Yuēĕrshū 1:2-14

2 Lǎo nián rén nǎ , dāng tīng wǒde huà . guó zhōng de jūmín nǎ , dōu yào zè ĕr ér tīng . zaì nǐmen de rìzi , huò nǐmen lièzǔ de rìzi , céng yǒu zhèyàng de shì ma .

3 Nǐmen yào jiāng zhè shì chuán yǔ zǐ , zǐ chuán yǔ sūn , sūn chuán yǔ hòudaì .

4 Jiǎn chóng shèngxia de , huángchóng lái chī . huángchóng shèngxia de , nǎn zǐ lái chī . nǎn zǐ shèngxia de , mā zhà lái chī .

5 Jiǔ zuì de rén nǎ , yào qīngxǐng kūqì . hàojiǔ de rén nǎ , dōu yào wèi tián jiǔ āi hào . yīnwei cóng nǐmen de kǒu zhōng duàn jué le .

6 Yǒu yī duì huángchóng ( yuánwén shì mín ) yòu qiángshèng yòu wú shǔ , qīn fàn wǒde dì . tā de yá chǐ rú shīzi de yá chǐ , dà yá rú mǔ shī de dà yá .

7 Tā huǐhuaì wǒde pútàoshù , bō le wǒ wúhuāguǒ shù de pí , bāo jǐn ér diūqì , shǐ zhī tiaó lù bái .

8 Wǒde mín nǎ , nǐ dāng āi hào , xiàng chǔnǚ yào shù má bù , wéi yòunián de zhàngfu āi hào .

9 Sù jì hé diàn jì cóng Yēhéhuá de diàn zhōng duàn jué . shìfèng Yēhéhuá de jìsī dōu bēiāi .

10 Tián huāngliáng , dì bēiāi , yīnwei wǔgǔ huǐhuaì , xīn jiǔ gān jié , yóu yĕ quē fá .

11 Nóngfū a , nǐmen yào cánkuì , xiūlǐ pútaóyuán de a , nǐmen yào āi hào , yīnwei dàmaì xiǎomaì , yǔ tiánjiān de zhuāngjia , dōu mièjué le .

12 Pútàoshù kū gān , wúhuāguǒ shù shuāi cán . shíliu shù , zōng shù , píngguǒ shù , lián tiānyĕ yīqiè de shùmù , yĕ dōu kū gān . zhòngrén de xǐlè jǐn dōu xiāomiè .

13 Jìsī a , nǐmen dāng yào shù má bù tòngkū . cìhou jìtán de a , nǐmen yào āi hào . shìfèng wǒ shén de a , nǐmen yào lái pī shang má bù guō yè . yīnwei sù jì , hé diàn jì , cóng nǐmen shén de diàn zhōng duàn jué le .

14 Nǐmen yào fēn déng jìnshí de rìzi , xuāngào yán sù huì , zhāo jù zhǎnglǎo , hé guó zhōng de yīqiè jūmín , dào Yēhéhuá nǐmen shén de diàn , xiàng Yēhéhuá āi qiú .

Yuēĕrshū 1:2-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOEL

In some Hebrew Bibles this prophecy is called "Sepher Joel", the Book of Joel; in the Vulgate Latin version, the Prophecy of Joel; and in the Syriac version, the Prophecy of the Prophet Joel; and the Arabic version, the Prophet Joel; and so the Apostle Peter quotes him, Ac 2:16. His name, according to Hillerus {a}, signifies "the Lord is God"; but others derive it from lay, which in "Hiphil" is lyawh, and signifies "he willed, acquiesced, or is well pleased, so Abarbinei; and hence Schmidt thinks it answers to Desiderius or Erasmus. According to Isidorus {b}, he was born at Bethoron, in the tribe of Reuben, and died and was buried there; and so says Pseudo-Epiphanius {c}. In what age he lived is not easy to say. Aben Ezra expressly affirms there is no way to know it; and so R. David Ganz {d} says, his time we know not; and likewise Abarbinel. Some think he prophesied about the same time Hoses did, after whom he is next placed; and so Mr. Whiston {e} and, Mr. Bedford {f} make him to prophesy much about the same time with Isaiah and Hoses, about eight hundred years before Christ; but, in the Septuagint version, this book is in the fourth order, and not Hoses, but Amos and Micah, are placed before him; and so the author of Juchasin {g} puts the prophets in this order, first Hoses, then Amos, next Isaiah, then Micah, and after him Joel. Some of the Jewish writers, as Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abendana relate, make Joel contemporary with Elisha, and say he prophesied in the, lays of Jehoram the son of Ahab, when the seven years' famine called for came upon the land, 2Ki 8:1. Both in Seder Olam Rabba and Zuta {h} he is placed in the reign of Manasseh; and so in Hilchot Gedolot, as Jarchi observes. And it seems indeed as if he prophesied after the ten tribes were carried captive, which was in the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign, since no mention is made of Israel but with respect to future times, only of Judah and Jerusalem, But, be it when it will that he prophesied, there is no doubt to be made of the authenticity of this book, which is confirmed by the quotations of two apostles out of two: Peter and Paul, Ac 2:16, Ro 10:13.

{a} Onomast. Sacr. p. 856. {b} De Vita & Mart. Sanct. c. 4. {c} De Vita Proph. c. 14. {d} Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 14. 2. {e} Chronological Tables, cent. 7. and 8. {f} Scripture Chronology, B. 6. c. 2. p. 646. {g} Fol. 12. 1, 2. {h} P. 55, 105. Ed. Meyer.

\\INTRODUCTION TO JOEL 1\\

This chapter describes a dreadful calamity upon the people of the Jews, by locusts and, caterpillars, and drought. After the title of the book, Joe 1:1; old men are called upon to observe this sore judgment to their children, that it might be transmitted to the latest posterity, as that the like to which had not been seen and heard of, Joe 1:2-4; and drunkards to awake and weep, because the vines were destroyed, and no wine could be made for them, Joe 1:5-7; and not only husbandmen and vinedressers, but the priests of the Lord, are called to mourn, because such destruction, was made in the fields and vineyards, that there were no meat nor drink offering brought into the house of the Lord, Joe 1:8-13; wherefore a general and solemn fast is required throughout the land, because of the distress of man and beast, Joe 1:14-18; and the chapter is concluded with the resolution of the prophet to cry unto the Lord, on account of this calamity, Joe 1:19,20.