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Joel Chapter
Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOEL 3
This
chapter
which some make the fourth
contains a prophecy of God's judgments on
all the antichristian nations at the time of the Jews' conversion
and the
reasons of them
Joel 3:1; a
threatening of Tyre and Zidon
by way of retaliation
for carrying the riches
of the Jews into their temples
and selling their persons to the Greeks
Joel 3:4; an alarm
to prepare for the battle of Armageddon
or the destruction that shall be made
in the valley of Jehoshaphat
Joel 3:9; and after
that an account of the happy state of the church of Christ
their safety and
security
plenty
prosperity
and purity
to the end of the world
Joel 3:16.
Joel 3:1 “For behold
in
those days and at that time
When I bring back the captives of Judah and
Jerusalem
YLT 1For lo
in those days
and
in that time
When I turn back [to] the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem
For
behold
in those days
and at that time
.... Which
Kimchi refers to the times of the Messiah; and is true of the latter times of
the Messiah
of his spiritual reign yet to come:
when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem: not from the
Edomites
Tyrians
and Philistines
that had carried them captive in the times
of Ahaz; nor from Babylon
where they had been carried captive by
Nebuchadnezzar; for nothing of what is after foretold followed upon the return
of these captivities: but this designs the present captivity of the Jews
and
the restoration of them to their own land; of which see Isaiah 52:8.
Joel 3:2 2 I
will also gather all nations
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people
My
heritage Israel
Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also
divided up My land.
YLT 2Then I have gathered all
the nations
And caused them to go down unto the valley of Jehoshaphat
And I
have been judged with them there
Concerning My people and Mine inheritance --
Israel
Whom they scattered among nations
And My land they have apportioned.
I will also gather all nations
.... Or cause or suffer
them to be gathered together against his people; not the Moabites
Ammonites
and Edomites
in the times of Jehoshaphat
as Aben Ezra; but either the Turks
prophesied of under the name of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel
Ezekiel 38:1; and a
multitude of other nations with them
who shall be gathered together against
the Jews
to regain the land of Judea from them
they will upon their
conversion inhabit; or else all the antichristian kings and nations
which
shall be gathered to the battle of the great day of God Almighty
Revelation 16:14;
and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat: Kimchi thinks
this was some valley near to Jerusalem
in which Jehoshaphat built or wrought
some works
and so was called by his name: Joseph Ben GorionF24Hist.
Heb. l. 6. c. 27. speaks of a valley
called the valley of Jehoshaphat
which
was near Jerusalem
to the further end of which one Zachariah
a good man
in
the times of the Jewish wars
was rolled and died
being cast down from the top
of a tower upon the wall east of Jerusalem; and which is confirmed by R.
Abraham
as quoted by Lively; and the true Josephus saysF25De Bello
Jud. l. 4. c. 5. sect. 4.
that the valley into which this man was cast lay
directly under Jerusalem; and Benjamin of TudelaF26Massaot
sive
ltinera
p. 44. makes mention of a valley of this name
which he says lies
between Jerusalem and the mount of Olives; where JeromF1De locis
Hebr. fol. 92. C. places it by the name of Caelas; with whom Mr. MaundrellF2Journey
from Aleppo to Jerusalem
p. 103
106. Ed. 7. agrees
who says that this valley
lies between Mount Moriah and Mount Olivet
and has its name from the sepulchre
of Jehoshaphat: and
according to Lyra on the place
who is followed by
AdrichomiusF3Theatrum Terrae Sanctae
p. 172.
it is the same with
the valley of Kidron
which was so situated; but
why that should be called the
valley of Jehoshaphat
no reason is given. Aben Ezra and others are of opinion
that this is the same with the valley of Berachah
where Jehoshaphat obtained a
very great victory over many nations
2 Chronicles 20:1;
but it does not appear to have been called by his name
and
besides
seems to
be at a great distance from Jerusalem; though there may be an allusion to it
that as many nations were there collected together and destroyed
so shall it
be in the latter day; and I am of opinion that no proper name of a place is
here meant
as going by it in common
but is so called from the judgment of God
here executed upon his and his people's enemies. So Jarchi calls it "the
valley of judgments"; Jehoshaphat signifying "the judgment" of
the Lord: Kimchi says it may be so called because of judgment
the Lord there
pleading with the nations
and judging them: and in the Targum it is rendered
"the
valley of the division of judgment:'
and
to me it designs no other than Armageddon
the seat of the battle of Almighty
God
Revelation 16:16;
and which may signify the destruction of their troops; See Gill on Revelation 16:16;
and will plead with them there for my people
and for my
heritage Israel; the people of the Jews
who will now be converted
who will have
the "loammi"
Hosea 1:9
taken
off of them
and will be called the people of the living God again
and be
reckoned by him as his portion and inheritance; though not them only
but all
the saints; all that have separated from antichrist
his doctrine and worship
and have suffered by him:
whom they have scattered among the nations
and parted my land; Kimchi refers
this to the scattering of the Jews by Titus and his army
and the partition of
Judea among them
which is not amiss; in consequence of which they are still a
scattered people
and their land has been parted between Turks and PapistsF4Written
about 1750. Editor. ; sometimes inhabited by the one
and sometimes by the
other
and now by both
on whom God will take vengeance; he will plead the
cause of his people
by the severe judgments he will inflict on his and their
enemies. This may respect the persecuting of the Christians from place to
place
and seizing on their lands and estates
and parting them
as well as the
dispersion of the Jews
and the partition of the land of Canaan.
