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This chapter is the description of a lamentable devastation made of the country of Judah by locusts and caterpillars. Some think that the prophet speaks of it as a thing to come and gives warning of it beforehand, as usually the prophets did of judgments coming. Others think that it was now present, and that his business was to affect the people with it and awaken them by it to repentance. I. It is spoken of as a judgment which there was no precedent of in former ages, Joe 1:1-7. II. All sorts of people sharing in the calamity are called upon to lament it, Joe 1:8-13. III. They are directed to look up to God in their lamentations, and to humble themselves before him, Joe 1:14-20.
1-7
Threatenings of Judgment (720 BC)
繁體中文
審判的警告（主前 720 年）
¹ 耶和華的話臨到毘土珥的兒子約珥。
² 老年人哪，當聽這話；這地的居民哪，都要側耳而聽。在你們的日子，或你們列祖的日子，曾有這樣的事麼？
³ 你們要將這事傳與子，子傳與孫，孫又傳與後代。
⁴ 剪蟲剩下的，蝗蟲來吃；蝗蟲剩下的，蝻子來吃；蝻子剩下的，螞蚱來吃。
⁵ 酒醉的人哪，要醒來哭泣；好酒的人哪，都要為甜酒哀號；因為酒從你們的口中斷絕了。
⁶ 因為有一國又強盛、又無數，上來攻擊我的地；牠的牙齒如獅子的牙齒，大獅子的腮牙。
⁷ 牠毀壞了我的葡萄樹，剝了我無花果樹的皮，剝盡了而丟棄，枝條露白。
猶太人中有一些人有一種無稽的臆想，認為這位先知約珥就是撒母耳的兒子約珥（撒上 8:2）；他們中間有一位拉比竟然煞有介事地設法說明，為何撒母耳在這裏被稱為「毘土珥」。其實這位約珥比那位晚得多。他在這裏論到因猶大的罪，一個如今已臨到、或即將臨到的悲哀而嚴厲的審判。請注意，
一、這審判之重大，在此由兩件事表明：—1. 這樣的事在過去的世代中無可比擬，無論在歷史上或在任何活著之人的記憶中皆然，Joe 1:2。這裏特別請教老年人，他們能記得遠古所發生的事；不但如此，這地的一切居民也都被召來作證，他們中間是否有人能記得有類似的事。他們應當超越任何人的記憶，為自己預備查考列祖（伯 8:8），便不會在任何記錄中找到類似的記載。注意，那些在罪上勝過前人的人，理當受比他們前人所知的更大更重的審判。2. 這樣的事在後來的世代也不會被遺忘（Joe 1:3）：「你們要將這事傳與你們的兒女；讓他們知道你們曾處於神忿怒何等可怖的記號之下，使他們可以受警戒，並可以因你們所受的而學習順服，因為這也是為要警戒他們。不但如此，你們的兒女要傳給他們的兒女，他們的兒女又傳給另一個世代；他們傳講不僅當作一件奇事，可以作為談論的材料」（正如我們的年曆中記錄此類罕見之事—距離瘟疫和火災已有多少年—距離大霜凍和大風已有多少年），「而是當傳講以教導他們的兒女敬畏神和他的審判，並在他面前戰兢。」注意，我們當把神審判的記念傳給後代，正如傳揚他恩典的記念一樣。
