, and other vermine, and that they did devour all that was green; and though this is no where else mentioned, as I remember, in the sacred History, yet it is likely 'twas done, as here told, and as so done was a figure of some greater devastation made by Forreign Powers, as by Tiglath-Pileser, Salmaneser, Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar.

Marginal references: Heb. the residue of the palmer-worm.

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 .

Great drinkers of intoxicating liquors are apt to sleep, and be secure, the Prophet doth therefore here call to them, as to sleepers, and by one apt word expresseth a double duty, vigilance of mind, as well as of the body, so may this be parallel'd with Rom. 13.11. 1 Thes. 5.6. 1 Pet. 5.8. or Eph. 5.14.

Riotous livers, such as Prov 23.30, 31, 32. and Isa. 5.11, 12. whose life is nothing but a continued feasting with choicest Wines, and in excess, such as Amos 6.4, 5, 6. describeth.

Lament your condition with sober tears, for the sorrowes coming upon you are just matter of weeping, nor will an ordinary degree of weeping suffice. Cry out, and howl like men surprized with unsupportable miseries, Isa. 13.6 and 14.32. and 15.2.

Who offend by an inordinate use of Wine, for it is not to be understood of every one that drinketh Wine, but of such as before are called drunkards, who are in love with Wine.

Which is sweet and pleasing to the taste, and no doubt drank without stint or measure by men of that Age, against which Ioel Prophesieth.

Suddenly cut off, even when you are ready to drink it, and totally all cut off by these devouring vermin; which as 'twas a Narrative of what was already done, refers to that waste and famine by the locusts, as 'tis Allegorical and Predictive, 'twill be more dreadfully fulfilled when the enemies of Iudah shall destroy all.

6 For a nation is come up upon my land , strong , and without number , whose teeth are the teeth of a lyon , and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lyon .

An innumerable multitude of locusts and catterpillars, called a Nation here, as Solomon calls the Conies and the Ant, Prov. 30.25, 26. A prognostick of a very numerous and mighty Nation, that ere long will invade Iudah.

Or suddenly will come

upon Canaan which God calls his land, or more particularly the two Tribes, Iudea strictly taken,

Mighty in power, and undaunted in courage, if you refer it to the Assyrian or Babylonians; if to those vermin, they are, though each weak by it self, yet in those multitudes which come, strong enough, and irresistible, and shall do Gods work, that is, waste the Land, and devour all before them.

Not simply numberless, but in such multitudes none of you shall be able to recount them.

A strong Lyon, of the middle Age, that hath Whelps, and hunts the prey for them.

Which is old, and the more fierce and terrible in his looks, no way lessened in his strength, and that preys for his young ones, now what waste such Lyons make, such these Locusts will make, such Assyrians will make.

This verse countenanceth their conjecture, who take the locusts and vermin to be Emblematical in part as well as literal; for it seems not very suitable, to call their teeth, teeth of a Lyon.

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.

That Nation of locusts verse 6. both literally and mistically understood.

Made it a desolation, i. e. most desolate, which is more particularly declared in what followeth.

Peel'd off the bark, which is certain destruction to the Tree.

Eat of all the rind, and green bark, and left the body of both Vine and Fig-tree bare and stript.

As vermin cast out of their mouth, the chewings of what they spoil, so here,

all the branches of both Vine and Fig-tree are by these devouring vermin made white, all their green being eaten off; so miserably desolate will the enemy signified by these locusts, make Iudah, Gods Vine.

Marginal references: Heb. laid my fig-tree for a barking.

8 ¶ Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth .

This is minatory, and threatens calamitous times shall come, as well as directive, what to do when they are come, when God calls for weeping, we must not rejoyce.

This tells us to whom the Prophet directs this part of his Sermon, 'tis to those who amidst the Iews were like chast and modest Virgins, whose heart was fixed on one, her own, her chosen beloved Husband.

In deep mournings the people of those Countries did use sackcloth in their mourning habit, and wore it girded close to their skin.

Either married to her in youth, or espoused to her, but snatcht away from her by an untimely death, which she doth most bitterly lament.

The vicious and wicked among the Iews were alarmed and threatned in the former part of the Chapter; Now the Prophet bespeaks the good and Godly among them to prepare for mournful times.

9 The meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the house of the LORD ; the priests the LORDS ministers mourn .

