Joel 1:8

8 Cry, you people, like a young woman who mourns the death of the man she was going to marry.

Joel 1:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 1:8

Lament like a virgin
This is not the continuation of the prophet's speech to the drunkards; but, as Aben Ezra observes, he either speaks to himself, or to the land the Targum supplies it, O congregation of Israel; the more religious and godly part of the people are here addressed; who were concerned for the pure worship of God, and were as a chaste virgin espoused to Christ, though not yet come, and for whom they were waiting; these are called upon to lament the calamities of the times in doleful strains, like a virgin: girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth;
either as one that had been betrothed to a young man, but not married, he dying after the espousals, and before marriage; which must be greatly distressing to one that passionately loved him; and therefore, instead of her nuptial robes, prepared to meet him and be married in, girds herself with sackcloth; a coarse hairy sort of cloth, as was usual, in the eastern countries, to put on in token of mourning: or as one lately married to a young man she dearly loved, and was excessively fond of, and lived extremely happy with; but, being suddenly snatched away from her by death, puts on her widow's garments, and mourns not in show only, but in reality; having lost in her youth her young husband, she had the strongest affection for: this is used to express the great lamentation the people are called unto in this time of their distress.

Joel 1:8 In-Context

6 An army of locusts has attacked our land; they are powerful and too many to count; their teeth are as sharp as those of a lion.

7 They have destroyed our grapevines and chewed up our fig trees. They have stripped off the bark, till the branches are white.

8 Cry, you people, like a young woman who mourns the death of the man she was going to marry.

9 There is no grain or wine to offer in the Temple; the priests mourn because they have no offerings for the Lord.

10 The fields are bare; the ground mourns because the grain is destroyed, the grapes are dried up, and the olive trees are withered.