二、審判本身；就是猶大地遭受大軍的入侵。許多古今的解經家認為這是指人的軍隊，就是亞述的兵力，在西拿基立手下攻取了猶大一切堅固城，隨後無疑地對鄉村大肆蹂躪，毀壞其中的出產：甚至有人將此處所列的四種動物（Joe 1:4）解作四個帝國，它們相繼壓迫猶太人，一個毀滅另一個僥倖逃脫怒火所剩下的。許多猶太解經家認為這是喻指仇敵的來臨及其眾多，要將一切毀盡。所以亞蘭文意譯本提到這些動物（Joe 1:4）；但隨後（Joe 2:25）卻以列國、萬民、各族、各方、權勢和報復的國度來代替牠們。但這更當按字面理解為成群的昆蟲來到地上，吞盡其中的果實。蝗蟲是埃及的災之一。論到那些蝗蟲有話說：前無這樣的，後也必沒有（出 10:14），在埃及沒有這樣的，在猶大也沒有這樣的—沒有像埃及那些蝗蟲那樣大的，也沒有像這些那樣多而為害之烈的。埃及的蝗災只持續了幾天；這裏似乎連續了四年（有些人如此認為），因為此處提到了四種昆蟲（Joe 1:4），一個吞吃另一個所剩下的；但也有人認為牠們都同在一年內來到。我們在舊約歷史中沒有被告知這事發生於何時，但我們確知神的話絕不落空；雖然這裏主要是指這些昆蟲所造成的毀壞，但所用的語言非常適用於外敵入侵對全地的毀壞，因為百姓若不被這吞吃全地的較輕審判所降服、所改革，神就必將這更大的審判降在他們身上，就是吞吃居民的審判；藉著那更大審判的描述，他們受命將這當作警戒。若這蟲國不能制服他們，必另有別國來毀滅他們。請注意，1. 這些被差來攻擊他們的動物是甚麼—蝗蟲和螞蚱、剪蟲和蝻子，Joe 1:4。我們如今已無法描述這些昆蟲彼此如何不同；牠們都是細小的昆蟲，任何一隻都微不足道，人可以輕易用腳或指頭將其壓碎；但當牠們成群結隊而來時，就十分可怕，把面前的一切吃盡。注意，神是萬軍之主，一切受造之物都在他命令之下，當他願意時，能以最軟弱、最卑微的受造物來降卑並挫敗一個驕傲悖逆的百姓。人被稱為蟲；由此可知他比蟲還不如，因為當神願意時，蟲也能勝過他，劫掠他的國，吞盡他勞碌得來的，毀壞糧草，斷絕一個強國的生計。神所用的器皿越軟弱，他的大能就越發顯大。2. 牠們來時帶著怎樣的猛烈與勢力。牠們在此被稱為一國（Joe 1:6），因為牠們成群結隊，按著共識而行動，彷彿有共同的目的；因為蝗蟲沒有君王，卻分队而出（箴 30:27），這在那裏被提及作為牠們智慧的一個例證。弱者各自為弱，聯合起來共同行動，乃是明智之舉。牠們是強盛的，因為牠們無數。天平上的微塵是輕的，容易被吹散，但一堆塵土卻有分量；照樣一條蟲能做的很少（然而一條蟲卻足以毀壞約拿的蓖麻），但為數眾多時就能創造奇事。牠們被說有獅子的牙齒，大獅子的牙齒，因為牠們所行的破壞又大又可怕。注意，蝗蟲帶著神的使命而來，就成了獅子。我們讀到無底坑出來的蝗蟲，牠們的牙齒好像獅子的牙齒，啟 9:8。3. 牠們所造成的禍害。牠們把面前的一切吃盡（Joe 1:4）；一個所剩下的，另一個就吞吃；牠們不僅毀壞草和五穀，也毀壞樹木（Joe 1:7）：葡萄樹毀壞了。這些害蟲吃盡本應在果子成熟時為其遮蔽的葉子，於是果子也隨之枯萎歸於無有。牠們連無花果樹的皮也吃掉，因而把樹弄死。這樣，無花果樹不發旺，葡萄樹也沒有果子。
三、呼召酒醉的人為這審判哀號（Joe 1:5）：你們一切喝酒的人要醒來哭泣。這暗示，1. 他們將因這災禍深受其苦。這災要觸及他們最敏感之處；他們所愛的甜酒必從他們口中斷絕。注意，神把那些被濫用於奢侈放縱的安慰收回，是公義的；他要把那為巴力所預備的五穀和酒收回，那些原是卑賤情慾的燃料和食物。對這樣的人，這類審判是最痛苦的。人越在感官的滿足上追求幸福，現世的患難就越發沉重。喝水的人不必在乎葡萄樹何時被毀；他們沒有葡萄樹也能照常生活，如同向來一樣；這對拿細耳人並不算為難。但喝酒的人卻要哭泣哀號。我們越把享樂當作滿足所必需，就越將自己置於患難與失望之中。2. 這也暗示他們在神先前顯示不悅的記號之下，十分麻木愚蠢；所以他們在這裏被呼召要醒來哭泣。那些不肯被神的話從安逸中喚醒的人，必被他的杖喚醒；那些不被遠處的審判所驚動的人，必親自被審判所捉住；當他們正要享受禁果之時，另一種性質的禁令必來到杯與唇之間，把酒從他們口中斷絕。
英文原文
Threatenings of Judgment (720 BC)
¹ The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
² Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
³ Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
⁴ That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm eaten; and that which the canker-worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.