Which by divine appointment was to be of fine Flower, Oyl and Frankincense, as Lev. 2.1. &c. and 6.14. &c. This meat-offering was necessary to every Sacrifice offered under the Law; so that without the Mincha, or meat-offering, the Sacrifice was maimed and illegal.

Required daily, as appears Exod. 29.40, 41. and Numb. 28.8. a fourth part of a hin of wine, for one lamb, Numb. 28.7.

By the destruction of the vines, by the locusts forementioned, all that wine (out of which they ought to offer the drink-offering) did fail.

It was to be poured out if Wine, and part of the meat-offering was to be burnt on the Altar, so both were disposed according to the Law, in the house of the Lord.

Sons of Aaron, with the Levites,

who did serve the Lord in the services of the Temple.

Grieve inwardly, and express it by outward signs, these had more cause then others to mourn, for as they had equal cause with others in respect to God, whose service hereby failed, so the Priests, in respect to their private gain and maintenance had more cause to mourn, their provision was by this means shortened.

10 The field is wasted , the land mourneth , for the corn is wasted : the new wine is dryed up , the oyl languisheth .

The soil that was wont to be fat and fruitful, and did shout with fruits, now lyeth waste, horrid to look upon, and such as promises no fruit, the famine in their houses, and the ceasing of the Sacrifices in the house of God, is like to be perpetuated.

The inhabitants of the Land by an usual figure, here called the Land.

The Wheat and Barley, their bread corn is eaten up in its greenness by these devouring locusts, whether in the letter by vermine, or in the figure by the Babylonians.

The word may as well be rendered is ashamed, or confounded, 'tis then a figurative expression, which this Prophet useth, verse 12.17. in the last of which 'tis rendered, withered, if you retain as well you may, our Version, it plainly tells us, the heats and drought with them was so great, that the Vines were withered, and all their hopes of new wine by this means cut off.

The Olive-Trees as the Vines fade too, and promise very little Oyl.

Neither able to send sap from the root to maintain its verdure, nor to put forth berries, or to bring them to maturity. Now as these words declare what barrenness was now upon the land; so 'tis a plain account of the reason why the Priests are called to mourn, and why the meat-offering and drink-offering are [illegible: 1 word] off, these must cease when that ceaseth, which made them up Corn, Wine and Oyl.

Marginal references: Or▪ [illegible: 1 span]

11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen : howl, O ye vine-dressers , for the wheat, and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished .

Some read it assertively, the Husbandmen are ashamed, and as to matter of fact, 'tis true, they were ashamed, but the Imperative Mood, or by way of Exhortation it better will suit the Context; They are now called upon to blush, repent and search into the cause of this barrenness, and loss of their labour in plowing, sowing and manuring their Tillage, the Prophet aims at this principally, to bring them, as well as the Priests to Repentance.

A sort of men so well known with that people, as Gardiners are with us, men whose work was to plant, water, prune and manage Vineyards, and whose labour (unless for sin blasted) did usually succeed to a great increase.

Your sins have brought upon you this woful scarcity, your harvest in which you expected your labours and cares should be recompenced is perished, quite destroy'd, as the word imports. This is just cause why you O Husbandmen should lament and farther enquire why God is so displeased with you.

12 The vine is dryed up , and the fig-tree languisheth, the pomegranate-tree , the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree , even all the trees of the field are withered , because joy is withered away from the sons of men.

See ver. 10. let. u.

A Tree well known, and the fruit of it was usually a great advantage, and benefit to the people of those Countries.

A pleasant tree as appears Cant. 4.13. and 7.12. and its fruit lovely, therefore fit for ornaments about the pillars of the Temple. These in the common drought and by locusts have lost their beauty, and fail the hopes of him that planted them.

Of great beauty in the height, and uniformity of its growth, and that doth rise under the weight which would depress it, Psal. 92.12. with these Ezekiels Temple was adorned, chap. 40.16, 22, 26. with the branches of these, triumphant shews were also made, but these are wither'd and dry.

The fruit whereof was very useful, and did ordinarily well recompence the care of the Planter, but now as other trees fail them.

None so hardy and able to bear unkind seasons, but are now destroyed by the judgments of God in drought and locusts.

Not as in Autumn, when the leaf falleth, but because the root fails is either dead or dying.

