Bible Commentaries
Joel 3

Verse 1

For. Binding this portion to what immediately precedes.

behold. Figure of speech Asterisms. App-6 .

in those days, &c. The prophecy, instead of con tracting, widens out to the final judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46 , "when the Son of Man shall come in His glory . . . and sit upon the throne of His glory"), There is no resurrection in this chapter or in that. Here we have the nucleus of the nations of Revelation 21:24 .

bring again the captivity. The idiom for restoring the fortunes of. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:3 ). App-92 , Compare Job 42:10 . Psalms 126:1 , Psalms 126:4 . Ezekiel 16:53 , &c. Amos 9:14 .

Verse 2

I will also gather. Compare Zechariah 14:2-4 .

all nations. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Whole), App-6 , for representatives or people from all nations.

the valley of Jehoshaphat. Between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. The name then existing is still preserved in the village of Sh'afat; now the Wady Sidi Miriam and Wady Far'aun . Mentioned only here, and in Joel 3:12 ; the event recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:21-26 being typical of this scene of the future judgment of the nations. Note "to this day".

Jehoshaphat = Jehovah hath judged.

will plead with them = will judge them. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ) for emphasis. Hebrew. yehoshaphat vnishpatti. Compare Isaiah 66:16 . Ezekiel 38:22 .

My. Note the force of this pronoun when Jehovah calls Israel again "Ammi" (Hosea 2:23 ). The judgment of Matthew 25:0 turns on how the nations had treated "My brethren", and not upon the grounds of justification by faith.

My heritage. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:9 ). App-92 . Israel. Note this; not merely Judah, but the twelve-tribed nation.

Verse 3

they have, &c. This describes past sufferings. Compare Obadiah 1:16 . Nahum 3:11 .

wine . Hebrew. yayin. App-27 .

Verse 4

coasts = circuit, or region.

Palestine = Philistia.

render = pay back. Compare Ezekiel 25:15-17

if = though.

Verse 5

pleasant things = things of desire, or valuable things. Compare Daniel 11:38 .

Verse 6

children = sons.

the Grecians . Hebrew the sons of the Greeks.

Verse 7

I will raise , &c. Compare Isaiah 43:5 , Isaiah 43:6 , with Joe 49:12 .Jeremiah 23:8 .

Verse 8

Sabeans. Defined as a distant nation. See note on Job 1:15 .

people = nations.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 9

Proclaim, &c. Compare Isaiah 8:9 , Isaiah 8:10 . Jeremiah 46:3 , Jeremiah 46:4 .Ezekiel 38:7 .

Gentiles = nations.

Prepare = Hallow.

men. Hebrew, plural of 'enosh . App-14 .

Verse 10

Beat your plowshares, &c. This precedes the opposite command to be given after this in Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 , when Hosea 2:18 shall be fulfilled.

pruninghooks : or, scythes.

Verse 11

Assemble yourselves. Compare Joel 3:2 . Hebrew ' ushu = haste ye, as in Septuagint and Vulgate. Occurs only here.

heathen = nations.

thither. To the valley of Jehoshaphat.

Thy mighty ones. Compare Psalms 103:20 . Isaiah 13:3 .

Verse 12

wakened. Compare Joel 3:2 .

and come up. Compare Psalms 96:13 ; Psalms 98:9 ; Psalms 110:6 . Isaiah 2:4 ; Isaiah 3:13 .Micah 4:3 .

there will I sit, &c. See Joel 3:2 .

Verse 13

Put ye in the sickle. Compare Matthew 13:39 . Revelation 14:15 , Revelation 14:18 .

sickle = vintage-knife. Heb . maggal. Occurs only here and Jeremiah 50:16 .

the harvest = the vintage. Compare Jeremiah 51:33 .Hosea 6:11 .

get you down = go in: i.e. into the winepress = tread ye.

press. Hebrew. gath.

fats. Hebrew. yekeb . See note en Joe 2:74 .

their. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "the".

wickedness. Hebrew raa. App-44 .

Verse 14

Multitudes. Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis ( App-6 ), to express "great multitudes".

decision = threshing: i.e. judgment. Compare Isaiah 41:15 .

the day, &c. Defining the time as well as the place. Compare Joel 2:1 .

Verse 15

The sun and the moon, &c. Compare Joel 2:10 , Joel 2:31

Verse 16

The LORD = But Jehovah. App-4 .

roar out of Zion. Compare Jeremiah 25:30 . Ezekiel 38:18-22 .Amos 1:2 .

roar = thunder.

the heavens . . . shall shake. Compare Joel 2:10 Haggai 2:6 .

but the LORD . Compare Isaiah 51:5 , Isaiah 51:6 .

hope = refuge.

strength = stronghold.

Verse 17

So shall ye know , &c. Compare Joel 2:27 . See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .

My holy mountain. Compare Daniel 11:45 .Obadiah 1:16 . Zechariah 8:3 .

holy = holiness. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

no strangers. Compare Isaiah 35:8 ; Isaiah 52:1 .Nahum 1:15 .Zechariah 14:21 .Revelation 21:27 .

strangers = foreigners.

Verse 18

that day. Compare Joel 3:1 .

mountains . . . hills. Compare Amos 9:13 .

drop down = distil.

new wine = sweet wine, or mead. Hebrew. 'asis. App-27 .

rivers. Hebrew. 'aphikim. See note on "channels", 2 Samuel 22:16 .

Judah. The country; not the People.

a fountain, &c. Ezekiel 47:1 .Zechariah 14:8 . Revelation 22:1 . See App-68 .

Shittim = the acacias. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 33:49 ). App-92 .

Verse 19

violence against. Genitive of Relation. App-17 . innocent blood. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 19:10 ; Deuteronomy 27:25 ).

Verse 20

dwell = remain, or be established.

Verse 21

cleanse . . . cleansed = clear . . . cleared. This could be done only by avenging it; for God will "by no means clear the guilty" (Exodus 34:7 . Numbers 14:18 ); and Egypt, Edom, &c., were guilty (Joel 3:19 ), and are not to be cleansed", but punished for shedding Judah's blood. The Hebrew nakah is not used of cleansing, naturally or ceremonially. Not the same word as Isaiah 4:4 . The Septuagint and Syriac render it "make inquisition for" in 2 Kings 9:7 ; and evidently read nakam = to avenge (akin to nakah). This would be a vivid reference to Pent in Deuteronomy 32:42 , Deuteronomy 32:43 , the parallel event. Compare Revelation 6:10 , Revelation 6:11 .

have not = had not.

dwelleth in Zion = is about to make His dwelling in Zion. Thus ending like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 48:35 ), Jehovah Shammah. Compare Joel 3:17 . Psalms 87:3 .Revelation 21:3 .