⁵ Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
⁶ For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
⁷ He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
It is a foolish fancy which some of the Jews have, that this Joel the prophet was the same with that Joel who was the son of Samuel (1Sa 8:2); yet one of their rabbin very gravely undertakes to show why Samuel is here called Pethuel. This Joel was long after that. He here speaks of a sad and sore judgment which was now brought, or to be brought, upon Judah, for their sins. Observe,
I. The greatness of the judgment, expressed here in two things:—1. It was such as could not be paralleled in the ages that were past, in history, or in the memory of any living, Joe 1:2. The old men are appealed to, who could remember what had happened long ago; nay, and all the inhabitants of the land are called on to testify, if they could any of them remember the like. Let them go further than any man's memory, and prepare themselves for the search of their fathers (Job 8:8), and they would not find an account of the like in any record. Note, Those that outdo their predecessors in sin may justly expect to fall under greater and sorer judgments than any of their predecessors knew. 2. It was such as would not be forgotten in the ages to come (Joe 1:3): "Tell you your children of it; let them know what dismal tokens of the wrath of God you have been under, that they make take warning, and may learn obedience by the things which you have suffered, for it is designed for warning to them also. Yea, let your children tell their children, and their children another generation; let them tell it not only as a strange thing, which may serve for matter of talk" (as such uncommon accidents are records in our almanacs—It is so long since the plague, and fire—so long since the great frost, and the great wind), "but let them tell it to teach their children to stand in awe of God and of his judgments, and to tremble before him." Note, We ought to transmit to posterity the memorial of God's judgments as well as of his mercies.
II. The judgment itself; it is an invasion of the country of Judea by a great army. Many interpreters both ancient and modern understand it of armies of men, the forces of the Assyrians, which, under Sennacherib, took all the defenced cities of Judah, and then, no doubt, made havoc of the country and destroyed the products of it: nay, some make the four sorts of animals here names (Joe 1:4) to signify the four monarchies which, in their turns, were oppressive to the people of the Jews, one destroying what had escaped the fury of the other. Many of the Jewish expositors think it is a parabolic expression of the coming of enemies, and their multitude, to lay all waste. So the Chaldee paraphrast mentions these animals (Joe 1:4); but afterwards (Joe 2:25) puts instead of them, Nations, peoples, tongues, languages, potentates, and revenging kingdoms. But it seems much rather to be understood literally of armies of insects coming upon the land and eating up the fruits of it. Locusts were one of the plagues of Egypt. Of them it is said, There never were any like them, nor should be (Ex 10:14), none such as those in Egypt, none such as these in Judah—none like those locusts for bigness, none like these for multitude and the mischief they did. The plague of locusts in Egypt lasted but for a few days; this seems to have continued for four years successively (as some think), because here are four sorts of insects mentioned (Joe 1:4), one destroying what the other left; but others think they came all in one year. We are not told, in the history of the Old Testament, when this happened, but we are sure that no word of God fell to the ground; and, though a devastation by these insects is primarily intended here, yet it is expressed in such a language as is very applicable to the destruction of the country by a foreign enemy invading it, because, if the people were not humbled and reformed by that less judgment which devoured the land, God would send this greater upon them, which would devour the inhabitants; and by the description of that they are bidden to take it for a warning. If this nation of worms do not subdue them, another nation shall come to ruin them. Observe, 1. What these animals are that are sent against them—locusts and caterpillars, palmer-worms and canker-worms, Joe 1:4. We cannot now describe how these differed one from another; they were all little insects, any one of them despicable, and which a man might easily crush with his foot or with his finger; but when they came in vast swarms, or shoals, they were very formidable and ate up all before them. Note, God is Lord of hosts, has all creatures at his command, and, when he pleases, can humble and mortify a proud and rebellious people by the weakest and most contemptible creatures. Man is said to be a worm; and by this it appears that he is less than a worm, for, when God pleases, worms are too hard for him, plunder his country, eat up that for which he laboured, destroy the forage, and cut off the subsistence of a potent nation. The weaker the instrument is that God employs the more is his power magnified. 2. What fury and force they came with. They are here called a nation (Joe 1:6), because they are embodied, and act by consent, and as it were with a common design; for, though the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands (Pr 30:27), and it is there mentioned as an instance of their wisdom. It is prudence for those that are weak severally to unite and act jointly. They are strong, for they are without number. The small dust of the balance is light, and easily blown away, but a heap of dust is weighty; so a worm can do little (yet one worm served to destroy Jonah's gourd), but numbers of them can do wonders. They are said to have teeth of a lion, of a great lion, because of the great and terrible execution they do. Note, Locusts become as lions when they come armed with a divine commission. We read of the locusts out of the bottomless pit, that their teeth were as the teeth of lions, Re 9:8. 3. What mischief they do. They eat up all before them (Joe 1:4); what one leaves the other devours; they destroy not only the grass and corn, but the trees (Joe 1:7): The vine is laid waste. There vermin eat the leaves which should be a shelter to the fruit while it ripens, and so that also perishes and comes to nothing. They eat the very bark of the fig-tree, and so kill it. Thus the fig-tree does not blossom, nor is there fruit in the vine.
