Joe 2:12-17 | JFB | STEP | 12. With such judgments impending over the Jews, Jehovah Himself urges them to repentance. also now-- Even now, what none could have hoped or believed possible, God still invites you to the hope of salvation. fasting ... weeping ... mourning-- Their sin being most heinous needs extraordinary humiliation. The outward marks of repentance are to signify the depth of their sorrow for sin.

‏ Joel 2:12-17

12. With such judgments impending over the Jews, Jehovah Himself urges them to repentance.

also now--Even now, what none could have hoped or believed possible, God still invites you to the hope of salvation.

fasting ... weeping ... mourning--Their sin being most heinous needs extraordinary humiliation. The outward marks of repentance are to signify the depth of their sorrow for sin.

13. Let there be the inward sorrow of heart, and not the mere outward manifestation of it by "rending the garment" (Jos 7:6).

the evil--the calamity which He had threatened against the impenitent.

14. leave ... a meat offering and a drink offering--that is, give plentiful harvests, out of the first-fruits of which we may offer the meat and drink offering, now "cut off" through the famine (Joe 1:9, 13, 16). "Leave behind Him": as God in visiting His people now has left behind Him a curse, so He will, on returning to visit them, leave behind Him a blessing.

15. Blow the trumpet--to convene the people (Nu 10:3). Compare Joe 1:14. The nation was guilty, and therefore there must be a national humiliation. Compare Hezekiah's proceedings before Sennacherib's invasion (2Ch 30:1-27).

16. sanctify the congregation--namely, by expiatory rites and purification with water [Calvin], (Ex 19:10, 22). Maurer translates, "appoint a solemn assembly," which would be a tautological repetition of Joe 2:15.

elders ... children--No age was to be excepted (2Ch 20:13).

bridegroom--ordinarily exempted from public duties (De 24:5; compare 1Co 7:5, 29).

closet--or, nuptial bed, from a Hebrew root "to cover," referring to the canopy over it.

17. between the porch and ... altar--the porch of Solomon's temple on the east (1Ki 6:3); the altar of burnt offerings in the court of the priests, before the porch (2Ch 8:12; compare Eze 8:16; Mt 23:35). The suppliants thus were to stand with their backs to the altar on which they had nothing to offer, their faces towards the place of the Shekinah presence.

heathen should rule over them--This shows that not locusts, but human foes, are intended. The Margin translation, "use a byword against them," is not supported by the Hebrew.

wherefore should they say ... Where is their God?--that is, do not for thine own honor's sake, let the heathen sneer at the God of Israel, as unable to save His people (Psa 79:10; 115:2).