Joel 2:1-31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:7

They shall run like mighty men ,.... Like men of war, in a hostile way, as soldiers run upon their enemy with undaunted courage and bravery. Bochart from Pisidas describes the locusts' manner of fighting, who says, they strike not standing, but running: they shall climb the wall like men of war ; scale the walls of cities as besiegers do; walls and bulwarks cannot keep them out; all places are accessible to them, walled cities, towns, yea, even houses, Exodus 10:6 ; and they shall... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:8

Neither shall one thrust another ,.... Press upon another, thrust him out of his place, or push him forward, or any ways straiten and distress him, or in the least hinder him in his progress: they shall walk everyone in his path ; or "highway" F15 במסלתו "per aggerem suum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "via elevata", Drusius; "via strata sua", Cocceius. ; everyone should have his path, and keep in it, and it should be as roomy to him as if he had a highway to walk in by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:9

They shall run to and fro in the city ,.... Leap about from place to place, as locusts do; see Isaiah 33:4 ; and as the Chaldeans did when they became masters of the city of Jerusalem; they ran about from place to place to seize upon their spoil and plunder: they shall run upon the wall ; which before they climbed, now they shall run upon, and go from tower to tower, as the Chaldeans did, and broke clown the walls and fortifications: they shall climb up upon the houses, and enter in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:10

The earth shall quake before them ,.... The inhabitants of it, because of the desolating judgments they bring with them, and those enemies that are signified by them: the heavens shall tremble ; being obscured by them: the sun and moon shall be dark ; the locusts sometimes come in such large numbers as to intercept the rays of the sun. Pliny F20 Ibid. (Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29.) says they sometimes darken it; and though some thought they did not fly in the night, because of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:11

And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army ,.... Either the army of the locusts, whom Pliny F21 Ibid. (Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29.) calls "pestis deorum", "the plague of the gods"; and the Arabians frequently style them the army of God. It is a tradition of theirs that locusts fell into the hands of Mahomet, with this inscription on their backs and wings, "we are the army of the most high God;' and because they were, for that reason Mahomet made a law that none should kill... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:12

Therefore also now, saith the Lord ,.... Before this terrible and intolerable day, which is near at hand, comes; before these judgments and calamities threatened take place, though just at hand; serious repentance is never too late, now is the accepted time; see Luke 19:42 ; turn ye even to me with all your heart ; against whom they had sinned, and who had prepared his army against them, and was at the head of it, just ready to give the orders, and play his artillery upon them; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:13

And rend your heart, and not your garments ,.... Which latter used to be done in times of distress, either private or public, and as a token of grief and sorrow, Genesis 37:34 ; nor was it criminal or unlawful, the apostles themselves used it, Acts 14:14 ; nor is it absolutely forbidden here, only comparatively, that they should rend their hearts rather than their garments; or not their garments only, but their hearts also; in like sense as the words in Hosea 6:6 ; are to be taken as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:14

Who knoweth if he will return and repent ,.... Which some understand of man, and of his returning and repentance; either thus whosoever he be that knows the ways of repentance, he will return, and God will repent of this evil: which sense is mentioned by Kimchi and Ben Melech: or he that knoweth that iniquity is on him will return and repent; so Jarchi, with which agrees the Targum, "he that knows that sins are in him will return from them, and he shall obtain mercy; and whoever repents,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:15

Blow the trumpet in Zion ,.... For the calling of the people together to religious duties, which was one use of the silver trumpets made for and blows by the priests, Numbers 10:2 ; sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly ; See Gill on Joel 1:14 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:16

Gather the people ,.... The common people, all the inhabitants of the land, Joel 1:14 ; summon them to meet together in the temple, in order to humble themselves before God for their sins, and implore his mercy, and seek his face to remove his judgments, or avert them: sanctify the congregation ; see that they are sanctified and prepared for a fast, as the law directs in such cases; that they may be clean and free from all ceremonial impurities; that their bodies and clothes be washed,... read more

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