Joel 2:11-27 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joel 2:1-11

Here we have God contending with his own professing people for their sins and executing upon them the judgment written in the law (Deut. 28:42), The fruit of thy land shall the locust consume, which was one of those diseases of Egypt that God would bring upon them, Deut. 28:60. I. Here is the war proclaimed (Joel 2:1): Blow the trumpet in Zion, either to call the invading army together, and then the trumpet sounds a charge, or rather to give notice to Judah and Jerusalem of the approach of the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joel 2:12-17

We have here an earnest exhortation to repentance, inferred from that desolating judgment described and threatened in the Joel 2:1-11: Therefore now turn you to the Lord. 1. ?Thus you must answer the end and intention of the judgment; for it was sent for this end, to convince you of your sins, to humble you for them, to reduce you to your right minds and to your allegiance.? God brings us into straits, that he may bring us to repentance and so bring us to himself. 2. ?Thus you may stay the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joel 2:18-27

See how ready God is to succour and relieve his people, how he waits to be gracious; as soon as ever they humble themselves under this hand, and pray, and seek his face, he immediately meets them with his favours. They prayed that God would spare them, and see here with what good words and comfortable words he answered them; for God's promises are real answers to the prayers of faith, because with him saying and doing are not two things. Now observe, I. Whence this mercy promised shall take... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:17

Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar ,.... Not the altar of incense which stood in the holy place; but the altar of burnt offering, where the priests used to stand and do service; but now having nothing to do of that kind, they are called upon to weep and pray between that and the porch of the temple; where they might be seen and heard by the people in the outward court which the porch led into: this is thought by some to be the same situation with... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joel 2:1-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joel 2:12-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joel 2:18-27

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joel 2:17

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