Joel 2:23

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. FEAR NOT, O LAND ... BE NOT AFRAID, YE BEASTS OF THE FIELD ... BE GLAD THEN, YE CHILDREN OF ZION. In an ascending gradation, the land destroyed by the enemy, the beasts of the field, and the children of Zion, the land's inhabitants, are addressed, the former two by personification. BE GLAD AND REJOICE: FOR THE LORD WILL DO GREAT THINGS. In contrast to the "great things" done by the haughty foe (Joel 2:20) to the hurt of Judah, stand the "great things" to be done by Yahweh for her benefit (cf. Psalms 126:2). Verse 22. BE NOT AFRAID, YE BEASTS OF THE FIELD: FOR THE PASTURES OF THE WILDERNESS DO SPRING, FOR THE TREE BEARETH HER FRUIT -...

He now exhorts the Jews also to rejoice, but in a way different from that of the land and of the beasts. _Rejoice, _he says, _in your God. _For the beasts and the sheep, while rejoicing, cannot raise their thoughts higher than to their food: hence, the joy of brute animals, as they say, terminates in its object. But the Prophet sets forth God before the Jews as the ground of their joy. We then see how he distinguishes them from brute animals from the land and other elements; for he not only bids them to rejoice in meat and drink, in the abundance of provisions, but he also bids them to rejoice in the Lord their God; and he says no more, “The land will yield its strength, or the vines and fig-trees, or the trees, will produce their fruit, and the pastures will grow;” no, he speaks not now in this manner, but he says “God himself will give you rain:” for he had to do with men, endued with...

15-27 The priests and rulers are to appoint a solemn fast. The sinner's supplication is, Spare us, good Lord. God is ready to succour his people; and he waits to be gracious. They prayed that God would spare them, and he answered them. His promises are real answers to the prayers of faith; with him saying and doing are not two things. Some understand these promises figuratively, as pointing to gospel grace, and as fulfilled in the abundant comforts treasured up for believers in the covenant of grace....

Verse 23. _THE FORMER RAIN MODERATELY_] המורה לצדקה _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....

BE GLAD THEN AND REJOICE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD - All things had been restored for their sakes; they were to rejoice, not chiefly in these things, but in God; nor only in God, but in the Lord their God. “For He hath given you the former rain moderately.” The word rendered “moderately” should be rendered “unto righteosness;” the word often as it occurs never having any sense but that of “righteousness;” whether of God or man. The other word מורה _môwreh_, rendered “the former rain,” confessedly has that meaning in the latter part of the verse, although “yoreh” יורה _yôwreh_ is the distinctive term for “latter rain” Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24. “Moreh” mostly signifies “a teacher” ...

EXPOSITION JOEL 2:1 These verses contain a further description of the calamity occasioned by the locusts and the appearance presented by them; the calling of a congregational meeting for penitence and prayer; the reason assigned in the coming of the day of the Lord. JOEL 2:1 BLOW YE THE TRUMPET (margin, cornet) in Zion, AND SOUND AN ALARM (or, cause it to sound) IN MY HOLY MOUNTAIN. The _shophar_, or far-sounding horn, and probably the _chatsoterah_,_ _the _hazar_ or silver trumpet, were called into requisition. The priests are urged with great vehemence, as _tiqu shophar _and _hariu _imply, to apprise the people that the day of Jehovah's terrible judgment was near

BE GLAD THEN, YE CHILDREN OF ZION,.... The people of the Jews, and especially the spiritual and believing part of them; such as were born again, that were born of Zion, and born in Zion, and brought up by her, and in her; the children of that Zion or Jerusalem that is the mother of us all; and who were looking for the Messiah, and to whom it would be good news and glad tidings to hear of his coming, Zechariah 9:9; AND REJOICE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD; not in any creature or creature enjoyment, but in the Lord. The Targum is, "in the Word of the Lord your God;'' in Christ the essential Word; see Philippians 3:3; though rather Jehovah the Father, the giver and sender of Christ, is here meant, because of what follows; and who is to be rejoiced in by his people, not

II. THE COMING DAY OF THE LORD: THE REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION OF ISRAEL CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The alarm sounded and the day at hand (Joel 2:1) _ 2. The invading army from the north (Joel 2:3) 3. The repentance of the people and cry for help (Joel 2:12) 4. “Then.” The great change (Joel 2:18) 5. Promises of restoration, and the early and latter rain (Joel 2:19) 6. The outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28) 7. Deliverance in Mount Zion

JOEL 2:18 Joel 3:21. YAHWEH'S GRACIOUS RESPONSE TO THE PRAYER OF INTERCESSION. Joel 2:18. The Locusts shall be Destroyed and the Inhabitants of the Land Rejoice in Renewed Prosperity. Joel 2:21, which seems to interrupt the speech of Yahweh, may be misplaced. Certainly Joel 2:25 would follow well on Joel 2:20, and the change to the third person for Yahweh is striking. But in prophecy the interchange between the words of Yahweh and the words of the prophet regarded as one and the same t

BE GLAD, &c. Figure of speech _Apostrophe_ (App-6), to the people. CHILDREN. sons. MODERATELY. in due measure. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:4.Deuteronomy 11:14; Deuteronomy 28:12). App-92. IN THE FIRST MONTH. [as at] the first, or [as] aforetime. Obviously, the two rains do not come in one and the same month....