SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:23
Vosotros también, hijos de Sion, alegraos y gozaos en el SEŃOR vuestro Dios; porque os ha dado la primera lluvia arregladamente, y harį descender sobre vosotros lluvia temprana y tardía como al principio.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joel 2:23
Verse 23. The former rain moderately] hqdxl hrwmh hammoreh litsedakah, "the former rain in righteousness," that is, in due time and in just proportion. This rain fell after autumn, the other in spring. See Hos. vi. 3. In the first month.] w¨arb barishon, "as aforetime." So Bp. Newcome.
In the month Nisan. - Syriac.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion , etc.] The people of the Jews, and especially the spiritual and believing part of them; such as were born again, that were born of Zion, and born in Zion, and brought up by her, and in her; the children of that Zion or Jerusalem that is the mother of us all; and who were looking for the Messiah, and to whom it would be good news and glad tidings to hear of his coming, ( Zechariah 9:9); and rejoice in the Lord your God ; not in any creature or creature enjoyment, but in the Lord. The Targum is, “in the Word of the Lord your God;” in Christ the essential Word; (see Philippians 3:3 4:4); though rather Jehovah the Father, the giver and sender of Christ, is here meant, because of what follows; and who is to be rejoiced in by his people, not as an absolute God, but as in Christ, and as their covenant God and Father in him; who has chosen them for himself, and is their portion and inheritance; which are reasons sufficient why they should rejoice in him, and others follow: for he hath given you the former rain moderately ; or rather, “for he hath given you the teacher of righteousness” F54 ; to which agrees the Targum, “for he hath returned to you your teacher in righteousness;” and so Jarchi paraphrases the words, and interprets them of the prophets in general, “your prophets that teach you to return unto me, that I may justify you;” and R. Japhet says that hrwm signifies a prophet that should teach them in the way of righteousness; not Isaiah, as Grotius; but the King Messiah as Abarbinel interprets it; who is the teacher sent from God, and given by him, as his presence with him, and the miracles done by him, sufficiently prove, ( John 3:2); for which he was abundantly qualified, being the omniscient God, and the Son of God that lay in the bosom of his Father; is the Wisdom of God, as Mediator; had the Spirit of wisdom on him, and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him; and who is able to make his teachings effectual, and to qualify others for such work. This office he performed personally on earth, both in a doctrinal way, and by way of example; and now executes it by his Spirit, and by his ministers: and a “teacher of righteousness” he may be truly said to be; since he not only taught the Gospel, the word of righteousness in general; but in particular directed men to seek in the first place the righteousness of God, which is no other than his own; and pronounced those happy that hungered after it: he declared he came to fulfil all righteousness, even the law for righteousness; and taught men to believe in him for it, and to live righteously and godly. Aben Ezra observes, that the phrase is the same with “the sun of righteousness”, ( Malachi 4:2); which is said of Christ the author of righteousness, who is our righteousness made so by imputation, the Lord our righteousness: or, as here, “a teacher unto, or for righteousness” F55 , all which is matter of joy and gladness; (see Isaiah 61:10); and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month] ; alluding to the two seasons of the year in which rain was given to the Jews; the former rain fell in Marchesvan, which answers to our September and, October, part of each, at their seedtime; and the latter in Nisan, the first month of their ecclesiastical year, and answers to part of March and April, and fell some time before their harvest; and these former and latter rains now fall about the same time. So Dr.
Shaw F56 observes, that “the first rains in these countries (Syria, Phoenicia, and the Holy Land) usually fall about the beginning of November; the latter sometimes in the middle, sometimes toward the end, of April:” and elsewhere he says F57 , “in Barbary the first rains fall some years in September, in others a month later; the latter rains usually fall in the middle of April:” and the same traveller relates F58 , that “upon the coast (of Egypt) from Alexandria, all along to Damiata and Tineh, they have their former and latter rains as in Barbary and the Holy Land.”
This rain spiritually designs the doctrine of the Gospel, which is sometimes compared to rain, ( Deuteronomy 32:2 Isaiah 55:10,11); because as rain it comes from God, descends from heaven, is a divine gift, both as to the ministry and experience of it; it tarries not for man, neither for his desires nor deserts; falls according to divine direction, sometimes here, and sometimes there; is a great blessing, and brings many with it, revives, refreshes, and makes fruitful. Jerom interprets these two rains of the first receiving of doctrine, and of a more perfect knowledge of it; as also of the two Testaments, the Old and New: but it may be better interpreted of the preaching of the Gospel by John the Baptist, and by Christ; or by Christ, and then by his apostles; or of the first and second ministration of apostles, first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles; or of the coming of Christ in the flesh, for the same word is used here as in the former clause, and of his spiritual coming in the latter day, both which are compared to rain, ( Hosea 6:3 Psalm 72:6).
Matthew Henry Commentary
A plague of locusts. (Joel 1:1-7) All sorts of people are called to lament it. (Joel 1:8-13) They are to look to God. (Joel 1:14-20)
Joel 1:1-7 The most aged could not remember such calamities as wer about to take place. Armies of insects were coming upon the land to ea the fruits of it. It is expressed so as to apply also to the destruction of the country by a foreign enemy, and seems to refer to the devastations of the Chaldeans. God is Lord of hosts, has ever creature at his command, and, when he pleases, can humble and mortify proud, rebellious people, by the weakest and most contemptibl creatures. It is just with God to take away the comforts which ar abused to luxury and excess; and the more men place their happiness in the gratifications of sense, the more severe temporal afflictions ar upon them. The more earthly delights we make needful to satisfy us, the more we expose ourselves to trouble.
Joel 1:8-13 All who labour only for the meat that perishes, will sooner or later, be ashamed of their labour. Those that place their happiness in the delights of sense, when deprived of them, or disturbe in the enjoyment, lose their joy; whereas spiritual joy then flourishe more than ever. See what perishing, uncertain things ou creature-comforts are. See how we need to live in continual dependenc upon God and his providence. See what ruinous work sin makes. As far a poverty occasions the decay of piety, and starves the cause of religio among a people, it is a very sore judgment. But how blessed are the awakening judgments of God, in rousing his people and calling home the heart to Christ, and his salvation!
Joel 1:14-20 The sorrow of the people is turned into repentance an humiliation before God. With all the marks of sorrow and shame, sin must be confessed and bewailed. A day is to be appointed for thi purpose; a day in which people must be kept from their commo employments, that they may more closely attend God's services; an there is to be abstaining from meat and drink. Every one had added to the national guilt, all shared in the national calamity, therefor every one must join in repentance. When joy and gladness are cut of from God's house, when serious godliness decays, and love waxes cold then it is time to cry unto the Lord. The prophet describes ho grievous the calamity. See even the inferior creatures suffering for our transgression. And what better are they than beasts, who never cr to God but for corn and wine, and complain of the want of the delight of sense? Yet their crying to God in those cases, shames the stupidit of those who cry not to God in any case. Whatever may become of the nations and churches that persist in ungodliness, believers will fin the comfort of acceptance with God, when the wicked shall be burned u with his indignation __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ובני 1121 ציון 6726 גילו 1523 ושׂמחו 8055 ביהוה 3068 אלהיכם 430 כי 3588 נתן 5414 לכם את 853 המורה 4175 לצדקה 6666 ויורד 3381 לכם גשׁם 1653 מורה 4175 ומלקושׁ 4456 בראשׁון׃ 7223
