the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Green's Literal Translation
Joel 2:23
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- CondensedParallel Translations
So be happy, people of Zion. Be joyful in the Lord your God. He is good and will give you rain. He will send the early rains and the late rains as before.
So shout for joy, you sons of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has brought down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before.
So be happy, people of Jerusalem; be joyful in the Lord your God. Because he does what is right, he has brought you rain; he has sent the fall rain and the spring rain for you, as before.
Citizens of Zion, rejoice! Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! For he has given to you the early rains as vindication. He has sent to you the rains— both the early and the late rains as formerly.
Be glad then, you sons of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh your God; for he gives you the former rain in just measure, and he causes to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first [month].
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].
So rejoice, O children of Zion, And delight in the LORD, your God; For He has given you the early [autumn] rain in vindication And He has poured down the rain for you, The early [autumn] rain and the late [spring] rain, as before.
"Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
"Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in Yahweh, your God; For he gives you the former rain in just measure, And he causes the rain to come down for you, The former rain and the latter rain, As before.
And the sones of Sion, make ye ful out ioie, and be ye glad in youre Lord God, for he yaf to you a techere of riytfulnesse, and he schal make morewtid reyn and euentid reyn to come doun to you, as in the bigynnyng.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month.
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
People of Zion, celebrate in honor of the Lord your God! He is generous and has sent the autumn and spring rains in the proper seasons.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month.
Be glad, then, you children of Zion, and have joy in the Lord your God: for he gives you food in full measure, making the rain come down for you, the early and the late rain as at the first.
Be glad, people of Tziyon! rejoice in Adonai your God! For he is giving you the right amount of rain in the fall, he makes the rain come down for you, the fall and spring rains — this is what he does first.
And ye, children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the early rain in due measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the early rain, and the latter rain at the beginning [of the season].
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He giveth you the former rain in just measure, and He causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, at the first.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and reioyce in the Lord your God: for he hath giuen you the former raine moderately, and he will cause to come downe for you the raine, the former raine, & the latter raine in the first month.
Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring.
Be glad, O sons of Zion. Be happy in the Lord your God. For He has given the early rain to help you. He has poured down much rain for you, both fall and spring rains, as before.
O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and reioyce in the Lorde your God: for he hath giuen you the rayne of righteousnes, he wil cause to come downe for you the rayne, euen the first raine, and the latter raine in the first moneth.
Be glad then, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he has given you food of righteousness, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
Ye sons of Zion, then, exult and be glad in Yahweh your God, for he hath given you the seed-rain, in right manner, - Yea he hath caused to descend for you a down-pour, of seed-rain and of the harvest-rain in the first month;
And you, O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful in the Lord your God: because he hath given you a teacher of justice, and he will make the early and the latter rain to come down to you as in the beginning.
"Be glad, O sons of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
Be glad then ye children of Sion, and reioyce in the Lorde your God: for he hath geuen you moderate rayne, & he wyll sende downe for you the rayne, [euen] the first rayne & the latter rayne, in the first [moneth.]
Rejoice then and be glad, ye children of Sion, in the Lord your God: for he has given you food fully, and he will rain on you the early and the latter rain, as before.
"Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice at what the Lord your God has done for you. He has given you the right amount of autumn rain; he has poured down the winter rain for you and the spring rain as before.
Children of Zion, rejoice and be gladin the Lord your God,because he gives you the autumn rainfor your vindication.He sends showers for you,both autumn and spring rain as before.
"Be glad then, you children of Tziyon, And rejoice in the LORD, your God; For he gives you the former rain in just measure, And he causes the rain to come down for you, The former rain and the latter rain, As before.
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.
Be glad, O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Yahweh your God, because he has given for you the autumn rains for your righteousness, and he has poured down for you rainwater, the autumn and spring rains, as before.
And ye sons of Zion, joy and rejoice, In Jehovah your God, For He hath given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causeth to come down to you a shower, Sprinkling and gathered -- in the beginning.
Be glad then (o ye children of Sion) and reioyse in the LORDE youre God, for he hath geuen you the teacher of rightuousnes: & he it is yt shal sende you downe shuwers of rayne, early and late in the first moneth:
Be glad then, you children of Zion,And rejoice in the Lord your God;For He has given you the former rain faithfully, [fn] And He will cause the rain to come down for you--The former rain,And the latter rain in the first month.
So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the LORD your God; For He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before.