III. A call to the drunkards to lament this judgment (Joe 1:5): Awake and weep, all you drinkers of wine. This intimates, 1. That they should suffer very sensibly by this calamity. It should touch them in a tender part; the new wine which they loved so well should be cut off from their mouth. Note, It is just with God to take away those comforts which are abused to luxury and excess, to recover the corn and wine which are prepared for Baal, which are made the food and fuel of a base lust. And to them judgments of that kind are most grievous. The more men place their happiness in the gratification of sense the more pressing temporal afflictions are upon them. The drinkers of water need not to care when the vine was laid waste; they could live as well without it as they had done; it was no trouble to the Nazarites. But the drinkers of wine will weep and howl. The more delights we make necessary to our satisfaction the more we expose ourselves to trouble and disappointment. 2. It intimates that they had been very senseless and stupid under the former tokens of God's displeasure; and therefore they are here called to awake and weep. Those that will not be roused out of their security by the word of God shall be roused by his rod; those that will not be startled by judgments at a distance shall be themselves arrested by them; and when they are going to partake of the forbidden fruit a prohibition of another nature shall come between the cup and the lip, and cut off the wine from their mouth.
8-13
Threatenings of Judgment (720 BC)
繁體中文
審判的警告（主前 720 年）
⁸ 我的民哪，你當哀號，像處女腰束麻布，為幼年的丈夫哀號。
⁹ 素祭和奠祭從耶和華的殿中斷絕了；事奉耶和華的祭司都悲哀。
¹⁰ 田野荒廢，地悲哀；因為五穀毀壞，新酒乾竭，油也缺乏。
¹¹ 農夫啊，你們要慚愧；修理葡萄園的啊，你們要為小麥和大麥哀號；因為田間的莊稼都滅沒了。
¹² 葡萄樹枯乾，無花果樹衰殘；石榴樹、棕樹、蘋果樹，連田野一切的樹木都枯乾；因此人的喜樂也消逝了。
¹³ 祭司啊，你們當腰束麻布而哀號；伺候祭壇的啊，你們要哭泣；事奉我神的人哪，你們要來，終夜躺在麻布中；因為素祭和奠祭從你們神的殿中斷絕了。
這審判在此被描述為十分可悲，為各階層的人所共有；這審判不僅要奪去酒醉之人的歡樂（若這是最糟的，還可以忍受），還要剝奪別人賴以生存的必需品，所以這些人也被呼召來哀號（Joe 1:8），如同處女為她已許配卻尚未完婚的愛人之死而哀號，然而那人實際上已是她的丈夫；或如一個新近出嫁的少婦，她年幼的丈夫、就是她年輕時所嫁的丈夫，忽然被死奪去。在一對年輕、因愛結合、彼此各方面都相配相悅的新婚夫婦之間，感情深厚，因此若有一方被取去，悲痛也極大。他們將為失去五穀和新酒而有的哀號也是如此。注意，我們越與受造之樂結合，就越難與之分離。參平行經文，賽 32:10-12。這裏引入兩種人，作為當為這毀壞哀號的，就是鄉下人和教職人員。
