_Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand;_ Ver. 1. _Blow ye the trumpet in Zion_] _Idem aliis verbis repetit,_ saith Mercer here. The prophet repeats the same as in the... [ Continue Reading ]
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations. Ver. 2. _A day of darkness and of gloomi... [ Continue Reading ]
A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land [is] as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. Ver. 3. _A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth_] Such waste these vermin shall make, lik... [ Continue Reading ]
_The appearance of them [is] as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run._ Ver. 4. _The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen_] _i.e._ the locusts and other insects come on amain; they march with much nimbleness and swiftness. A horse is a warlike cr... [ Continue Reading ]
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Ver. 5. _Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains_] Not only on the tops of standing grain, as other locusts, which t... [ Continue Reading ]
Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. Ver. 6. _Before their face the people shall be much pained_] This is a confirmation of the former assertion. The people when they shall see those swarms of locusts, &c., mustering and marching in the air, they shal... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Ver. 7. _They shall run like mighty men_] _Horribiles, fortissimi ut gigantes._ They shall strike terror into others, as in the former verse,... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and [when] they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. Ver. 8. _Neither shall one thrust another_] Or straiten another. The Greek word διωκω, to press and persecute, seems to come from this Hebrew word _Dakag._ The pr... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. Ver. 9. _They shall run to and fro_] As soldiers do when they have taken a town by assault, and have leave to plunder. _En victoriam et hostilem... [ Continue Reading ]
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: Ver. 10. _The earth shall quake before them, &c._] _Tragicis figuris calamitatem amplificat,_ saith Luther here. By such tragic terms the prophets used to se... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp [is] very great: for [he is] strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD [is] great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Ver. 11. _And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army_] In the head of his army, as genera... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: Ver. 12. _Therefore also now, saith the Lord_] Now, though it be late first, and, as you may think, too late, _Nunquam sero si serio._ Now, though the dreadful day of... [ Continue Reading ]
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he [is] gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Ver. 13. _And rend your heart and not your garments_] _i.e._ not your garments only, which was _gestus perturbationis_... [ Continue Reading ]
Who knoweth [if] he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; [even] a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? Ver. 14. _Who knoweth if he will return and repent, &c._] Hitherto the prophet had argued from God's gracious disposition; now here from his courteous and... [ Continue Reading ]
Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Ver. 15. _Blow the trumpet in Zion_] That all may hear and convene, those of Jerusalem in the temple, and the rest in their several synagogues, Leviticus 23:31, for that yearly fast was a standard to the rest, kept upon extraordinar... [ Continue Reading ]
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Ver. 16. _Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, &c._] Let the priests, God's ministers, see t... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where [is] their God? Ver. 17. _Let the priests,... [ Continue Reading ]
Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Ver. 18. Then will the Lord be jealous (or, zealous) for his land] Then _dicto citius_ straight upon it: no sooner shall you repent (as is prescribed) but the Lord will be jealous, &c. Of God's jealousy for his people, _See Trapp on ... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: Ver. 19. _Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people_] He will say it in answer to their prayers... [ Continue Reading ]
But I will remove far off from you the northern [army], and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Ver. 20. _But I... [ Continue Reading ]
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Ver. 21. _Fear not, O land_] O red earth, or O tilled land, that hast lain bedridden, as it were under the heavy curse of God, ever since the fall of Adam; and wast never beautiful on cheerful since that time, Genesis 3:17. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Ver. 22. _Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field_] _q.d._ Ye shall have no cause to fear for the future: though hitherto ye have suf... [ Continue Reading ]
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month]. Ver. 23. _Be glad then, ye children of Zion_] "Ye righteous ones," Psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. Ver. 24. _And the floors shall be full of wheat_] Such fatness shall God's footsteps drop, that your houses shall be full of all "precious and pleasant riches," Proverbs 24:4; so that you shall, as rich men love t... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Ver. 25. _And I will restore to you the years, &c._] I will so make up your former losses, that there shall remain no sign nor sense thereof... [ Continue Reading ]
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. Ver. 26. _And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied_] Which, what a great blessing it is, see Hag 1:6 Ecclesiastes 6:1,2. _See Trapp o... [ Continue Reading ]
And ye shall know that I [am] in the midst of Israel, and [that] I [am] the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. Ver. 27. _And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel_] These temporal blessings shall seal up my love to you and presence of grace with you. True i... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Ver. 28. _And it shall come to pass afterwards_] _sc._ In the days of the Messiah, which is calle... [ Continue Reading ]
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Ver. 29. _And also upon the servants_] They shall be the free men and women of Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 7:22, by as full a measure of God's free and noble Spirit bestowed upon them as upon their masters an... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. Ver. 30. _And I will show wonders in the heavens_] _Prodigia beneficia credentibus, malefica et horrifica incredulis,_ saith Cornelius a Lapide, who interpreteth the text of those signs and wonders that... [ Continue Reading ]
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. Ver. 31. _The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood_] By strange and stupendous eclipses: such as was that of the moon for 12 nights together, a little before... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Ver. 32. _And it shall come to pass, that whosoever, &c._] Lest any good so... [ Continue Reading ]