So rejoice, O sons of Zion,And be glad in Yahweh your God,For He has given you the early rain in righteousness.And He has poured down for you the rain,The early and late rains as before.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
ye children: Psalms 149:2, Lamentations 4:2, Zechariah 9:13, Galatians 4:26, Galatians 4:27
rejoice: Psalms 28:7, Psalms 32:11, Psalms 33:1, Psalms 95:1-3, Psalms 104:34, Isaiah 12:2-6, Isaiah 41:16, Isaiah 61:10, Habakkuk 3:17, Habakkuk 3:18, Zephaniah 3:14-17, Zechariah 9:9, Zechariah 10:7, Luke 1:46, Luke 1:47, Philippians 3:1, Philippians 3:3, Philippians 4:4
the former: etc. or, a teacher of righteousness, Joel 2:28, Joel 2:29, Deuteronomy 32:2, Job 33:23, Psalms 72:6, Psalms 72:7, Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah 30:23, Ephesians 4:8-11
moderately: Heb. according to righteousness
he will: Leviticus 26:4, Deuteronomy 11:14, Deuteronomy 28:12, Proverbs 16:15, Jeremiah 3:3, Hosea 6:3, Zechariah 10:1, James 5:7, James 5:8
in: Amos 4:7
Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 21:10 - until water 1 Kings 18:1 - I will send rain 2 Chronicles 6:27 - send rain Nehemiah 8:10 - the joy Job 37:12 - it Job 37:13 - for mercy Job 38:28 - Hath the Psalms 65:9 - greatly Psalms 106:5 - rejoice Psalms 126:5 - that sow Psalms 147:8 - prepareth Psalms 147:12 - praise thy God Proverbs 3:20 - the clouds Jeremiah 5:24 - that giveth Jeremiah 14:22 - Art Luke 13:34 - thy
Cross-References
And Jehovah God planted a garden in Eden to the east; and He put the man whom He had formed there.
And out of the ground Jehovah God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. The Tree of Life was also in the middle of the garden; also the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
And Laban said to him, Truly you are my bone and my flesh. And he lived with him a month of days.
Please speak in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, Which is best for you, seventy men ruling over you, all the sons of Jerubbaal, or one man ruling over you? And you should remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
And all the tribes of Israel came to David, to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and we are your flesh.
And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? So shall God do to me, and more so He shall do, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days, instead of Joab.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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 as an absolute God, but as in Christ, and as their covenant God and Father in him; who has chosen them for himself, and is their portion and inheritance; which are reasons sufficient why they should rejoice in him, and others follow:
for he hath given you the former rain moderately; or rather, "for he hath given you the teacher of righteousness" g; to which agrees the Targum,
"for he hath returned to you your teacher in righteousness;''
and so Jarchi paraphrases the words, and interprets them of the prophets in general,
"your prophets that teach you to return unto me, that I may justify you;''
and R. Japhet says that מורה signifies a prophet that should teach them in the way of righteousness; not Isaiah, as Grotius; but the King Messiah as Abarbinel interprets it; who is the teacher sent from God, and given by him, as his presence with him, and the miracles done by him, sufficiently prove, John 3:2; for which he was abundantly qualified, being the omniscient God, and the Son of God that lay in the bosom of his Father; is the Wisdom of God, as Mediator; had the Spirit of wisdom on him, and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him; and who is able to make his teachings effectual, and to qualify others for such work. This office he performed personally on earth, both in a doctrinal way, and by way of example; and now executes it by his Spirit, and by his ministers: and a "teacher of righteousness" he may be truly said to be; since he not only taught the Gospel, the word of righteousness in general; but in particular directed men to seek in the first place the righteousness of God, which is no other than his own; and pronounced those happy that hungered after it: he declared he came to fulfil all righteousness, even the law for righteousness; and taught men to believe in him for it, and to live righteously and godly. Aben Ezra observes, that the phrase is the same with "the sun of righteousness", Malachi 4:2; which is said of Christ the author of righteousness, who is our righteousness made so by imputation, the Lord our righteousness: or, as here, "a teacher unto, or for righteousness" h, all which is matter of joy and gladness; see Isaiah 61:10;
and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month]; alluding to the two seasons of the year in which rain was given to the Jews; the former rain fell in Marchesvan, which answers to our September and, October, part of each, at their seedtime; and the latter in Nisan, the first month of their ecclesiastical year, and answers to part of March and April, and fell some time before their harvest; and these former and latter rains now fall about the same time. So Dr. Shaw i observes, that
"the first rains in these countries (Syria, Phoenicia, and the Holy Land) usually fall about the beginning of November; the latter sometimes in the middle, sometimes toward the end, of April:''
and elsewhere he says k,
"in Barbary the first rains fall some years in September, in others a month later; the latter rains usually fall in the middle of April:''
and the same traveller relates l, that
"upon the coast (of Egypt) from Alexandria, all along to Damiata and Tineh, they have their former and latter rains as in Barbary and the Holy Land.''