Joel 3:3 3 They
have cast lots for My people
Have given a boy as payment for a harlot
And
sold a girl for wine
that they may drink.
YLT 3And for My people they do
cast a lot
And they give the young man for an harlot
And the young woman have
sold for wine
That they may drink.
And they have cast lots for my people
.... Not only
parted their land
but cast lots for their persons
Or played at dice for them
how many captives each soldier should have
and which should be their share and
property: ninety seven thousand Jews
JosephusF4De Bello Jud. l. 6.
c. 9. sect. 3. says
were carried captive by the Romans
who
very probably
cast lots for them
as was usual in such cases; see Nahum 3:10;
and have given a boy for a harlot
and sold a girl for wine
that
they might drink; either they gave a boy to be prostituted to natural lusts
in
lieu of a whore; and a girl to be debauched for a bottle of wine: or they gave
a boy for the price of a whore
as the Targum and Kimchi interpret it; that is
they gave a boy
instead of money
to a whore
to lie with her
as the eunuch
was given to Thais; and they gave a girl to the wine merchant for as much wine
as they could drink at one sitting. These phrases both express their
uncleanness and intemperance
and also the low price and value they set upon
their captives; and is applicable enough to the Papists
notorious for the same
abominable lusts.
Joel 3:4 4 “Indeed
what have you to do with Me
O Tyre and Sidon
and all the coasts of Philistia?
Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me
Swiftly and
speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head;
YLT 4And also
what [are] ye to
Me
O Tyre and Zidon
And all circuits of Philistia? Recompence are ye
rendering unto Me? And if ye are giving recompence to Me
Swiftly
hastily
I
turn back your recompence on your head.
Yea
and what have ye to do with me
O Tyre
and Zidon
and all
the coasts of Palestine?.... The Tyrians
Zidonians
and Philistines
were near
neighbours of the Jews
and implacable enemies to them; and are here put for
the enemies of the true church of Christ
the Papists and Turks
and in whose
possession those places now are: these are addressed by the Lord
inquiring or
demanding the reason of their ill usage of him and his people: "what have
ye to do with me?" to be called by my name
or accounted my people? I know
you not
nor will I have any fellowship with you: or what have ye to do with my
people
to disturb and distress them? what wrong have I or they done you
that
you thus use them?
will ye render me a recompence? for turning you out of
your land
and putting my people into it? do you think to retaliate this?
and if ye recompense me; by doing an injury to my
people:
swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon
your own head; bring swift and sudden destruction upon you.
Joel 3:5 5 Because
you have taken My silver and My gold
And have carried into your temples My
prized possessions.
YLT 5In that My silver and My
gold ye took
And My desirable things that are good
Ye have brought in to your
temples.
Because ye have taken my silver and my gold
.... Which is
all the Lord's
Haggai 2:8; or
which he had bestowed upon his people
and they had taken from them:
and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things; either the
rich furniture of the houses of his people
which they carried into their own houses
or "palaces"F5להיכליכם "in
palatia vestra"
Montanus
Drusius
Burkius.
as it may be rendered;
having either taken them away themselves
or bought them of others that had
taken them: or else the rich vessels of the temple; as these were carried away
by the Chaldeans
and put into their idol temples
Daniel 1:2; so
afterward they were taken by the Romans
and put into the temples of their
gods: whether any of these came into the hands of the Tyrians
&c. by any
means
and were put into their idol temples
as the temple of Hercules
is not
certain; however
it is notorious that the Papists
the Tyrians are an emblem
of
not only build stately temples
and dedicate them to angels and saints
but
most profusely adorn them with gold and silver
and all goodly and desirable
things; which is putting them to an idolatrous use they were not designed for.
Joel 3:6 6 Also
the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem You have sold to the Greeks
That
you may remove them far from their borders.
YLT 6And sons of Judah
and sons
of Jerusalem
Ye have sold to the sons of Javan
To put them far off from their
border.
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem
.... Not
children in age literally
as Kimchi
kidnapped or bought by the Tyrians; but
the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem:
have ye sold unto the Grecians; or sons of Javan; it was
one part of the merchandise of Tyre to trade in the persons of men; and Javan
or the Greeks
with others
were their merchants for them
Ezekiel 27:13; and
the souls of men are a part of the trade of the merchants of Rome
typified by
the Tyrians
Revelation 18:13;
that ye might remove them far from their border; from their
own land
or place of dwelling
that so they might not be easily redeemed
and
return to it any more. Rome
the antichristian Tyre
trading with the souls of
men
is to their eternal damnation
as much as in them lies. Cocceius
interprets this of the children of the church being trained up in the doctrine of
Aristotle
in the times of the schoolmen.
Joel 3:7 7 “Behold
I will raise them Out of the place to which you have sold them
And will return
your retaliation upon your own head.
YLT 7Lo
I am stirring them up
out of the place Whither ye have sold them
And I have turned back your
recompence on your head
Behold
I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold
them
.... That is
bring them back to their own land
from their
places whither they have been carried captive
and where they have dwelt in
obscurity
and as if theft had been buried in graves
but now should be raised
up and restored; and this their restoration will be as life from the dead. So
the Targum
"behold
I will bring them publicly from the place whither ye have sold them;'
this
is to be understood
not of the same persons
but of their posterity
they
being the same natural body. Kimchi interprets it of them and their children;
them at the resurrection of the dead
their children at the time of salvation.
