Bible Commentaries

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.

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 Mat 25 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.

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

wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.

coasts = circuit, or region.

Palestine = Philistia.

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

if = though.

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

children = sons.

the Grecians. Hebrew the sons of the Greeks.

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

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

people = nations.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Joel 2:74.

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

wickedness. Hebrew raa. App-44.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

dwell = remain, or be established.

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.