Joel 1:1

1 The word of Yahweh that came to Joel son of Pethuel.

Joel 1:1 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 1:1

The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
] Who this Pethuel was is not known; Jarchi takes him to be the same with Samuel the prophet, who had a son of this name, ( 1 Samuel 8:2 ) ; and gives this reason for his being called Pethuel, because in his prayer he persuaded God; but the long span of time will by no means admit of this, nor the character of Samuel's son agree with Joel; and therefore is rightly denied by Aben Ezra, who observes, however, that this man was an honourable man, and therefore his name is mentioned; and gives this as a rule, that whenever any prophet mentions the name of his father, he was honourable. Perhaps, it is here observed, to distinguish him from another of the same name; and there was one of this name, Joel, a high priest in the reigns of Uzziah and Jotham, according to Seder Olam Zuta ^F9 and Abarbinel ^F11; in whose time Joel is by some thought to prophesy.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Fol. 104.
F11 In Meyer. Anotat. in ib. p, 626.

Joel 1:1 In-Context

1 The word of Yahweh that came to Joel son of Pethuel.

2 Hear this, O elders, and give ear, all the inhabitants of the land. Has this happened in your days? Or the days of your ancestors?

3 Tell it to your children, and your children to their children, and their children to the following generation.

4 What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten. And what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.

5 Wake up, drunkards, and weep! Wail, all drinkers of wine, over the new wine, for it is cut off from your mouth.