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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:16

Gather the children - Let all share in the humiliation, for all must feel the judgment, should it come. Let no state nor condition among the people be exempted. The elders, the young persons, the infants, the bridegroom, and the bride; let all leave their houses, and go to the temple of God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:17

Let the priests - weep between the porch and the altar - The altar of burnt-offerings stood before the porch of the temple, 2 Chronicles 8:12 , and between them there was an open space of fifteen or twenty cubits. It was there that the priests prostrated themselves on such occasions. It was into this place that the priests brought the sacrifice or victim of atonement; and where the high priest laid his hands on the head of the victim confessing his sins. Let them say - The following... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:19

Yea, the Lord will answer - It is not a peradventure; it will surely be done; if ye seek God as commanded, ye will find him as promised. I will send you corn and wine - He will either prevent the total ravaging of the land, or so bless it with extraordinary vegetable strength, that ye shall have plentiful crops. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:20

I will remove far off from you the northern army - "That is, the locusts; which might enter Judea by the north, as Circassia and Mingrelia abound with them. Or the locusts may be thus called, because they spread terror like the Assyrian armies, which entered Judea by the north. See Zephaniah 2:13 ." - Newcome. Syria, which was northward of Judea, was infested with them; and it must have been a northern wind that brought them into Judea, in the time of Joel; as God promises to change this... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:21

Fear not - for the Lord will do great things - The words are repeated from the preceding verse; Jehovah will do great things in driving them away, and supernaturally restoring the land to fertility. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:23

The former rain moderately - לצדקה המורה hammoreh litsedakah , "the former rain in righteousness," that is, in due time and in just proportion. This rain fell after autumn, the other in spring. See Hosea 6:3 . In the first month - בראשון barishon , "as aforetime." So Bp. Newcome. In the month Nisan. - Syriac. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:25

I will restore - the years - It has already been remarked that the locusts not only destroyed the produce of that year, but so completely ate up all buds, and barked the trees, that they did not recover for some years. Here God promises that he would either prevent or remedy that evil; for he would restore the years that the locusts, cankerworm, caterpillar, and palmerworm had eaten. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:26

Praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you - In so destroying this formidable enemy; and so miraculously restoring the land to fertility, after so great a devastation. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:28

Shall come to pass afterward - כן אחרי acharey ken , "after this;" the same, says Kimchi, as in the latter days, which always refers to the days of the Messiah; and thus this prophecy is to be interpreted: and we have the testimony of St. Peter, Acts 2:17 , that this prophecy relates to that mighty effusion of the Holy Spirit which took place after the day of pentecost. Nor is there any evidence that such an effusion took place, nor such effects were produced, from the days of this... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joel 2:29

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids - The gifts of teaching and instructing men shall not be restricted to any one class or order of people. He shall call and qualify the men of his own choice; and shall take such out of all ranks, orders, degrees, and offices in society. And he will pour out his Spirit upon them; and they shall be endowed with all the gifts and graces necessary to convert sinners, and build up the Church of Christ on its most holy faith. And this God has... read more

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