一、農夫和修理葡萄園的人當哀號，Joe 1:11。他們當為自己在葡萄園上所費的心血和勞力羞愧，因為這一切都將白費，他們不能從中得著任何益處；他們必親眼看見自己勞碌的果子被吃盡，卻不能拯救其中任何一分。注意，那些只為那必壞的糧而勞力的人，遲早必為自己的勞力羞愧。修理葡萄園的人那時看見自己的葡萄園葉子和果子都被剝盡、葡萄樹枯萎，以至於一無所獲、也無所可望，無法以此交租和養家，必藉著哀號表達極度的悲傷。這毀壞在此被具體描述：田野荒廢了（Joe 1:10）；所出產的盡被吞吃；地悲哀；地面呈現淒涼的景象，滿目瘡痍；這地一切的居民都為所失而流淚，都因缺乏而恐懼滅亡，賽 24:4，耶 4:28。「五穀，就是作生命之糧的五穀，毀壞了；新酒，就是陳酒喝盡後本當運入酒窖以供補充的，乾竭了；油也缺乏，或減少了，因為（如亞蘭文意譯本所譯）橄欖已經脫落。」百姓本應為那人得飽足的糧、使人喜樂的酒，和使人臉發光油（詩 104:14,15）而向神感恩，卻沒有照所當行的而行；所以他們公義地被帶領來為失去和缺乏這一切、缺乏神為必需或為喜樂所賜地上的一切出產而哀號（這一點在 Joe 1:11,12 重複強調）—小麥和大麥，就是當時作餅的兩種主要穀物，小麥為富人，大麥為窮人，所以富人和窮人在這災禍中同受其害。樹木也被毀壞，不僅是葡萄樹和無花果樹（如先前 Joe 1:7 所述），這兩樣更為有用而必需，連其他為喜樂而栽種的樹木也遭殃—石榴樹、棕樹和蘋果樹，是的，連田野一切樹木，果園中的樹木如此，作木材的樹木也是如此。簡言之，田間一切的莊稼都滅沒了，Joe 1:11。藉此，喜樂就從世人中間消逝了（Joe 1:12）；豐收之樂，這常用以表達極大而普遍的喜樂，如今歸於無有，化為羞愧，化為哀號。注意，莊稼的滅沒就是世人之喜樂的枯萎。那些把幸福寄託於感官之樂的人，一旦被剝奪了這些，或在享受上受了任何干擾，就失去了全部喜樂；而神的兒女以聖潔的淡泊和輕看對待感官之樂，並知道以神為心中所樂是何等美好，即使在無花果樹不發旺之時，仍能以他為救恩的神而歡欣；屬靈的喜樂不僅不會隨之枯萎，反而更加茂盛，哈 3:17,18。我們在此看到，1. 我們一切受造之樂都是何等易逝、何等不確定的事。我們永不能確保它們繼續存留。這裏天已按時降雨，地已出土產，當豐收的定期來到之時，他們看不出有任何理由懷疑自己會有極豐富的收成；然而那時他們卻被這意想不到的仇敵所侵襲，把一切毀盡，而不是被火與刀劍所毀。我們的智慧乃是不把財寶積蓄在那容易遭遇如此許多意外之事上。2. 看見我們何等需要時刻倚賴神和他的護理，因為我們的手不足以供應我們所需。當我們看見果實纍纍、以為必定穩妥之時—不但如此，當我們已經把它收回，他若向其一吹，他若不賜福，我們也不可能從中得著甚麼益處。3. 看見罪造成何等的毀壞。樂園變成曠野，肥美之地、地上最肥美之地，因其中居民的罪孽變為荒涼。
二、祭司、耶和華的僕人當哀號，因為他們在這災禍中也深受其害：你們當腰束麻布（Joe 1:13）；不但如此，他們確實悲哀，Joe 1:9。請注意，祭司被稱為伺候祭壇的，因為他們在那裏供職；又被稱為耶和華的僕人（先知說，是我神的僕人），因為他們在祭壇上供職就是事奉他，就是作他的工，就是尊榮他。注意，那些在聖事上受任用的人，在其中就是神的僕人，也是事奉他的。伺候祭壇的祭司素常在耶和華面前歡喜，並花很多時間唱詩；如今卻要哀號哭泣，因為素祭和奠祭從耶和華的殿中斷絕了（Joe 1:9），又同樣說（Joe 1:13），從你們神的殿中斷絕了。「他在特別的意義上是你們的神；你們與他的關係比其他以色列人更親近；所以你們當比別人更加關心那阻礙他聖所事奉的事，這是理所當然的。」這裏暗示，1. 百姓只要有地裏的出產按時運入，就從其中將當納的獻給耶和華，並將祭物帶到祭壇前，將十分之一歸給伺候祭壇的人。注意，一個民族可能在迅速填滿自己罪孽的度量，卻仍維持著一連串外在的宗教儀式。2. 當糧食和飲料斷絕之時，素祭和奠祭自然也就斷絕了；而這正是這災禍中最嚴重的一項。注意，凡是公共的患難成為攔阻信仰進程的障礙之處，就當特別為此哀傷，超過為其他任何事，尤其是祭司、耶和華的僕人更當如此。凡是貧困導致敬虔衰微、忽略對神的本分、使一個民族中信徒仰的因得不到供養而挨餓之處，那確實是嚴厲的審判。當饑荒蔓延之時，神不能得著他的祭物，祭司也不能得著他們的供養；所以耶和華的僕人當悲哀。
英文原文
Threatenings of Judgment (720 BC)
⁸ Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
⁹ The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.