Some think this had its accomplishment in Alexander and his successors
by whom
the Jews
who had been detained captives in other countries
were set free;
particularly by Demetrius
as JosephusF6Antiqu. l. 13. c. 5.
relates: though it may be applied to the future restoration of the Jews
out of
all countries
unto their own land; or rather to the gathering together the
spiritual Israel
or people of God
who have been persecuted from place to
place by their antichristian enemies;
and will return your recompence upon your own head; do to them as
they have done to others; pay them in their own coin; retaliate the wrongs done
to his people; see Revelation 13:10.
Joel 3:8 8 I
will sell your sons and your daughters Into the hand of the people of Judah
And
they will sell them to the Sabeans
[a] To a
people far off; For the Lord
has spoken.”
YLT 8And have sold your sons and
your daughters Into the hand of the sons of Judah
And they have sold them to
Shabeans
Unto a nation far off
for Jehovah hath spoken.
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the
children of Judah
.... That is
deliver them into their hands
to dispose of them;
this is thought to have been literally fulfilled in the Tyrians
when thirty
thousandF7Arriam. de Exped. Alexand. l. 2. c. 24. of them were sold
for slaves
upon the taking of their city by Alexander
who put some of them
into the hands of the Jews
they being in friendship with him: it mystically
designs the power that the Jewish church
converted
and in union with Gentile
Christians
will have over the antichristian states:
and they shall sell them to the Sabeans
to a people far off; the
inhabitants of Sheba
a country by the Jews reckoned the uttermost parts of the
earth; see Matthew 12:42.
These are not the same with the Sabeans
the inhabitants of Arabia Deserts
that took away Job's oxen and asses; but rather those who were the inhabitants
of Arabia Felix
which lay at a greater distance. So StraboF8Geograph.
l. 16. p. 536. says
the Sabeans inhabited Arabia Felix; and Diodorus SiculusF9Bibliothec.
l. 3. p. 179
180. reckons the Sabeans as very populous
and one of the Arabian
nations
who inhabited that Arabia which is called Felix
the metropolis of
which is Saba; and he
as well as Strabo
observes
that this country produces
many odoriferous plants
as cassia
cinnamon
frankincense
and calamus
or the
sweet cane; hence incense is said to come "from Sheba
and the sweet cane
from a far country"
Jeremiah 6:20; and
since the Jews traded with these people for those spices
it is easy to
conceive how they sold their captives to them: now these lived at a great
distance
in the extreme parts of Arabia
both towards the Indian sea and the
Arabian gulf. And Diodorus SiculusF11Ibid. p. 181. observes
that δια τον εκτοπισμος
because of
the distance of their situation
they never came into the power or under the
dominion of any
or were never subdued. These seem to be the descendants of
Cush
the son
of Ham; and if they were the descendants of Joktan
the son of
Shem
as some think
these are placed by VitringaF12Comment. in
Jessiam
c. 43. 3. in Carmania; and where PlinyF13Nat. Hist. l. 6.
c. 23. makes mention of a city called Sabe
and of the river Sabis; and it is
worthy of notice that the ancient Greek fathersF14In Catena Graec.
Patr. apud Spanhem. Hist. Jobi
c. 3. p. 47.
with one consent
interpret the
Sabeans of the Saracens: and whether they may not design the Turks
in whose
possession this country now is
and into whose hands the antichristian powers
may be delivered by means of the Christians
both Jews and Gentiles
may be
considered;
for the Lord hath spoken it; and therefore it shall
be accomplished. The Targum is
"for
by the word of the Lord it is so decreed;'
whose
counsels and decrees can never be frustrated. This
in an ancient book of the
Jews called Mechilta
is referred to the prophecy of Noah concerning Canaan
whose sons inhabited Tyre
"a servant of servants shall he be to his
brethren"
Genesis 9:25
as
Jarchi observes.
Joel 3:9 9 Proclaim
this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men
Let all the
men of war draw near
Let them come up.
YLT 9Proclaim ye this among
nations
Sanctify a war
stir up the mighty ones
Come nigh
come up
let all
the men of war.
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles
.... This decree of God
concerning the deliverance of his church; and the destruction of their enemies;
which is to be proclaimed among them
to the terror of them
and the comfort of
God's people
encouraging them to the battle
since they might be sure of
victory; for the prophet here returns to give an account of the armies to be
gathered together
and to be destroyed in the valley of Jehoshaphat
as appears
from Joel 3:12; and to
this end heralds are here ordered to make proclamation of war throughout the
nations
and to gather them to the battle of Almighty God; whether seriously
or ironically
may be considered; what follows seems to be spoken in the latter
way
to the enemies of the church; though they may be interpreted as spoken
seriously to the people of God themselves:
prepare war; get all things ready for it
men and arms:
wake up the mighty men; generals
captains
and
other officers
men of strength and courage; let them arouse from the sleep and
lethargy in which they are
and get themselves in a readiness for war
and put
themselves at the head of their troops:
let all the men of war draw near
let them come up; to the land
of Judea
and to Jerusalem; that is
either the Christian powers with their
armies
to defend Jerusalem against the Turks
and deliver it out of their
hands; let them appear on the behalf of the Jews: or else let the enemies of
Christ's church and people come up against them
even the most powerful of
them; let them muster up all their forces
and do the most they can
they shall
not prevail.
