12 The vine H1612 is dried up, H3001 and the fig tree H8384 languisheth; H535 the pomegranate H7416 tree, the palm tree H8558 also, and the apple tree, H8598 even all the trees H6086 of the field, H7704 are withered: H3001 because joy H8342 is withered away H3001 from the sons H1121 of men. H120
And gladness H8057 is taken away, H622 and joy H1524 out of the plentiful field; H3759 and in the vineyards H3754 there shall be no singing, H7442 neither shall there be shouting: H7321 the treaders H1869 shall tread out H1869 no wine H3196 in their presses; H3342 I have made their vintage shouting H1959 to cease. H7673
The field H7704 is wasted, H7703 the land H127 mourneth; H56 for the corn H1715 is wasted: H7703 the new wine H8492 is dried up, H3001 the oil H3323 languisheth. H535
The righteous H6662 shall flourish H6524 like the palm tree: H8558 he shall grow H7685 like a cedar H730 in Lebanon. H3844
Thy plants H7973 are an orchard H6508 of pomegranates, H7416 with pleasant H4022 fruits; H6529 camphire, H3724 with spikenard, H5373
This thy stature H6967 is like H1819 to a palm tree, H8558 and thy breasts H7699 to clusters H811 of grapes. I said, H559 I will go up H5927 to the palm tree, H8558 I will take hold H270 of the boughs H5577 thereof: now also thy breasts H7699 shall be as clusters H811 of the vine, H1612 and the smell H7381 of thy nose H639 like apples; H8598 And the roof of thy mouth H2441 like the best H2896 wine H3196 for my beloved, H1730 that goeth H1980 down sweetly, H4339 causing the lips H8193 of those that are asleep H3463 to speak. H1680
Thou hast multiplied H7235 the nation, H1471 and not increased H1431 the joy: H8057 they joy H8055 before H6440 thee according to the joy H8057 in harvest, H7105 and as men rejoice H1523 when they divide H2505 the spoil. H7998
A voice H6963 of crying H6818 shall be from Horonaim, H2773 spoiling H7701 and great H1419 destruction. H7667
And joy H8057 and gladness H1524 is taken H622 from the plentiful field, H3759 and from the land H776 of Moab; H4124 and I have caused wine H3196 to fail H7673 from the winepresses: H3342 none shall tread H1869 with shouting; H1959 their shouting H1959 shall be no shouting. H1959
Rejoice H8055 not, O Israel, H3478 for joy, H1524 as other people: H5971 for thou hast gone a whoring H2181 from thy God, H430 thou hast loved H157 a reward H868 upon every cornfloor. H1637 H1715 The floor H1637 and the winepress H3342 shall not feed H7462 them, and the new wine H8492 shall fail H3584 in her.
Is not the meat H400 cut off H3772 before our eyes, H5869 yea, joy H8057 and gladness H1524 from the house H1004 of our God? H430
Although the fig tree H8384 shall not blossom, H6524 neither shall fruit H2981 be in the vines; H1612 the labour H4639 of the olive H2132 shall fail, H3584 and the fields H7709 shall yield H6213 no meat; H400 the flock H6629 shall be cut off H1504 from the fold, H4356 and there shall be no herd H1241 in the stalls: H7517 Yet I will rejoice H5937 in the LORD, H3068 I will joy H1523 in the God H430 of my salvation. H3468
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joel 1
Commentary on Joel 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Book of the Prophet Joel
Chapter 1
This chapter is the description of a lamentable devastation made of the country of Judah by locusts and caterpillars. Some think that the prophet speaks of it as a thing to come and gives warning of it beforehand, as usually the prophets did of judgments coming. Others think that it was now present, and that his business was to affect the people with it and awaken them by it to repentance.
Joe 1:1-7
It is a foolish fancy which some of the Jews have, that this Joel the prophet was the same with that Joel who was the son of Samuel (1 Sa. 8:2); yet one of their rabbin very gravely undertakes to show why Samuel is here called Pethuel. This Joel was long after that. He here speaks of a sad and sore judgment which was now brought, or to be brought, upon Judah, for their sins. Observe,
Joe 1:8-13
The judgment is here described as very lamentable, and such as all sorts of people should share in; it shall not only rob the drunkards of their pleasure (if that were the worst of it, it might be the better borne), but it shall deprive others of their necessary subsistence, who are therefore called to lament (v. 8), as a virgin laments the death of her lover to whom she was espoused, but not completely married, yet so that he was in effect her husband, or as a young woman lately married, from whom the husband of her youth, her young husband, or the husband to whom she was married when she was young, is suddenly taken away by death. Between a new-married couple that are young, that married for love, and that are every way amiable and agreeable to each other, there is great fondness, and consequently great grief if either be taken away. Such lamentation shall there be for the loss of their corn and wine. Note, The more we are wedded to our creature-comforts that harder it is to part with them. See that parallel place, Isa. 32:10-12. Two sorts of people are here brought in, as concerned to lament this devastation, countrymen and clergymen.
Joe 1:14-20
We have observed abundance of tears shed for the destruction of the fruits of the earth by the locusts; now here we have those tears turned into the right channel, that of repentance and humiliation before God. The judgment was very heavy, and here they are directed to own the hand of God in it, his mighty hand, and to humble themselves under it. Here is,