¹⁰ The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
¹¹ Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
¹² The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
¹³ Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
The judgment is here described as very lamentable, and such as all sorts of people should share in; it shall not only rob the drunkards of their pleasure (if that were the worst of it, it might be the better borne), but it shall deprive others of their necessary subsistence, who are therefore called to lament (Joe 1:8), as a virgin laments the death of her lover to whom she was espoused, but not completely married, yet so that he was in effect her husband, or as a young woman lately married, from whom the husband of her youth, her young husband, or the husband to whom she was married when she was young, is suddenly taken away by death. Between a new-married couple that are young, that married for love, and that are every way amiable and agreeable to each other, there is great fondness, and consequently great grief if either be taken away. Such lamentation shall there be for the loss of their corn and wine. Note, The more we are wedded to our creature-comforts that harder it is to part with them. See that parallel place, Isa 32:10-12. Two sorts of people are here brought in, as concerned to lament this devastation, countrymen and clergymen.
I. Let the husbandmen and vine-dressers lament, Joe 1:11. Let them be ashamed of the care and pains they have taken about their vineyards, for it will be all labour lost, and they shall gain no advantage by it; they shall see the fruit of their labour eaten up before their eyes, and shall not be able to save any of it. Note, Those who labour only for the meat that perishes will, sooner or later, be ashamed of their labour. The vine-dressers will then express their extreme grief by howling, when they see their vineyards stripped of leaves and fruit, and the vines withered, so that nothing is to be had or hoped for from them, wherewith they might pay their rent and maintain their families. The destruction is particularly described here: The field is laid waste (Joe 1:10).; all is consumed that is produced; the land mourns; the ground has a melancholy aspect, and looks ruefully; all the inhabitants of the land are in tears for what they have lost, are in fear of perishing for want, Isa 24:4, Jer 4:28. "The corn, the bread-corn, which is the staff of life, is wasted; the new wine, which should be brought into the cellars for a supply when the old is drunk, is dried up, is ashamed of having promised so fair what it is not now able to perform; the oil languishes, or is diminished, because (as the Chaldee renders it) the olives have fallen off." The people were not thankful to God as they should have been for the bread that strengthens man's heart, the wine that makes glad the heart, and the oil that makes the face to shine (Ps 104:14,15); and therefore they are justly brought to lament the loss and want of them, of all the products of the earth, which God had given either for necessity or for delight (this is repeated, Joe 1:11,12)—the wheat and barley, the two principal grains bread was then made of, wheat for the rich and barley for the poor, so that the rich and poor meet together in the calamity. The trees are destroyed, not only the vine and the fig-tree (as before, Joe 1:7), which were more useful and necessary, but other trees also that were for delight—the pomegranate, palm-tree, and apple-tree, yea, all the trees of the field, as well as those of the orchard, timber-trees as well as fruit-trees. In short, all the harvest of the field has perished, Joe 1:11. And by this means joy has withered away from the children of men (Joe 1:11); the joy of harvest, which is used to express great and general joy, has come to nothing, is turned into shame, is turned into lamentation. Note, The perishing of the harvest is the withering of the joy of the children of men. Those that place their happiness in the delights of the sense, when they are deprived of them, or in any way disturbed in the enjoyment of them, lose all their joy; whereas the children of God, who look upon the pleasures of sense with holy indifference and contempt, and know what it is to make God their hearts' delight, can rejoice in him as the God of their salvation even when the fig-tree does not blossom; spiritual joy is so far from withering then, that it flourishes more than ever, Hab 3:17,18. Let us see here, 1. What perishing uncertain things all our creature-comforts are. We can never be sure of the continuance of them. Here the heavens had given their rains in due season, the earth had yielded her strength, and, when the appointed weeks of harvest were at hand, they saw no reason to doubt but that they should have a very plentiful crop; yet then they are invaded by these unthought-of enemies, that lay all waste, and not by fire and sword. It is our wisdom not to lay up our treasure in those things which are liable to so many untoward accidents. 2. See what need we have to live in continual dependence upon God and his providence, for our own hands are not sufficient for us. When we see the full corn in the ear, and think we are sure of it—nay, when we have brought it home, if he blow upon it, nay, if he do not bless it, we are not likely to have any good of it. 3. See what ruinous work sin makes. A paradise is turned into a wilderness, a fruitful land, the most fruitful land upon earth, into barrenness, for the iniquity of those that dwelt therein.
II. Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, lament, for they share deeply in the calamity: Gird yourselves with sackcloth (Joe 1:13); nay, they do mourn, Joe 1:9. Observe, The priests are called the ministers of the altar, for on that they attended, and the ministers of the Lord (of my God, says the prophet), for in attending on the altar they served him, did is work, and did him honour. Note, Those that are employed in holy things are therein God's ministers, and on him they attend. The ministers of the altar used to rejoice before the Lord, and to spend their time very much in singing; but now they must lament and howl, for the meat-offering and drink-offering were cut off from the house of the Lord (Joe 1:9), and the same again (Joe 1:13), from the house of your God. "He is your God in a particular manner; you are in a nearer relation to him than other Israelites are; and therefore it is expected that you should be more concerned than others for that which is a hindrance to the service of his sanctuary." It is intimated, 1. That the people, as long as they had the fruits of the earth brought in in their season, presented to the Lord his dues out of them, and brought the offerings to the altar and tithes to those that served at the altar. Note, A people may be filling up the measure of their iniquity apace, and yet may keep up a course of external performances in religion. 2. That, when the meat and drink failed, the meat-offering and drink-offering failed of course; and this was the sorest instance of the calamity. Note, As far as any public trouble is an obstruction to the course of religion it is to be upon that account, more than any other, sadly lamented, especially by the priests, the Lord's ministers. As far as poverty occasions the decay of piety and the neglect of divine offices, and starves the cause of religion among a people, it is indeed a sore judgment. When the famine prevailed God could not have his sacrifices, nor could the priests have their maintenance; and therefore let the Lord's ministers mourn.
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Threatenings of Judgment; A Proclamation for a Fast (720 BC)
繁體中文
審判的警告；宣告禁食（主前 720 年）
¹⁴ 你們要宣告禁食，宣告嚴肅會，聚集長老和這地一切的居民，進入耶和華你們神的殿，向耶和華哀求。