This rain spiritually designs the doctrine of the Gospel, which is sometimes compared to rain, Deuteronomy 32:2; because as rain it comes from God, descends from heaven, is a divine gift, both as to the ministry and experience of it; it tarries not for man, neither for his desires nor deserts; falls according to divine direction, sometimes here, and sometimes there; is a great blessing, and brings many with it, revives, refreshes, and makes fruitful. Jerom interprets these two rains of the first receiving of doctrine, and of a more perfect knowledge of it; as also of the two Testaments, the Old and New: but it may be better interpreted of the preaching of the Gospel by John the Baptist, and by Christ; or by Christ, and then by his apostles; or of the first and second ministration of apostles, first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles; or of the coming of Christ in the flesh, for the same word is used here as in the former clause, and of his spiritual coming in the latter day, both which are compared to rain, Hosea 6:3.
g המורה לצדקה "doctorem justitiae", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Munster. h "Doctorem ad justitiam", Tigurine version, Mercerus, Castalio, Drusius, Cocceius, Burkius. i Travels, tom. 2. par. 2. c. 1. p. 335. Ed. 2. k Ib. tom. 1. part 3. sect. 2. p. 137. l Ib. tom. 2. part 2. c. 2. sect. 3. p. 377.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
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” (2 Kings 17:28; Job 36:22; Proverbs 5:13; Isaiah 9:15; Isaiah 30:20, (twice); Habakkuk 2:18), which is connected with the other ordinary meanings of the root, “torah, law, etc.” The older translators then agreed in rendering, “of righteousness,” or, “unto righteousness” , in which case the question as to “moreh,” is only, whether it is to be taken literally of “a teacher,” or figuratively of spiritual blessings, as we say, “the dew of His grace.” Even a Jew paraphrases , “But ye, O children of Zion, above all other nations, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God. For in Him ye shall have perfect joy, in the time of your captivity. “For He will give you an instructor to righteosness;” and He is the king Messias, which shall teach them the way in which they shall walk, and the doings which they shall do.” The grounds for so rendering the word are:
(1) Such is almost its uniform meaning.
(2) The righteousness spoken of is most naturally understood of righteousness in man; it is a condition which is the result and object of God’s gifts, not the Righteousness of God. But “He hath given you the early rain unto righteousness,” i. e., that ye may be righteous, is an unaccustomed expression.
(3) There is a great emphasis on the word , which is not used in the later part of the verse, where rain, (whether actual, or symbolic of spiritual blessings) is spoken of.
(4) The following words, “and He maketh the rain to descend for you,” according to the established Hebrew idiom relates to a separate action, later, in order of time or of thought, than the former. But if the former word “moreh” signified “early rain,” both would mean one and the same thing. We should not say, “He giveth you the former rain to righteousness, and then He maketh the rain, the former rain and the latter rain to descend;” nor doth the Hebrew.
It seems then most probable, that the prophet prefixes to all the other promises, that first all-containing promise of the Coming of Christ. Such is the custom of the prophets, to go on from past judgments and deliverances, to Him who is the center of all this cycle of God’s dispensations, the Son manifest in the Flesh. He had been promised as a Teacher when that intermediate dispensation of Israel began, the prophet like unto Moses. His Coming old Jacob looked to, “I have longed for Thy salvation, O Lord.” Him, well known and longed for by the righteous of old, Joel speaks of as the subject of rejoicing, as Zechariah did afterward, “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; behold thy King cometh unto thee.” So Joel here, “Exult and joy in the Lord thy God, for He giveth,” or “will give thee, the Teacher unto righteousness,” i. e., the result and object of whose Coming is righteousness; or, as Daniel says, “to bring in everlasting righteousness;” and Isaiah, “By His knowledge,” i. e., by the knowledge of Him, “shall My righteous Servant justify many,” i. e., make many righteous. How His coming should issue in righteousness, is not here said. It is presupposed. But Joel speaks of His Coming, as a gift, “He shall give you;” as Isaiah says, “unto us a Son is given;” and that, as the Teacher, as Isaiah says, “I have given Him a witness to the peoples, a Prince and a Commander unto the people” Isaiah 55:4; and that, “for righteousness.”
