Joel 1:15-20

15-20. Not a petition which the prophet puts into the mouths of the priests, but the prophet’s own words, explaining the seriousness of the calamity and thus presenting the reason for the appeal in 13, 14. The wail turns into a supplication in Joel 1:19. The terror of the prophet is increased, because he sees in the present calamity the forerunner of the day of Jehovah Among the Hebrews, as frequently among the Arabs, the word day is sometimes used in the definite sense day of battle (Isaiah 9:4). This is the sense of the word in the common Old Testament phrase, day of Jehovah (Amos 5:18; Isaiah 2:12-21; Zephaniah 1:7, etc.). We first meet the expression in Amos 5:18, where the prophet condemns the popular conception of it. The day of Jehovah is essentially a day of battle, on which Jehovah will manifest himself in the destruction of his foes and the exaltation of his friends; but there are differences in the statements concerning the extent of the conflict and concerning the persons who constitute the enemies of Jehovah. At the time of Amos the popular mind identified the enemies of Israel with the enemies of Jehovah; while the day of Jehovah would mark the destruction of these, to Israel it would be a day of glory and triumph. This misapprehension the prophet seeks to remove. He points out that the day would not necessarily be a day of triumph for Israel; its character would depend entirely upon their moral condition, for on his day Jehovah would vindicate his righteousness against sin, whether among foreign nations or among his own people. Sometimes Jehovah is thought of as employing human agents to strike the decisive blow, at other times he strikes the blow himself (Schultz, Old Testament Theology, 2: 354ff.; Encyclopaedia Biblica, article “Eschatology,” 34ff.; Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible, 1: 735ff.). The day does not bring final destruction to all; it is followed by a period of permanent felicity for the pious; it is therefore the threshold of the Messianic age. In this verse we have the same thought that we find in Amos, that the chosen people are not necessarily excluded from the terrors of the day; they will be spared only on condition of repentance. At hand See Joel 2:1; Joel 3:14; compare Zephaniah 1:7; Zephaniah 1:14; Obadiah 1:15; Isaiah 13:6; Ezekiel 30:3. The near approach of the great judgment was often suggested by a great political crisis; the onward sweep of the Scythians (Zephaniah 1:7), the struggles around Babylon (Isaiah 13:6), the operations of Nebuchadrezzar (Ezekiel 30:3). To Joel the suggestion came from the plague of locusts, but he does not identify this plague with the day itself.

As a destruction from the Almighty In the original a very effective play upon words: shodh, destruction, shadday, almighty. Driver seeks to retain the play by rendering “overpowering from the overpowerer”; Rueckert gives a somewhat free rendering in German: “Graussen vom grossen Gott.”

As a destruction Not a comparison such as is marked ordinarily by as; it is here the so-called kaph veritatis, used where the comparison is to be emphasized; equivalent to in every respect like (G.-K., 118x). The day of Jehovah will be in every respect like a blow from the Almighty, in suddenness, strength, and effect.

Almighty A translation of the Greek παντω κρατωρ , supposed to be a translation of the Hebrew shadday, used here purposely because of its similarity in sound with shodh. The etymology of the Hebrew word is obscure. Some think that it comes from the verb shadhah, overpower, treat with violence, destroy; if so, the name would represent God as powerful, or as the destroyer. There are several other explanations; the one sure to become popular connects the word with the Assyrian shadu, mountain, and renders el shadday, “God, my mountain” (Delitzsch), or “God of the two mountains” that is, heaven and earth (Radau). Isaiah 13:6, is almost identical with this verse, which may be dependent upon the former, or the expression may have been a popular saying, a proverb, used by both authors independently.

In justification of his fear the prophet points in Joel 1:16 ff. to the awful condition of the country. Joel 1:16 expresses two thoughts, one touching the physical, the other the religious life. Physical life is threatened because the fields are devastated, so that there can be no harvest.

Before our eyes We have to watch the process of destruction and can do nothing to prevent it. Helplessness on the part of the observer seems always implied in the Hebrew expression (Isaiah 1:7; Deuteronomy 28:31; Psalms 23:5). The calamity has a more serious aspect because of its effect upon the religious cult: the communion between the people and Jehovah is broken; therefore he also cannot help (9).

Joy and gladness The joy of the religious gatherings and of the presentation of the first fruits. These were to be offered at the temple with rejoicing (Deuteronomy 26:1-11). The more plentiful the harvest the greater the rejoicing; the freewill offerings can no longer be presented, and the joyful feasts accompanying them can no longer be held; the rejoicing of the feast of weeks and of the feast of tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:9-15) is made impossible; all is sadness and lamentation.

The interpretation of Joel 1:17 is made difficult by the presence of at least four uncommon words and the disagreement among the ancient versions; the general thought, however, is clear. Evidently there is reference to a drought accompanying the plague of locusts.

Is rotten Better, shriveled. The Hebrew verb is found only here in the Old Testament. The translation of A.V. is adopted from mediaeval Jewish commentators, who compared the verb with a similar one in Arabic; but rot would presuppose excessive moisture, which is contrary to the context; another similar Arabic verb suggests the meaning to contract (the forehead), wrinkle, which would correctly describe the effects of drought upon the seed. It shrivels, and thus loses its germinating power. The Hebrew words for “seed” and “clods” also occur only here. About the meaning of the former there can be no doubt, and through comparison with the Arabic the translation “clod” seems well established, though the rendering “shovel” (Driver) is not without justification. A calamity of this character would destroy the harvest for a second year (Joel 2:25). Merx, who takes exception to all these uncommon words in a single verse, after careful consideration (pp. 101ff.) suggests the following translation of Joel 1:17 and the first clause of Joel 1:18: “The cattle stamp at their cribs; the garners are laid desolate, the winepresses are broken down, for the grain is not, grapes and olives are lost. What should we place in them?” There does not seem to be sufficient justification for these radical emendations.

Garners The places where the grain is stored.

Are laid desolate Because all that has been stored there has been used, and since the grain is shriveled in the ground there will be no harvest the following year; therefore the garners are allowed to go to ruin.

Barns The Hebrew word is used only here; a similar one meaning barn is in Haggai 2:19; probably a synonym to “garner.” Whether separate sections for the preservation of various kinds of grain or fruit are intended (Credner) is not certain.

The corn [“grain”] is withered This gives the reason for the condition of the garners; the same word as in Joel 1:11.