Joel 2:10

10 The earth trembled of his face, heavens were moved, the sun and the moon were made dark, and stars withdrew their shining. (The earth trembled before them, the heavens were moved, the sun and the moon were made dark, and the stars withdrew their shining.)

Joel 2:10 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 2:10

The earth shall quake before them
The inhabitants of it, because of the desolating judgments they bring with them, and those enemies that are signified by them: the heavens shall tremble;
being obscured by them: the sun and moon shall be dark;
the locusts sometimes come in such large numbers as to intercept the rays of the sun. Pliny F20 says they sometimes darken it; and though some thought they did not fly in the night, because of the cold; this he observes is owing to their ignorance, not considering that they pass over wide seas to distant countries; and this will account for it how the moon also may be darkened by them, and the stars, as follows: and the stars shall withdraw their shining;
though all this may be understood in a figurative sense of the great consternation that all sorts of persons should be in at such calamities coming upon the land, either by locusts, or by enemies; as the king, queen, nobles, and the common people of the land, signified by sun, moon, and stars, heaven and earth.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Ibid. (Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29.)

Joel 2:10 In-Context

8 Each man shall not make strait his brother, each man shall go in his path; but also they shall fall down by windows, and shall not be hurt. (No one shall divert his neighbour, each one shall go on his own path; and they shall go in through the windows, and not be hurt.)
9 They shall enter into the city, they shall run on the wall; they shall ascend on houses, they shall enter as a night thief by windows. (They shall enter into the city, they shall run upon the walls; they shall go up on the houses, and they shall go in through the windows like a night thief.)
10 The earth trembled of his face, heavens were moved, the sun and the moon were made dark, and stars withdrew their shining. (The earth trembled before them, the heavens were moved, the sun and the moon were made dark, and the stars withdrew their shining.)
11 And the Lord gave his voice before the face of his host, for his hosts be full many; for those be strong, and do the word of him. For the day of the Lord is great, and full fearedful, and who shall suffer it?
12 Now therefore saith the Lord, Be ye turned again to me in all your heart, in fasting, and weeping, and wailing; (And yet even now, saith the Lord, turn ye again to me/return to me, with all your heart, with fasting, and weeping, and wailing;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.