Joel 3:10 10 Beat
your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak
say
‘I am strong.’”
YLT 10Beat your ploughshares to
swords
And your pruning-hooks to javelins
Let the weak say
`I [am] mighty.'
Beat your ploughshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into
spears
.... Let not only soldiers
and such as have been trained up in
military discipline
appear in the field on this occasion; but let husbandmen
and vinedressers leave their fields and vineyards
and turn their instruments
of husbandry and vinedressing into weapons of war; let them not plead want of
armour
but convert these to such uses: on the contrary
when this battle will
be over
swords shall be beaten into ploughshares
and spears into pruning
hooks
Isaiah 2:4;
let the weak say
I am strong; such as are
weak
through sickness
or old age
let them not plead their weakness to excuse
them from engaging in this war; but let them make the best of themselves
and
say they are strong and healthy
and fit for it
and enter in it with all
courage and bravery: this is said either ironically to the enemies of God's
people
suggesting that all hands would be wanted
and should be employed
weak
and strong
and all little enough; when they had made the utmost effort they
could
it would be in vain: or else they are seriously spoken to the people of
God
that none of them should excuse themselves
or be discouraged because of
their weakness from engaging in this last and more battle; but take heart
and
be of good courage
and quit themselves like men
and be strong
since they
might be sure of victory beforehand. The Apostle Paul refers to this text in 2 Corinthians 12:10;
and applies it to spiritual weakness and strength; and indeed the weakest
believer
that is so in faith and knowledge
may say he is strong
in
comparison of what he once was
and others are; strong
not in himself
but in
Christ
and the power of his might
and in the grace that is in him; nor should
he excuse himself from fighting the Lord's battles
against sin
Satan
and the
world
and false teachers; or from doing the Lord's work
any service he calls
him to; or from bearing the cross he lays on him on account of his weakness; nor
should he: be discouraged by it from those things; but let him strengthen
himself
as Aben Ezra interprets it
take heart
and be of good courage.
Joel 3:11 11 Assemble
and come
all you nations
And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty
ones to go down there
O Lord.
YLT 11Haste
and come in
all ye
nations round
And be gathered together
Thither cause to come down
O Jehovah
Thy mighty ones.
Assemble yourselves
.... From divers parts
into one place: "be ye gathered"; or "gather yourselves together"
as the Targum and Kimchi; get together in a body
muster up all the forces you
can collect together
Jarchi
from Menachem
by the change of a letter
renders
it
"make ye haste"; lose time in preparing for this battle; get men
and arms for them
as fast as you can; be as expeditious as possible:
and come
all ye Heathen; antichristian nations
Mahometan or Papal; which latter
especially
are sometimes called Heathen and
Gentiles
because of the Heathenish rites introduced into their worship
Psalm 10:16;
and gather yourselves round about: from all parts
to the
valley of Jehoshaphat or Armageddon
Revelation 16:14;
this is spoken ironically to them
to use their utmost endeavours to get most
powerful armies against the people of God
which would be of no avail
but
issue in their own destruction; or it may signify what should be done by the
providence of God
bringing such large numbers of them together to their own
ruin:
thither cause thy mighty ones to come down
O Lord; which is a
prayer of the prophet
or of the church
to God
that he would send down his
mighty ones
the angels that excel in strength
and destroy this great army
thus gathered together
as an angel in one night destroyed the army of
Sennacherib. So Kimchi and Aben Ezra interpret if of angels
and many other
interpreters; but perhaps it may be better to understand it of Christian
princes and their forces
those armies clothed in white
and riding on white
horses
in token of victory; with Christ at the head of them
Revelation 19:14;
who may be said to be caused to "come down"; because
being assembled
shall go down into the valley of Jehoshaphat
where their enemies are gathered
together
and discomfit them
The Targum is
"there
the Lord shall
break the strength of their strong ones.'
Joel 3:12 12 “Let
the nations be wakened
and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I
will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
YLT 12Wake and come up let the
nations unto the valley of Jehoshaphat
For there I sit to judge all the
nations around.
Let the Heathen be awakened
and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat
.... That is
let the enemies of Christ and his church be aroused from that state of security
in which they are
and prepare for their own defence; for in such a state the
antichristian powers will be before their destruction; see Revelation 18:7;
let them bestir themselves
and exert all the rigour and strength they have;
let them come in high spirits against the people of God; let them invade the
holy land
and come even to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and
when come thither
let them
descend into the place appointed for their ruin: the land of Judea
being said to be higher than other countries
going to it is generally
expressed by going up to it; otherwise it is more usual to say that men go down
a valley than come up to it; and
mention being made again of this valley
shows that the same thing is referred to here as in Joel 3:2; these
words are said in answer to the petition in Joel 3:11; for they
are spoken by the Lord
as appears by what follows:
for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about; thither
gathered together from all parts: the allusion is to a judge upon the bench
sitting to hear and try causes
and pass a definitive sentence; and here it
signifies the execution of that sentence; such a pleading the cause of his
people
as to take vengeance and inflict just punishment upon their enemies;
see Psalm 9:4.
Joel 3:13 13 Put
in the sickle
for the harvest is ripe. Come
go down; For the winepress is
full
The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great.”
YLT 13Send ye forth a sickle
For
ripened hath harvest
Come in
come down
for filled hath been the press
Overflowed hath wine-presses
For great [is] their wickedness.
