The Pulpit Commentary — Joel — Section 50

OHAPTER IlI. been a&lllll'ed of this victory by the pr1,pheey of Jo.hazieL Bongs ot pra.ise had preceded Vora. 1-8.-These verses deeerlho the the battle, and songs ot thanksgiving had deliverance of God's people and the deBtruc- 1ucceeded the vict.ory ; hence the place was tion of his enemies because of their injurioua, ea.lied the valley of Bera.cha.h. or bleseing. The remembrance of such a rema.rka.ble de- insulting, and ignominious treatment of his liverance, not more than half a. century before people. the prophet's time, would make a. vivid im- Ver. 1.-The time referred to: In tho■e pression on the mind of the prophet a.nd his days, and in that time, is the first point to people. Accordingly, this splendid pieoo be determined. The reference is obviously of past history is interwoven with the pro- to the period spoken of in the twenty-eighth phet's prediction of the fnture, a.nd forms its verse of the second chapter, where we read, groundwork. It is as though he ea.id, "On "And it shall come to pa.as afterward, that a memorable occasion and in a. well-known I will pour out my Spirit upon all flt,sh." valley God wBB pleased to vouchsafe to hia This seems to fix the date a.t leBBt of the people and prince a glorious victory over the commencement of the events recorded in combined forces of their enemies ; so at a these verses. These events must ha.ve been fnture period, under the reign of Prince subsequent to that PentecOl!tal outponring Messiah. God will snbclue and destroy the of the Holy Spirit. But a still closer speci- Gentile nations that had oppressed his fication of the time is added by way of appo- people." It matters little whether we under- sition, namely (a,her supplemented bybahem stand the valley of J ehoehaphat in the lite- or bah), when I shall bring again the oap- ral sense, as perhaps the valley of the Kedron tivity of Jndah and Jerusalem. This form between Jerusalem and Olivet, or in a fi::,'llrn.- of expression includes, beside the restora- tive sense; the representation is equally tion of God's people from their dispersion appropriate, a.nd the ima;;ery equally im- and redem:r.tion out of captivity or distress pressive. "This," says Aben Ezra, "wo.s of any kin , their elevation also to a higher the war in which the children of Moab and position of dignity and to greater prosperity Ammon and Seir combined theiJ, force to- than they had ever before enjoyed. Thns gether to a very great multitude, while Je- of Job we reo.d (xiii. 10)," And the Lord hoshaphat had out of Judah and Benjamin turned the ca.ptivity of Job . . . also the mighty men of valouz; and the valley of Lord go.ve Job twice BR much a.s he had Jehoshaphat is the valley of Bera.chah, for before." The Tei which introduces the verse Jehoshaphat called its name so." K.imchi gives BB11urance tho.t the blessing promised gives the following a.ltemative sense: in the concluding verse of the preceding "There sha.11 be the war. a.nd this valley chapter shall be realized; while the hinneh. belonged to King Jehoshaphat; perhaptl directs attention to the novelty and impor- he built there, or made thero a work, to.nce of the subject introduced in the first and it was called after his name, a.nd tl,o verse of this present chapter. valley was near to the city of Jeru,,ulcrn; Ver. 2 represonts plctomlly God's pass- or it is oe.llecl the valley of J .,boshaphat ing sentence on the nations that. hBd after the name of the jwlgment, e.a he au.id, been hostile to his people, with o. general • I will plead with them there.' " And will summary of the injuries inflicted on them. plead with them there far m:r people and for I will al.lo gather all natio11.1, and will m;y heritage llrael, whom the;y have scat- bring them down into the valley of 1eholha- tered among the nationl. God would plead. phat. Moro tho.n eight centuries before the or contend, -.rith the nations, a.nd pass sen- Chrietio.n era. King J ehoshapho.t had gained tence upon them on 11.C<)Ount of their ,lisper- o. splendid victory over the allied army of sion of hill herite.ge-nachalatM, bis pccul inr tho neighoouring people11-Moabitee, Am- people, and their partition of hie lo.nu, 'artlli, monites,o.nd ~domites-who had united their or kingdom. This must be referred to the , torco1 against Jem1alem. 1'he king had long 1ubseque1:1t time when PeJ.eetine becnme  4fl THE BOOK OF JOEL. [ OR, In, 1-21,