Joel 1:1

1

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Joel 1:1 In-Context

1

2 Older leaders, listen to this message. Listen to me, all you who live in the land. Nothing like this has ever happened during your lifetime or during your ancestors' lifetimes.

3 Tell your children about these things, let your children tell their children, and let your grandchildren tell their children.

4 What the cutting locusts have left, the swarming locusts have eaten; what the swarming locusts have left, the hopping locusts have eaten, and what the hopping locusts have left, the destroying locustsn have eaten.

5 Drunks, wake up and cry! All you people who drink wine, cry! Cry because your wine has been taken away from your mouths.