Put ye in the sickle
for the harvest is ripe
.... This is
said to the mighty ones sent
the Christian princes
the executioners of God's
vengeance on antichrist; the angels that will pour out the vials of his wrath
on the antichristian states
compared to reapers
with a sharp sickle in their
hands
to cut them down
as grain is cut when reaped; as the same states are compared
to a harvest ripe
the measure of their sins being filled up
and the time of
their destruction appointed for them come; see Revelation 14:15;
come
get ye down; to the valley: or "go tread ye"F15רדו πατειτε
"calcate"
Sept. so Syr. Ar. ; for another simile is made use of: the
reference here is to the treading of clusters of grapes in the winepress
as
appears by what follows: and so the Targum renders it
"descend
tread their mighty men;'
in
like manner Jarchi interprets it; and so the Septuagint
Syriac
and Arabic
versions
render it: and Dr. Pocock observes
that the word in the Arabic
language signifies to tread
as men tread grapes in a press: the reasons
follow
for the press is full; of clusters of the vine;
or the valley is full of wicked men
compared unto them
destined to
destruction:
the fats overflow; with the juice of grapes squeezed out
denoting the great effusion of blood that will be made; see Revelation 14:18;
for their wickedness is great; is come to
its height
reaches even to heaven
and calls aloud for vengeance; an end is
come to it
and to the authors of it
Revelation 18:5.
The Targum of the whole is
"draw
out the sword against them
for the time of their end is come; descend
tread
their mighty men slain
as anything is trodden in a winepress; pour out their
blood
for their wickedness is multiplied.'
Joel 3:14 14 Multitudes
multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
YLT 14Multitudes
multitudes
[are] in the valley of decision
For near [is] the day of Jehovah in the valley
of decision.
Multitudes
multitudes in the valley of decision
.... The same
with the valley of Jehoshaphat before mentioned; which shows that not any
valley of that name is intended
but a certain place so called from the
judgments of God in it; and here named "the valley of decision"
because here their judgment will be determined
as Kimchi and Jarchi; and at
this time the controversy between God
and his people's enemies
will be
decided
and at an end: or "the valley of concision"
as the Vulgate
Latin version; because in this place
and at this time
the nations gathered
together in it will be cut to pieces: or
as others
"the valley of
threshing"F16בעמק החרוץ
"in valle triturationis"
Piscatsr. ; because
as
in Jehoshaphat's
time
the Moabites and Ammonites were threshed by the Jews in the valley of
Berachah
to which the allusion is; so at this time the antichristian kings and
their armies will be threshed and beaten
and destroyed by the men of Judah
God's professing people; see Micah 4:13; these
seem to be the words of the prophet
breaking out into this pathetic
exclamation
upon a sight of the vast multitudes gathered together in this
valley
and slain in it; and the doubling of the word serves to express the
prodigious number of them: and this shows that this prophecy refers either to
the vast army of the Turks
under the name of Gog
and the great slaughter that
will be made of them; and that this valley may be the same with the valley of
Hamongog
that is
the valley of the multitude of Gog
where their multitude of
slain shall be buried
Ezekiel 39:11; or
to that vast carnage of the antichristian kings and their armies at Armageddon
Revelation 16:14;
the Targum is
"armies
armies
in the valley of the division of judgment:'
for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision; that is
the
great and terrible day of the Lord
to take vengeance on all the antichristian
powers
both eastern and western
is nigh at hand
which will be done in this
valley.
Joel 3:15 15 The
sun and moon will grow dark
And the stars will diminish their brightness.
YLT 15Sun and moon have been
black
And stars have gathered up their shining.
The sun and moon shall be darkened
.... Both the politic and
ecclesiastic state of antichrist shall be ruined and destroyed; it shall
"fare" with Rome Papal as it did with Rome Pagan
at the time of its
dissolution; see Revelation 6:12;
and the stars shall withdraw their shining: antichristian
princes and nobles in the civil state
and the clergy of all ranks in the
church state
shall lose their glory.
Joel 3:16 16 The
Lord also will roar
from Zion
And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will
shake; But the Lord
will be a shelter for His people
And the strength of the children of Israel.
YLT 16And Jehovah from Zion doth
roar
And from Jerusalem giveth forth His voice
And shaken have the heavens
and earth
And Jehovah [is] a refuge to his people
And a stronghold to sons of
Israel.
The Lord also shall roar out of Zion
and utter his voice from
Jerusalem
.... Christ
the Lamb
shall now appear as the Lion of the tribe
of Judah
and utter his voice in his providence and judgments on the behalf of
his church and people
signified by Zion and Jerusalem; and therefore said to
roar
and utter his voice from thence; he will be heard far and near
and
strike terror in the hearts of his enemies; see Jeremiah 25:30;
and the heavens and the earth shall shake; great
revolutions will be made in the world
both in church and state
among the
antichristian powers; and such as will also make them shake and tremble
as
well as alter the form and frame of things among them; see Revelation 16:18;
changes in government
civil and ecclesiastic
are sometimes signified by such
phrases
Haggai 2:6;
but the Lord will be the hope of his people; the object
author
ground
and foundation of their hope of salvation here and hereafter;
in whom they may hope for and expect safety and security in the worst of times;
since he will be their "refuge"
or their "harbour"F17מחסה "refugium"
Tigurine version
Burkius;
"receptus"
Tarnovius. as it may be rendered; to whom they may have
recourse
to shelter and screen them from the rage and wrath of their enemies
and where they will be safe
till the indignation of God be over and past; and
while calamities and judgments are upon the unchristian and ungodly world
they
will have nothing to fear amidst these storms
being in a good harbour:
and the strength of the children of Israel; of the
spiritual Israel; of all such who are Israelites indeed
the Lord's chosen
redeemed
and called people
both Jews and Gentiles; the author and giver of
their spiritual strength
the strength of their lives and of their hearts
of
their graces and of their salvation; by whom they are furnished with strength
to do the duties of religion; to exercise grace; to wrestle with God in prayer;
to withstand spiritual enemies; to bear afflictions patiently
and to persevere
to the end: or he is their "fortress"F18מעון "prsesidium"
Tarnovius; "arx"
Cocceius. ; their strong hold and place of defence
where they are safe from
every enemy
free from all distresses
enjoy solid peace and comfort
and have
plenty of provisions
Isaiah 33:16.
