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.