Assemble yourselves The word is found only here, and its meaning is very uncertain. A.V. follows LXX., Targ., Syr., Ibn Ezra, and Kimchi; but the rendering rests upon no philological basis, and is merely conjectured from the context. It is best to suppose an error in the text, and for עושו to read חושו, Hasten.

all ye nations (Joel 3:2) round about, and gather yourselves together In Ezekiel 36:4; Ezekiel 36:7 the nations round aboutIsrael are its more immediate neighbours; but the context (Joel 3:2; Joel 3:9; Joel 3:12a) shews that the expression is meant here more generally.

thither cause thy mighty ones(or warriors) to come down the prophet suddenly turns aside to address Jehovah: he has bidden the nations assemble, for the contest against Israel, in the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2; Joel 3:12): he now prays Jehovah to cause His warriors also to descend thither to meet them. The mighty onesare, no doubt, the angelic hosts (Psalms 68:17; Zechariah 14:5), whom Joel pictures as the agents of Jehovah's will, and who are called in Psalms 103:20 the "mighty in strength."

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