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16 Samaria shall become desolate ; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up. (N)

CHAP. XIV. ISRAEL, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips.

3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him.

CHAP. XIII.

[to repentance.

5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return: they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Leba

non.

8 Ephraim shall say, What have! to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: 1 an like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and be shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. (O)

EXPOSITION.

(N) Threatenings and promises addressed to Israel under the name Ephraim.This chapter opens with a truth often asserted and exemplified in the Scriptures, "Before honour is humility, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Thus when Ephraim spake with modesty, diffidence, and trembling, then "he exalted himself in Israel;" but when he assumed the high and inde. pendent airs of a worshipper of Baal, then he offended God, and fell under his indignation. When he boasted, "I am become rich, and have found me out substance," then he was found poor, and wretched, and guilty, and is threatened with the just reward of his demerits. God tempers, however, these awful threatenings with gracious intimations of mercy on their repentauce. But, alas instead of repenting, Ephraim is filling up the measure of his iniquity, and foolishly protracting the season of deliverance, by making no struggle to attain to it. Notwithstanding this, God promises at length to exert his almighty power in their favour; and, as it were, to raise them from the dead; although, in the mean time, they must be visited with national

calamities, compared to the noxious and parching east wind, and described imme diately after in literal terms-they shali fall by the sword of the enemy.

CHAP. XIV.

(0) Exhortations to repentance, end promises of mercy.—“By the terrible denun ciation of vengeance which concludes the preceding chapter, the Prophet is led to exhort this people to repentance, furaishing them with a beautiful form of prayer, very suitable to the occasion. Upon this, God, ever ready to pardon the penitent, is introduced, making large promises of bles sings, in allusion to those copious deas which refresh the green herbs, and which frequently denote, not only temporal salvation, but also the rich and refreshing com forts of the gospel. Their reformation from idolatry is foretold, and their conse quent prosperity, under the emblem of a green flourishing fir-tree; but then these promises are confined to the godly, and the wicked declared to have no share in them; as might well be expected under the administration of the righteous Governor of the universe."-Dr. Jn. Smith.

NOTES.

CHAP. XIV. Ver. 2. Calves of our lips.-The critics remark that this passage, as it now stands in Hebrew, is not grammatical; that omitting one letter (mem), would make it correct, and at the same time agree with the LXX, Arabic, and the Apostolic quotation, Heb. xiii. 15," the fruit of our lips." So Newcome and Boothroyd.

Ver. 5. Grow-Marg. Blessom." Sover. 7. Ver.7. The scent-or fragrance. Ver. 8. I am like-Boothroyd, "I will make him like." So New come and Horsley.

Ver. 9. Who is wise? &c.-These words are the prophet's own conclusion.

JOEL.

INTRODUCTION.

OF Joel we know nothing, but that he was the son of Pethuel. His style is highly poetical. Bp. Lowth says, "he is elegant, perspicuous, copious, and fluent; sublime, animated, and energetic." (Lect. xxi.) The plague of locusts predicted by him, is supposed by some to have introduced the seven years of famine predicted by Elisha, 2 Kings viii. 1-3; but Vitringa, and most modern Commentators, place him in a later period (viz. the reign of Uzziah), and make him contemporary with Amos and Hosea. (Horne's Introd. 5th Ed. vol. iv. p. 167.)

Abp. Newcome thinks "Joel prophesied while the kingdom of Judah subsisted ́(chap. ii. 1, 15), but not long before its subversion." (See chap. iii. 1.)

Beside this learned prelate, who is our guide through all the minor Prophets, on this prophesy we are particularly indebted to "A Paraphrase and Critical Notes" on it, by Dr. Sam. Chandler, a learned Dissenting Minister of the last century. 4to., London, 1735.

CHAP. I.

THE word of the LORD that came to

Joel the son of Pethuel.

2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ar, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even n the days of your fathers?

3 Tell ye your children of it, and et your children tell their children, nd their children another generation. 4 That which the palmerworm hath eft, hath the locust eaten; and that

which the locust hath left, hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left, hath the caterpillar eaten.

5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.

6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.

NOTES.