“It is the custom of the holy prophets,” says Cyril, “on occasion of good things promised to a part or a few, to introduce what is more general or universal. And these are the things of Christ. To this then the discourse again proceeds. For when was ground given to the earth to rejoice? When did the Lord do mighty things, but when the Word, being God, became Man, that, flooding all below with the goods from above, He might be found to those who believe in Him, as a river of peace, a torrent of pleasure, as the former and latter rain, and the giver of all spiritual fruitfulness?”
The early rain and the latter rain - o: “He multiplies words, expresssive of the richness of the fruits of the earth, that so we may understand how wondrous is the plenteousness of spiritual goods.” Being about to speak of the large gift of God the Holy Spirit as an “out-pouring,” he says here that “the largeness of the spiritual gifts thereafter should be as abundant as the riches temporal blessings” hitherto, when God disposed all things to bring about the fruitfulness which He had promised. “The early and latter rain,” coming respectively at the seed-time and the harvest, represent the beginning and the completion; and so, by the analogy of earthly and spiritual sowing, growth and ripeness, they represent preventing and perfecting grace; the inspiration of good purposes and the gift of final perseverance, which brings the just to glory consummated; “the principles of the doctrine of Christ” and “the going on unto perfection Hebrews 6:1.
In the first month - This would belong only to the latter rain, which falls about the first month, Nisan, or our April, “the former rain” falling about 6 months earlier, at their seed time . Or, since this meaning is uncertain , it may be, “at the first” , i. e., as soon as ever it is needed, or in contrast to the more extensive gifts afterward; or, “as at first” i. e., all shall, upon their penitence, be restored as at first. These lesser variations leave the sense of the whole the same, and all are supported by good authorities. It is still a reversal of the former sentence, that, whereas afore the rivers of water were dried up, now the rains should come, each in its season. “In the first month,” and “at the beginning,” express the same thought, the one with, the other without a figure.
For no one then needed to be told that the latter rain, if it fell, should fall “in the first month,” which was its appointed season for falling. If then the words had this meaning, there must have been this emphasis in it, that God would give them good gifts punctually, instantly, at man’s first and earliest needs, at the first moment when it would be good for him to have them. ‘As at the beginning,’ would express the same which he goes on to say, that God would bestow the same largeness of gifts as He did, before they forfeited His blessings by forsaking Him. So He says, “I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning” ; and, “She shall sing there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she come up out of the land of Egypt” Hosea 2:15; and, “then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old and as in the former years” Malachi 3:4.
Likeness does not necessarily imply equality as in the words, “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet like unto me” Deuteronomy 18:15; and, “that they may be one, even as We are One” John 17:22. The good things of the Old Testament had a likeness to those of the New, else “the law” would not have been even the shadow of good things to come Hebrews 10:1; they had not equality, else they would have been the very things themselves. : “Christ is the whole delight of the soul, from When and through whom there cometh to those who love Him, all fullness of good and supply of heavenly gifts, represented in “the early and latter rain,” and “the full floor of wheat,” and “the fats overflowing with wine and oil.” It is true also as to the fullness of the mysteries. For the living water of Holy Baptism is given us as in rain; and as in grain, the Bread of Life, and as in wine the Blood.” Before, “the barns were broken down,” since there was nothing to store therein.
As other parts of the natural and spiritual husbandry correspond, and our Lord Himself compares His gracious trials of those who bear fruit, with the pruning of the vine John 15:2; it may be that the “vat” wherein the grape or the olive, through pressure, yield their rich juice, is a symbol of the “tribulations,” through which we “must enter the kingdom of God” Acts 14:22. : “The holy mind, placed as if in a winefat, is pressed, refined, drawn out pure. It is pressed by calamity; refined from iniquity, purified from vanity. Hence are elicited the groans of pure confession; hence, stream the tears of anxious compunction; hence flow the sighs of pleasurable devotion; hence melt the longings of sweetest love; hence are drawn the drops of purest contemplation. Wheat is the perfecting of righteousness; wine, the clearness of spiritual understanding; oil, the sweetness of a most pure conscience.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
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.