Joel 3:17 17 “So
you shall know that I am the Lord your God
Dwelling in
Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy
And no aliens shall ever
pass through her again.”
YLT 17And ye have known that I
[am] Jehovah your God
Dwelling in Zion
My holy mountain
And Jerusalem hath
been holy
And strangers do not pass over into it again.
So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in
Zion
my holy mountain
.... The church of God
which is his dwelling place; and will
appear more manifestly to be so at this time
when Christ the Lamb will stand
on Mount Zion
with an 144
000
having his Father's name in their foreheads
Revelation 14:1;
and which presence of the Lord will be clearly discerned by his people; by the
destruction of their enemies
and by his protection of them; by his being their
hope and strength
their refuge and their fortress; they will experimentally know
his divine inhabitation among them:
then shall Jerusalem be holy; or "holiness"F19קדש "sanctitas"
Munster
Mercerus
Vatablus
Piscator
Tarnovius. ; not Jerusalem
literally taken
as Kimchi; though
it
being now rebuilt
will be inhabited by holy persons
the converted Jews
and
so all manner of holiness practised in it; but rather the whole church of God
everywhere
consisting of holy persons
made so through the holiness of Christ
imputed to them
and the sanctifying grace of his Spirit wrought in them; not
that they will be perfectly holy in themselves
as the saints will in the New
Jerusalem state
Revelation 21:2;
but they will be greatly so; holiness will be predominant and universal among
men; there will be more real saints
and fewer hypocrites will be in the
churches; see Isaiah 4:3;
and there shall no strangers pass through her any more; to hurt and
annoy the church of God; for there shall be none in these times to molest
disturb
and hurt
in all the holy mountain of the Lord
Isaiah 11:9; or to
pollute her with false doctrine
superstitious worship
or morality; or her
communion shall not be interrupted and made uncomfortable
or she be pestered
with hypocrites and ungodly persons
strangers to God and godliness
to Christ
his Spirit
and the power of religion; see Isaiah 52:1.
Joel 3:18 18 And
it will come to pass in that day That the mountains shall drip with new
wine
The hills shall flow with milk
And all the brooks of Judah shall be
flooded with water; A fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord And water the
Valley of Acacias.
YLT 18And it hath come to pass
in that day
Drop down do the mountains juice
And the hills do flow [with]
milk
And all streams of Judah do go [with] water
And a fountain from the
house of Jehovah goeth forth
And hath watered the valley of Shittim.
And it shall come to pass in that day
.... When
antichrist shall be destroyed; the Jews converted; the power of godliness
revived
and the presence of God among his people enjoyed. Vitringa
in his
Commentary on Isaiah
frequently applies this
and such like prophecies
to the
times of the Maccabees; though
he owns
they were but an emblem of better
times under the Gospel dispensation; nor does he deny the mystical and
spiritual sense of them;
that the mountains
shall drop down new wine; which
and the following expressions
are to be understood not
in a strict literal sense
as LactantiusF20Epitome Divin. Institut.
c. 11. Vid. Institut. l. 7. c. 24. seems to have understood them; who says
that
in the Millennium
God will cause a rain of blessing to descend morning
and evening; the earth shall bring forth all kind of fruit without the labour
of man; honey shall drop from the rocks
and the fountains of milk and wine
shall overflow: but hyperbolically
just as the land of Canaan is said to flow
with milk and honey; not that it really did
but the phrase is used to denote
the fertility of it
and the abundance of temporal blessings in it. The literal
sense is this
that the mountains shall be covered with vines
on which they
are often planted; these vines shall be full of large clusters of grape; and
these grapes
being pressed
shall yield a large quantity of new wine; and so
by a metonymy
the mountains are said to drop it downF21"Incultisque
rubens pendebit sentibus uva
Et durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella".
