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 .
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.
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 .
Bibliographical Information Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Joel 3". "Bullinger's Companion bible Notes". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bul/joel-3.html. 1909-1922.
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 .