Joel 2:13 NIV

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:13

Rend your heart - Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments. For he is gracious - Good and benevolent in his own nature. Merciful - Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence. Slow to anger - He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful. Of great... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:13

Verse 13 He then subjoins, Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Jehovah your God. The Prophet again repeats that we ought to deal sincerely with God; for all those ceremonies, by which men imagine that they discharge their duties, are mere mockeries, when they are not preceded by a pure and sincere heart. But as they were wont under mournful circumstances to rend their garments, he therefore says, “God has become now insensible to these customs; for with regard to men, ye are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:12-13

Soul-reformation. "Therefore also now," etc. Observe here three things in relation to soul-reformation. I. ITS PROCESS . Turning to the Lord, "Turn ye unto the Lord your God." The unregenerate man is an alien from God. Like the prodigal son, he has left his Father's house and gone into the "far country" of carnality and sin. Reform is turning and directing his steps back to God. Soul-reformation is not turning from one doctrine, or Church, or habit to another, but turning to God,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:12-14

The judgment of the locusts was typical of the great day of judgment. The tartars of that day were designed to bring the people to repentance. Thus judgment was mingled with mercy. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:12-17

These verses summon the people To humiliation for sin, and thanksgiving for mercy. God, by his prophet, does not forbid the outward sign of sorrow, so customary among Orientals and common among the Jews; he rather insists upon the presence of the thing signified, without which the sign was more a mockery than a reality. I. THE OCCASION OF THE HUMILIATION . It Was an earnest time with the people of the southern kingdom. Terrible desolation had been made in the land of Judah.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:13

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God . Where there is real contrition of spirit because of sin, outward manifestations are both suitable and proper, though not by way of display or for sake of ostentation. But they were reminded, on the other hand, that mere outward manifestations avail nothing unless there also exist the deep inward feelings which are in harmony with and naturally underlie those manifestations. Out of such inward feelings those outward... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:13

Spiritual repentance. Throughout the Scriptures the one indispensable condition of man's forgiveness and of his acceptance with God, which is insisted upon by all inspired writers, is repentance. It is, therefore, of great importance to have right view of this exercise or posture of the soul. I. TRUE REPENTANCE DOES NOT CONSIST IN ANY EXTERNAL , CEREMONIAL OBSERVANCE . In the East especially it has always been common to practise rites of a symbolical character in... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joel 2:13

And rend your hearts and not your garments - that is, “not your garments only” (see the note at Hosea 6:6). The rending of the clothes was an expression of extraordinary uncontrollable emotion, chiefly of grief, of terror, or of horror. At least, in Holy Scripture it is not mentioned as a part of ordinary mourning, but only upon some sudden overpowering grief, whether public or private . It was not used on occasion of death, unless there were something very grievous about its circumstances. At... read more

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

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:12-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:12-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:12-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Joel 2:13

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joel 2:13

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