Joel 3:3

3 et super populum meum miserunt sortem et posuerunt puerum in prostibulum et puellam vendiderunt pro vino ut biberent

Joel 3:3 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 3:3

And they have cast lots for my people
Not only parted their land, but cast lots for their persons, Or played at dice for them, how many captives each soldier should have, and which should be their share and property: ninety seven thousand Jews, Josephus F4 says, were carried captive by the Romans, who, very probably, cast lots for them, as was usual in such cases; see ( Nahum 3:10 ) ; and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they
might drink;
either they gave a boy to be prostituted to natural lusts, in lieu of a whore; and a girl to be debauched for a bottle of wine: or they gave a boy for the price of a whore, as the Targum and Kimchi interpret it; that is, they gave a boy, instead of money, to a whore, to lie with her, as the eunuch was given to Thais; and they gave a girl to the wine merchant for as much wine as they could drink at one sitting. These phrases both express their uncleanness and intemperance, and also the low price and value they set upon their captives; and is applicable enough to the Papists, notorious for the same abominable lusts.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 3.

Joel 3:3 In-Context

1 quia ecce in diebus illis et in tempore illo cum convertero captivitatem Iuda et Hierusalem
2 congregabo omnes gentes et deducam eas in valle Iosaphat et disceptabo cum eis ibi super populo meo et hereditate mea Israhel quos disperserunt in nationibus et terram meam diviserunt
3 et super populum meum miserunt sortem et posuerunt puerum in prostibulum et puellam vendiderunt pro vino ut biberent
4 verum quid vobis et mihi Tyrus et Sidon et omnis terminus Palestinorum numquid ultionem vos redditis mihi et si ulciscimini vos contra me cito velociter reddam vicissitudinem vobis super caput vestrum
5 argentum enim meum et aurum tulistis et desiderabilia mea et pulcherrima intulistis in delubra vestra
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.