Virgil. Eclog. 4. l. 29
30.
that is
abound with it
or produce an abundance
of it: but the spiritual or mystical sense is
that the churches of Christ in
those times
comparable to mountains
and so to hills in the next clause
for
their exalted and visible glorious state in which they now will be; and for the
rich gifts and graces of the Spirit within them; and for the pasture upon them
and the trees of righteousness that grow thereon; and also for their firmness
and stability
their immovableness and perpetual duration; these shall abound
with fresh and large discoveries of the love of God and Christ
which is better
than wine
Song of Solomon 1:2;
like wine
cheering and refreshing; like new wine
though old as to its
original
yet new in the manifestations of it; and which are usually made in
the church
and the ordinances of it
to the making glad the hearts of the
Lord's people; also they shall abound with the blessings of grace
the fruits
of love
such as pardon
peace
justification
&c. which
like wine
fill
with joy
revive and comfort; and though they are ancient blessings
provided
long ago
they are exhibited under the Gospel dispensation in a new covenant
way; and the application of them is made in the churches
in Zion
where the
Lord commands the blessing
even life for evermore. This may also take in the
Gospel
which brings the good news of these blessings
and so is very reviving
and cheering; and
though ordained and preached of old
is newly revealed under
the present dispensation; and will be more clearly in later times
when all the
mountains or churches will abound with it
and even the whole earth be filled
with the knowledge of it
Isaiah 11:9;
likewise the ordinance of the Lord's supper
that feast of fat things
of wines
on the lees well refined
made in the mountain of the Lord
for all his people
may be included; and both in that
and in the ministry of the word
the Lord is
sometimes pleased
as he may more abundantly hereafter
to give his saints some
foretaste of that new wine
which Christ and they shall partake of in his
Father's kingdom; see Song of Solomon 7:9
Matthew 26:29;
and the hills shall flow with milk: that is
there shall be
much pasturage upon them
and a great number of cattle feeding thereon
which
shall yield large quantities of milk; and so
by the same figure as before
the
hills may be said to flow with itF23"Flumina jam lactis
jam
flumina nectaris ibant
Flavaque de viridi stillabant ibice mella". Ovid.
Metamorph. l. 1. . The spiritual meaning is
that the churches of Christ
comparable to hills
for the reasons before given
shall abound with the means
of grace
with the sincere milk of the word; to which the Gospel is compared
for its whiteness and purity
for every word of God is pure and purifying; for
assuaging the wrath the law produces; it being easy of digestion
even to
newborn babes; and its salutary nourishing virtue and efficacy; and of this
there will be great abundance in the latter day; see Song of Solomon 4:11
1 Peter 2:2;
and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters; that is
the
channels in which the rivers run; these
in a time of drought
are sometimes
empty
and the bottoms of them to be seen
but now full of water
and flow with
it: grace is often in Scripture compared to "water" because of its
refreshing
cleansing
and fructifying nature; and "rivers" denote
an abundance of it; and the "channels"
through which it is conveyed
to men
out of the fulness of Christ
are the ordinances; see Zechariah 4:12; and
the prophecy suggests
that these should not be dry and empty
but that large
measures of grace shall be communicated by means of them to the souls of men
to their great comfort and edification
and for the supply of their wants; see Ezekiel 36:25;
and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord; not meaning
baptism
as some; nor Christ
the fountain of grace
life
and salvation; but
the Gospel
the word of the Lord
that fountain full of excellent truths and
doctrines; of the blessings of grace; of exceeding great and precious promises;
and of much spiritual peace
joy
and comfort: this is the law or doctrine of
the Lord
that should come out of Zion
or the church
Isaiah 2:3; the
living waters that shall come out of Jerusalem
Zechariah 14:8; and
the same with the waters in Ezekiel's vision
that came from under the
threshold of the house
Ezekiel 47:1; it
seems to denote the small beginnings of the Gospel
and the great increase and
overflow of it in the world
as it does in all the above passages: this is
referred by the ancient JewsF24Midrash Kohelet
fol. 63. 2. to the
times of the Messiah;
and shall water the valley of Shittim; a plain or
valley near Jordan
upon the borders of Moab
at the farther end of Canaan that
way
Numbers 33:49.
Benjamin of TudelaF25Itineranium
p. 44. says
that from the mount
of Olives may be seen the plain and brook of Shittim
unto or near Mount Nebo
which was in the land of Moab. This valley or plain
as the Targum
was so
called
either from the "shittah" tree
Isaiah 41:19; of
which was the wood "shittim"
so much used for various things in the
tabernacle and temple
that grew there; and which Jerom on this place says was
a kind of tree that grew in the wilderness
like a white thorn in colour and
leaves
though not in size
for otherwise it was a very large tree
out of
which the broadest planks might be cut
and its wood very strong
and of
incredible
smoothness and beauty; and which grew not in cultivated places
nor
in the Roman soil
but in the desert of Arabia; and therefore one would think
did not grow in this plain near Jordan
and so could not be denominated from
hence: but Dr. ShawF26Travels
c. 3. p. 444
459. Ed. 2. observes
that the Acacia is by much the largest and the most common tree of these
deserts (that is
of Arabia)
as it might likewise have been of the plains of
Shittim
over against Jericho
from whence it took its name; and adds
we have
some reason to conjecture that the shittim wood
whereof the various utensils
&c. of the tabernacle
&c. Exodus 25:10
&c. were made
was the wood of the acacia. Or it may be this place had its
name from the rushes which grew on the banks of Jordan
near to which it was;
for so
is the word interpreted by someF1Vid. Relaud. Palestina
Illustrata
l. 1. c. 54
p. 351
352. : and Saadiah Gaon says
this valley is
Jordan; so called
because Jordan was near to a place called Shittim: however
be it as it will
this can never be understood in a literal sense
that any
fountain should arise out of the temple
and flow as far as beyond Jordan
and
water any tract of land there; but must be understood spiritually
of the same
waters of the sanctuary as in Ezekiel's vision
Ezekiel 47:1; at
most
the literal sense could only be
that the whole land should be well
watered from one end to the other
and
become very fertile and fruitful
by
the order and direction of the Lord
that dwells in his temple. The mystical
sense is best. Jarchi makes mention of a Midrash
that interprets it of the
expiation of the sins of the Israelites
in the affair of Baalpeor at Shittim
Numbers 25:1; but
the true spiritual sense is
that the Gospel shall be carried to the further
parts of the earth; that the whole world shall be filled and watered with it
and become fruitful
which before was like a desert; these living waters shall
flow
both toward the former and the hinder seas
the eastern and west: era
as
in Zechariah 14:8; see
Isaiah 11:9. Some
render it
"shall water the valley of cedars"F2את נחל השטים
"vallem cedrorum lectissimorum"
Junius & Tremellius
Tarnovius.
