Joe 2:12-17 | Clarke | STEP | Verse 12 Turn ye even to me - Three means of turning are recommended: Fasting, weeping, mourning, i.e., continued sorrow.

Joel 2:12-17

Verse 12

Turn ye even to me - Three means of turning are recommended: Fasting, weeping, mourning, i.e., continued sorrow. Verse 13

Rend your heart - Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious - Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful - Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger - He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness - Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil - Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7. Verse 14

Who knoweth if he will return - He may yet interpose and turn aside the calamity threatened, and so far preserve the land from these ravagers, that there will be food for men and cattle, and a sufficiency of offerings for the temple service. Therefore: - Verse 15

Blow the trumpet - Let no time be lost, let the alarm be sounded. Verse 16

Gather the children - Let all share in the humiliation, for all must feel the judgment, should it come. Let no state nor condition among the people be exempted. The elders, the young persons, the infants, the bridegroom, and the bride; let all leave their houses, and go to the temple of God. Verse 17

Let the priests - weep between the porch and the altar - The altar of burnt-offerings stood before the porch of the temple, 2Chr 8:12, and between them there was an open space of fifteen or twenty cubits. It was there that the priests prostrated themselves on such occasions. It was into this place that the priests brought the sacrifice or victim of atonement; and where the high priest laid his hands on the head of the victim confessing his sins.

Let them say - The following was the form to be used on this occasion, "Spare thy people," etc. And if this be done with a rent heart, etc., "then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people," 2Chr 8:18. He will surely save, if ye seriously return to and penitently seek him.