Or therefore, or surely, for the particle here used is oftentimes assertive, not causal.

All mirth and livelyness of men is blasted with this dismal blast upon their labours and hopes, they cannot rejoyce who foresee they shall be, nay, are already pincht with want and famine.

13 Gird your selves, and lament , ye priests : howl ye ministers of the altar : come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God : for the meat-offering, and the drink-offering is withholden from the house of your God .

Bind your mourning sackcloth close to you with a girdle, that it may be more troublesome to the flesh, for though in Heb. 'tis only gird, the phrase is well known in the Scripture, on these occasions, to include sackcloth, as what is girded on the mourner, and verse 8. sackcloth is expresly mentioned, and in many other places, Isa. 15.3. Ier. 4.8. Lam. 2.10. Ezek. 7.18. and 27.31.

Weep bitterly as they do who mourn for the dead, lament over your dead joyes, let it be a hearty grief, as that of Abraham for Sarah, Gen. 23.2. of Iacob's children and friends sorrowing for his death, Gen. 50.10. or of Israel lamenting their brave Judge, 1 Sam: 28.3.

That you may be example to others, and because they had, as observed verse 9. a double cause to mourn, one more then the rest of the people.

See ver. 5. let. n.

Verse 9. let. p. They were the Lords Ministers, now Ministers of the Altar, they served the Lord in the things of the Altar.

The case needs a continued fasting, weeping and supplication in the most humble posture, and with all the tokens of an afflicted spirit. The Priests should above others mourn, if they mourn in the day, the Priests should mourn night and day.

Who having sent me to speak to you in his name, doth call you to this, that he may pardon and bless you when you repent.

Vid. ver. 9. let. k. l. m. n.

14 ¶ Sanctifie ye a fast , call a solemn assembly , gather the elders , and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God , and cry unto the LORD .

You Priests, Ministers of my God, set apart a day, or more dayes, appoint a time, forbid all servile work, and sensual pleasures, do what you may to prepare for such a necessary work.

Wherein to afflict your selves, confess your sins, repent of them, and sue out your pardon, return to God, that he may remove your present calamities, and prevent the future.

Proclaim and publish it, that every one may know they are restrain'd from common, daily work, and that they are commanded to come together, most solemnly to seek the Lord.

Both for Age and for Authority, Magistrates and Rulers who possibly had been by their sins, more then others, cause of these grievous calamities, and should now be examples to others in repenting.

Make this Fast as publick universal as you can, command all the people of the land, all that dwell with you, perhaps the Prophet intends Proselytes of the Law, and those of Commerce as well as the Iewes.

Courts of the Temple. for Priests only might go into the Temple it self, the Court of Israel, where the people were wont to pray.

Remember the Covenant by which you are his people, and he is your God▪ that you may plead his promises as well as wait for his mercies

With tears of Repentance, with Prayer of Faith, cry more with the broken heart then loud voice.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]hap. 2.15.; [illegible: 1 letter]ev. 23.36.; [illegible: 1 word], day of [illegible: 1 word].

15 Alas for the day : for the day of the LORD is at hand , and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come .

This verse and the three next may be lookt upon either as a particular declaration of the grounds of this Fast, or as a direction how to manage the Fast, a suggesting to the people what they should spread before the Lord, or else as the words of the Priests, bewailing the calamitous state of the Land,

It is a very pathetical bemoaning themselves, which speaks their sense of the evil they suffer'd,

The day of trouble, sorrow and great distress.

This explains the former; It is a day of greater troubles then yet they felt, troubles which God will heap upon them, a day in which God will be Judge, and punish by the locusts, by the drought, and by Babylonians, unless you repent.

Great calamities were now upon them, and greater were approaching to them, if the Prophet Ioel aim at the Captivity either, of the two Tribes, it was 180 years off, if of the ten Tribes it was about 60 years off, for he Prophesieth about the latter end of Ieroboam the second; it is likely therefore he aimeth at some other calamities.

A total overthrow of the Kingdom, the worship of God, and all your labours in your land.

Whose displeasure as a consuming fire, can and will burn up all before it, his power and hand will do it, and then nothing can resist it.

Most certainly and speedily nothing can retard, or divert it, unless Fasting, Prayers and Tears, and amendment do it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 30.7.; [illegible: 1 word]. 13.6.