; the shittim wood being a kind of cedar
of which many things belonging to the
tabernacle
a type of the church
was made
being firm
sound
incorruptible
and durable; see Exodus 25:10;
saints are compared to cedars for their height in Christ
their strength in
him
and in his grace; their large and spreading leaves
branches
and roots
or growth in grace; and for their duration and incorruption; see Numbers 24:5; a
valley may signify the low estate of God's people; or be an emblem of lowly
meek
and humble souls
to whom the Gospel is preached
and who are watered and
revived by it
and to whom more grace is given; see Isaiah 40:4. It is
by Symmachus rendered "the valley of thorns"; and so QuinquarboreusF3Scholia
in Targum in loc. says the word signifies and designs such who are barren in
good works.
Joel 3:19 19 “Egypt
shall be a desolation
And Edom a desolate wilderness
Because of violence against
the people of Judah
For they have shed innocent blood in their land.
YLT 19Egypt a desolation
becometh
And Edom a desolation
a wilderness
becometh
For violence [to] sons
of Judah
Whose innocent blood they shed in their land.
Egypt shall be a desolation
and Edom shall be a desolate
wilderness
.... These two nations having been the implacable enemies of
Israel
are here put for the future adversaries of the church of Christ
Pagan
Papal
and Mahometan; who will all be destroyed as such
and be no more: Rome
is called
spiritually or mystically
Egypt
Revelation 11:8;
and Edom is a name that well agrees with it
it signifying "red"
as
it is with the blood of the saints: and it is common
with the Jewish writers
by Edom to understand Rome; which though it may not be true of all places they
so interpret
yet is of many
and so here. Kimchi
by Egypt understands the
Ishmaelites
or the Turks; and
by Edom
Rome;
for the violence of the children of Judah
because they
have shed innocent blood is their land; either in the land of
Judah; or rather in their own land
Egypt and Edom. This respects the violences
and outrages committed by the antichristian states upon the true professors of
the Christian religion
the Waldenses and Albigenses
and others
whose
innocent blood
in great quantities
has been spilled by them. Antichrist is
represented as
drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus
and in whom will
be found the blood of all the prophets and saints; and for this reason ruin and
destruction will come upon him and his followers
and blood will be given them
to drink
for they are worthy
Revelation 17:6.
Joel 3:20 20 But
Judah shall abide forever
And Jerusalem from generation to generation.
YLT 20And Judah to the age doth
dwell
And Jerusalem to generation and generation.
But Judah shall dwell for ever
.... The converted Jews
shall dwell in their own land for ever
to the end of the
world and never more
be carried captive
Ezekiel 37:25; and
the true professing people of God
as Judah signifies
shall continue in a
church state
evermore
and never more be disturbed by any enemies
they shall
dwell safely and peaceably to the end of time:
and Jerusalem from generation to generation; shall dwell
so in like manner
age after age; that is
the inhabitants of Jerusalem
or the
members of the true church of Christ
who shall see and enjoy peace and
prosperity
both temporal and spiritual
as Jerusalem signifies.
Joel 3:21 21 For
I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed
whom I had not acquitted; For the
Lord dwells in
Zion.”
YLT 21And I have declared their
blood innocent
[That] I did not declare innocent
And Jehovah is dwelling in
Zion!
For I will cleanse their blood which I have not cleansed
.... Which
some understand
as the Targum
of the Lord's
inflicting further punishments
on the
enemies of his people
for shedding their innocent blood; and that he
will not expiate their sins
nor hold them guiltless
or suffer them to go
unpunished; but rather this is to be interpreted in a way of grace and mercy
as a benefit bestowed on Judah and Jerusalem
who are the immediate antecedents
to the relative here; and in the words a reason is given why they should dwell
safely and peaceably for ever
because the Lord will justify them from their
sins; forgive their iniquities; cleanse them from all their pollution
signified by blood; of which grace they will have had no application made to
them till this time; but now all their guilt and faith will be removed; and
particularly God will forgive
and declare to be forgiven their sin of
crucifying Christ; whose blood they had imprecated upon themselves and their
children
and which has remained on them; but now will be removed
with all the
sad effects of it. Though this may also refer to the conversion of the
Gentiles
and the pardon of their sins
and the sanctification of their
persons
in such places and parts of the world
where such blessings of grace
have not been bestowed in times past for many ages
if ever;
for the Lord dwelleth in Zion; and therefore will
diffuse his grace
and spread the blessings of it all around: or "even the
Lord that dwelleth in Zion"F4ויהוה
"even I the Lord"
margin of our Bibles. ; he will do what is before
promised; being the Lord
he can do it; and dwelling in Zion his church
it may
be believed he will do it; and this will be for ever
when his Shechinah shall
return thither in the days of the Messiah
as Kimchi observes.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)