Joel 2:18-27

The Lord Had Pity

18 ¹Then the LORD became jealous for his land ²and had pity on his people.

19 The LORD answered and said to his people, "Behold, ³I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, ⁴and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

20 "I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard^[a] into ⁵the eastern sea, and his rear guard^[b] into ⁶the western sea; ⁷the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.

21 "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for ⁸the LORD has done great things!

22 Fear not, ⁹you beasts of the field, for ¹⁰the pastures of the wilderness are green; ¹¹the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and ¹²vine give their full yield.

23 ¹³"Be glad, O children of Zion, and ¹⁴rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given ¹⁵the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, ¹⁶the early and ¹⁷the latter rain, as before.

24 "The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 I will restore to you the years that ¹⁸the swarming locust has eaten, ¹⁹the hopper, ²⁰the destroyer, and ²¹the cutter, ²²my great army, which I sent among you.

26 ²³"You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people ²⁴shall never again be put to shame.

27 ²⁵You shall know that I am ²⁶in the midst of Israel, and that ²⁷I am the LORD your God ²⁸and there is none else. And my people ²⁹shall never again be put to shame.

Joel 2:18-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOEL 2

In this chapter a further account is given of the judgment of the locusts and caterpillars, or of those who are designed by them, Joe 2:1-11; the people of the Jews are called to repentance, humiliation, and fasting, urged from the grace and goodness of God, his jealousy and pity for his people, and the answer of prayer that might he expected from him upon this, even to the removal of the calamity, Joe 2:12-20; a prophecy of good things, both temporal and spiritual, in the times of the Messiah, is delivered out as matter and occasion of great joy, Joe 2:21-27; and another concerning the effusion of the Spirit, which was fulfilled an the day of Pentecost, Joe 2:28-29; and the chapter is concluded with the judgments and desolations that should come upon the land of Judea after this, for their rejection of Christ, though the remnant according to the election of grace should be delivered and saved from the general destruction, Joe 2:30-32.

Cross References

• 1. Zechariah 1:14; Zechariah 8:2
• 2. [Psalms 103:13]
• 3. [Joel 1:10; Psalms 4:7]; See Malachi 3:10-12
• 4. [Joel 1:10; Psalms 4:7]; See Malachi 3:10-12
• 5. Ezekiel 47:18; Zechariah 14:8
• 6. Zechariah 14:8
• 7. Isaiah 34:3; [Amos 4:10]
• 8. Psalms 126:2, 3
• 9. See Joel 1:18
• 10. [Joel 1:19]
• 11. [Zechariah 8:12]
• 12. [Zechariah 8:12]
• 13. Psalms 100:1, 2; Habakkuk 3:18; Zechariah 10:7
• 14. Psalms 100:1, 2; Habakkuk 3:18; Zechariah 10:7
• 15. Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24
• 16. Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24
• 17. Hosea 6:3
• 18. Joel 1:4
• 19. Joel 1:4
• 20. Joel 1:4
• 21. Joel 1:4
• 22. ver. 11
• 23. Leviticus 25:19
• 24. [Isaiah 49:23]
• 25. Joel 3:17
• 26. Hosea 11:9; See Ezekiel 37:26
• 27. See Exodus 20:2
• 28. [Isaiah 44:8]
• 29. [See ver. 26 above]

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew face
• [b]. Hebrew his end