16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes , yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God ?

The question does most vehemently affirm our food, what we should eat, i. e. all provision we should live upon·

Devoured by locusts, or withered with drought, 'tis perisht·

We see it, 'tis not so far off as what is foretold, 'tis under our eye.

Sacrifices fail much, and Priests have scarce enough to live upon, while free will Offerings, first Fruits and Tithes, amount to very little, not sufficient to feast the Sacrificers and Offerers, who on such occasion did use to rejoyce in the house of God.

Marginal references: Deut. 16.11.14, 15.

17 The seed is rotten under their clods , the garners are laid desolate , the barns are broken down ; for the corn is withered .

Called so from the seeds-man's scattering it abroad when he soweth it, and in this place only so used, for ought I can observe, and yet this use of it here is justified by all the following words; the grain which is sown for the seed against next spring.

Is putrified, grown musty and fruitless, nor is this word any where else used in Scripture.

And Earth, from under which the seed covered should spring up, but now as unsound, rotten and fruitless seed is lost under it.

Or Storehouses, Treasuries of Corn, in which 'twas kept for future use,

Either run to ruin, because the owners discouraged with the barrenness of the seasons, would not repair them, this will intimate that this judgment lasted some years, and is better ground for it, than the four sorts of vermin repeated one after another, in verse 4. or else desolate, being pull'd down, and the materials employed for other uses, till they may have Corn to keep in them.

In which they lodged their unthreshed Corn.

Neglected, and without repair.

There was no use of them, no Corn to be laid up, all withered, and therefore the Barns were not regarded.

Marginal references: Heb. grains.

18 How do the beasts groan ? the herds of cattel are perplexed, because they have no pastures; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

So great was the penury and want of sustenance, that the beasts in the field pincht with hunger, groaned, made dismal noise for fodder and water, the first word, beasts, is general, and contains all sorts.

The greater Cattel which go wandering about, and range over all places, yet can find no pasturage.

Which led by Shepherds, might likely be supposed better secured, yet their Shepherds find no Pasture, and the sheep pine away, and starve. These things are mentioned, either as convincing men of their stupidity, who were less sensible of present miseries then brute beasts were, or to provoke them to lay to heart the pressing calamities, or as arguments that he would pity and relieve innocent brutes, though he punisht sinful brutes.

19 O LORD , to thee will I cry : for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness , and the flame hath burnt all the trees of the field.

Maker and preserver of these poor famisht Cattel.

Either 'tis the Prophets Prayer he maketh, or a form prescribed for the Priests.

The immoderate heats, or else the scorching and blasting flashes of fire in the air, which in those hot Countries are more frequent and more pernicious then in colder Climates.

The fruitful and pleasant places where Shepherds pitcht their Tents, and were use to feed their sheep, all are parcht and dryed as if burnt with fire.

Either because the Shepherds chose to pitch their Tents far from Cities and Towns, or else, because in those vast Wildernesses there were some fruitful Pastures scattered up and down, some lower places of Springs and Water-courses.

The flashes of fire from the Clouds, or in the Air, without Thunder, or else Lightenings with Thunder.

That they neither afford their fruit, their shade, or their green boughs for brouse for the relief of man or beast. This extream desolation should affect them all, it doth shame the sinfully sensless among them, and it is a good argument to use with God, whose creatures they are as well as man.

Marginal references: Or, habitations

20 The beasts of the field cry also unto thee : for the rivers of waters are dryed up , and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness .

Vid. verse 18. let x.

The wilder sort, that rove about many miles seeking their livelyhood, find no sustenance, they look up to God, and cry to him, these creatures that can better shift for themselves, yet can make no good shift; they utter their complaints in their sad tones, they have a voice to cry, as well as an eye to look to God.

Who only canst open thy hand, and fill them, learn ye brutish among men, look and cry to God; And again, have pity O God, many of thy sinless creatures perish without relief, hear them, though thou shouldst not hear men.

Most extream and tedious drought, which hath dryed up the Rivers themselves, there is no drink for the Cattle, they must perish without help, unless thou O God send a plentiful and fruitful rain.

Vid. this explain'd above verse 19. let. c. d. e.

Marginal references: Psal. 104.2[illegible: 1 letter] ▪