CHAP. I. Ver. 4. That which, &c.-Heb. "The esidue of the palmer-worm," &c. Four species of ocust are supposed to be here mentioned: 1. The =almer worm (Heb. Gezam). This Bochart says is locust, which, furnished with very sharp teeth, -ies off, not only grass and grains, and the leaves

trees, but even their bark, and more tender ranches. Newcome renders it, "Grasshopper;" at Michaelis, following the LXX and Vulgate, inks it means a species of caterpillar, whose mouth furnished with a kind of sickle, which cuts the aves of plants to pieces; and which begins its vages before the locust. 2. The locust (Arbeh), hose name is supposed to be derived from its progious numbers, 3. The canker-worm (Ialek) is ther another species of locust, called by Newcome the devouring locust," though others think it a ecies of beetle, or hedge chafer, devouring even e roots of trees. Orient. Lit. No. 1054. Jer. li. 27, is rendered the rough caterpillar, but there apcars to be a species of locusts, whose heads are

7 He hath laid my vine waste, and

covered with hair, Rev. ix. 8. 4. The caterpillar (Chasil), rendered by Newcome "the consuming locust." There are ten different species of locust (as is supposed) mentioned in Scripture; and if these are not locusts, it is certain they were most voracious and destructive insects. See Harris's Nat. Hist. of the Bible, in Locust.

Ver. 6. A nation-that is, of these voracious insects. Compare Prov. xxx. 25, 26.-Cheek teeth -Newcome, "Jaw teeth of a lion." Pliny says, their teeth are so sharp and strong, that they bite through even the doors of houses.

Ver. 7. arked my fig-tree-that is, eaten off the bark; but Newcome reads, "Made my fig-tree a broken branch," like several of the ancient versions. Dr. Forsayeth, "My tig-tree a foam and swelling," being covered with the foam of caterpillars, and the leaves curled up, to enclose their eggs.-The branches are made white-that is, stripped of all their bark, as in the preceding clause; Heb. "Stripping they have stripped it."

JOEL.

An army of] barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.

8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth. 9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.

10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.

11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vine-dressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.

12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered because joy is withered away from the sons of men.

13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.

14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house

CHAP. I.

[locusts predicted.

of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,

15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes; yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?

17 The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.

18 How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

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19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.

20 The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness. (A)

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EXPOSITION.

(A) Israel invaded by a nation of locusts. This prophecy begins with threatening the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Judah, with such a desolation of their country by swarms of locusts as had never happened to them before, and as should occasion the utmost distress to all sorts of The havock persons amongst them." that should be made by these creatures, is described in the highest style of poetry. The vegetation of every species should be devoured, and produce such a scarcity of provisions in the land, as not to leave

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enough to supply the offerings for God's altar. At the same time the heat shoul be so great, as to occasion the destruct of many of the flocks and herds, partly through drought, and partly through the

irritation of these noxious insects.

Some have thought that these predictions may have a farther reference to the army of the Assyrians; but for this we find to sufficient ground. No body of armed mes (not even that of Xerxes) was ever half se numerous, half so tormenting or destructive, as an army of these noxious insects, who, while they lived, were a plague, and created a pestilence when they died.

NOTES-Chap. I. Con.

Ver. 8. Like a virgin for the husband of her youth-that is, a betrothed virgin, whose marriage was not consummated.

Ver. 10. Is dried up-or withered, as ver. 12; Heb. "Blusbeth."

Ver. 14. A solemn assembly--Newcome, "A solemn day," or day of restraint; i. e. from work, or pleasure.

Ver. 17. The seed is rotten- Newcome," The seeds have perished under," &e.

Ver. 19. The pastures of the wilderness—a dsert; and burnt up, &c. See ch. ii. Firs often made (though in vain) to stop the ravages a these insects, by which (fires) the trees and wood were much injured.

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2 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.

3 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.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

5 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.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

7 They shall run like mighty men ; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one

[alarm sounded.

on his ways, and they shall not break

their ranks :

8 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,

9 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.

10 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:

11 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?

12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and mer◄

NOTES.

CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Blow ye the trumpet, &c.— The same alarm is given as if they had been invaded by the most powerful enemies. A Jewish writer, mentioning a swarm of locusts which once appeared in Saxony, says, so terrified are the Jews on such ocasions, that they immediately sound a trumpet, and proclaim a fast.

Ver. 2. A day of darkness and of gloominess.Dr. Chandler (p. 52) quotes, from a German Chronicle of the 9th century, that "so great a multitude of locusts" passed over that country from the east, hat during two months," they oftentimes obscured the rays of the sun for the space of a whole mile; and when they alighted, in one hour consumed every thing that was green upon 100 acres, or more; and being afterwards driven into the sea by the wind, and thrown back by the waves, they corrupted the air by their stench, and produced no small pestilence." Many similar accounts may be found in modern writers, the most authentic. The following is one of the most recent and extraordinary. The narrator being (as we understand it) in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar, saw a dense cloud slowly advancing to the Spanish shore, and darkening the sun as it passed, when, suddenly it burst, and there fell (says he) such a vast multitude of locusts as exceeded the thickest storm of hail or snow that I ever saw. All around me was immediately covered with these crawling creatures, and yet they continued to fall so thick, hat with the swing of my cane, I knocked down thousands..... There was not, in a day or two, the least leaf to be seen on a tree, nor any green thing in a garden." The close of this account illustrates what is said in ver. 20 of the defeat and destruction of his great northern army. "When, glutton like, they ad devoured every thing around them, they took to ponds, brooks, and pools," probably from exces.

sive thirst, and drowned themselves; and lay drowned in heaps, like little hills, with a stench so noisome that it gave reason to fear pestilence, See Asiat, Journ. Aug. 1825, p. 216.

Ver.3. A fire devoureth before them.-" They consume like a general conflagration," Ludolf says, "Wherever they fed, their leavings seem, as it were, parched with fire." Newcome.

Ver. 4. Like horses, &c. An Arab, describing them, compared the heads of the locust to those of horses, their breast to that of a lion, their feet to those of a camel, their belly to that of a serpent, their tail to that of a scorpion, and their feelers to female hair. (Comp. Rev. ix. 7.) Niebuhr's Arabia, P. 173.

Ver. 5. Like the noise of chariots.-(See Rev. ix. 9.) Volney compares the noise they make in browsing to that of an army en secret, marching without music.

Of a flame.-Cyril compares the noise of their teeth to a crackling flame.-In battle array-Heb. "Arrayed for war." "Many writers mention the order of locusts in their flight and march; and their manner of proceeding directly forward, whatever obstacles were interposed." Newcome.

Ver. 6. All faces shall gather blackness- Heb. "pot." Tavernier (and other travellers) affirm that, by way of mourning, the Orientals sometimes daub their faces with the black of a kettle. Orienţ. Lit. No. 1068.

Ver. 7. They shall run, &c.— Compare verses 2, 4, 5, &c.

Ver. 10. The earth shall quake-this may be taken figuratively, for the great alarm which they shall create, but literally, the heavens are darkened by their flight. See on ver. 2.

Ver. 11. The Lord shall utter his voice-that is, it is by his command that they advance or retire.

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ciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14 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?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16 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.

17 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?

18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

19 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:

20 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.

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice for the LORD will do great things.

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wilderness

[mercy and grate.

do spring; for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

23 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.

24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army I sent among you.

which

26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name the LORD your God, that hath dealt wonderously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

27 And ye shall know that I as in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

28 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 :

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

32 And it shall come to pass,

NOTES-Chap. II. Con.

Ver. 17. That the heathen should rule over them— Marg. "Use a by-word against them."

Ver. 20. The northern army.--These locusts probably came from Circassia, or Mingrelia, to the north of Judea. Some were to be driven into the desert; some into the Eastern or Deal sea, and some into the utmost, or Mediterranean sea. His stink, &c.See what is quoted from Dr. Chandler and the Asiatic Journal on ver. 2.-Because he hath done great things-Heb. "Magnified to do," &c. It is difficult to apply this to an army of locusts. They had executed the divine command, and their being

that

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