¹⁵ 哀哉這日！因為耶和華的日子臨近了；這日來到，好像毀滅從全能者來到。
¹⁶ 糧食不是在我們眼前斷絕了麼，歡喜快樂不是從耶和華我們神的殿中止息了麼？
¹⁷ 穀種在土塊下朽爛，倉房荒涼，穀倉拆毀；因為五穀枯乾了。
¹⁸ 牲畜哀鳴不已！牛群因為無草而困惑；羊群也受罰。
¹⁹ 耶和華啊，我向你哀求：因為火燒滅了曠野的草場，火焰燒盡了田野一切的樹木。
²⁰ 田野的走獸也向你哀求：因為江河都乾涸了，火燒滅了曠野的草場。
我們已經觀察到因蝗蟲毀壞地裏出產而流了許多眼淚；如今我們在此看見這些眼淚流入正確的管道，就是在神面前悔改自卑的管道。這審判極其沉重，他們在此受指示要在其中認出神的手，他大能的手，並在他手下自卑。這裏有，
一、為一個公共禁食而發出的通告。祭司受命要指定一個；他們不僅自己要哀傷，還要呼召別人同來哀傷：「你們要宣告禁食；當分出一段時間，脫離一切世務，用於宗教操練，用於悔改的表達以及其他非凡的敬虔行動。」注意，在公共的審判之下，應當有公共的自卑；因為主神藉此呼召人哭泣悲哀。要帶著一切憂傷和羞愧的記號認罪並為罪悲嘆，承認神的公義，並懇求他的恩寵。請注意一個國家在這樣的時候當作甚麼。1. 當為此目的指定一日，一個當禁戒的日子（旁註如此譯），就是百姓當從其他日常事務中禁戒的一日（好使他們更專心於事奉神），並且當從一切身體的舒適中禁戒；因為，2. 這必是一個禁食，是宗教性地禁戒飲食，除了絕對必要之外。尼尼微王曾宣告一個禁食，他們在其中不可嘗甚麼，拿 3:7。藉此我們承認自己不配得著必需的食物，並且我們已經喪失了它、理當完全被剝奪，我們懲罰自己並治死身體—這身體曾是犯罪的因由，我們使它處於適合服事靈魂來事奉神的狀態，並且藉著食慾對食物的渴慕，靈魂對那比生命更美好之事、對生命一切支持的渴望，就被激發起來。這在如今神剝奪他們糧食和飲料之時，特別合乎時宜；因為藉此他們就使自己適應所處的患難。當神說，你們必禁食之時，就是該說，我們要禁食之時了。3. 必須有一個嚴肅會。長老和百姓、官長和百姓，都必須被聚集，甚至這地一切的居民，使神可以因他們的公共自卑而得榮耀，使他們可以藉此更加感到羞愧，並使他們可以彼此激發、彼此推動，投入當日的宗教本分。所有人都對全國的罪有分，所有人都同受全國的災禍，所以他們必須都一同在悔改的承認中有分。4. 他們必須在聖殿中聚集，耶和華他們神的殿，因為那是禱告的殿，他們在那裏可以盼望遇見神，因為那是他選擇放置他名的地方，他們在那裏可以盼望得蒙垂聽，因為那是基督和他中保之工的預表。如此他們就使自己有分於所羅門的禱告，就是求神悅納一切在這殿中或朝這殿所獻上的祈求，其中他們當前的情形被特別提及。王上 8:37（參 1Ki 8:37），若有蝗蟲、若有螞蚱。5. 他們必須使這禁食成聖，必須以宗教的方式、以真誠的敬虔來守這禁食。禁食若不成聖，又有何價值？6. 他們必須向耶和華哀求。他們必須向他陳明他們的苦情，獻上他們的懇求。我們在患難中呼求之時，必須向耶和華呼求；這就是向他禁食，亞 7:5。
二、一些被提出的考慮，用以促使他們宣告這禁食並嚴格遵守。
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神正在與他們展開爭論。是時候向耶和華呼求了，因為耶和華的日子臨近了，Joe 1:15。他們或是指這如今正闖入他們眼前的當前審判的持續和後果，或是指這不過是其序言的更大審判。無論如何，他們受教要以這事作為哀傷的內容：哀哉這日！因為耶和華的日子臨近了。所以當向神呼求。因為，（1）「他審判之日甚近，已經臨近；這日必不遲延，所以你們也不可遲延。現在正是禁食禱告之時，因為你們迴轉的時日已不多了。」（2）這將非常可怕；這日無可逃避，無可抵擋：這日來到，好像毀滅從全能者來到。參賽 13:6。這不是管教，而是毀滅；而且是從全能者—不是從軟弱的受造之物，而是從全能者—的手中來的；誰知道（不，誰不知道）他忿怒之權能呢？除了從我們所怕的審判而來的那位之外，我們還能向誰呼求呢？除了逃到他面前之外，再無別處可逃脫他；除了向全能者自卑懇求之外，再無別途逃避全能者的毀滅；這就是把握他的能力，使我們可以與他和好，賽 27:5。
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他們已經看見自己處於他不悅的記號之下。是時候禁食禱告了，因為他們的困境極大，Joe 1:16。（1）讓他們看看自己的家，家中豈沒有往常的豐盛麼？那些素常擺設豐盛飯食的人，如今也不得不節省：糧食不是在我們眼前斷絕了麼？若當神的手舉起之時人不肯看見，當他的手加在他們身上之時，他們就必看見。糧食在我們眼前斷絕，這事豈不常常發生麼？那麼讓我們努力尋求那不是在我們眼前、也不能被斷絕的屬靈糧食吧。（2）讓他們看看神的殿，看那審判在那裏所造成的影響；歡喜快樂從神的殿中止息了。注意，我們神的殿乃是歡喜快樂的正當之處；當大衛上到神的祭壇之時，乃是到神—我極大的喜樂—那裏去；但當歡喜快樂從神的殿中止息之時—無論是因聖物被玷污，還是因聖徒受逼迫，當嚴肅的敬虔衰微、愛心冷淡之時—那就是向耶和華呼求的時候了，是哀嘆的時候了。
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先知轉回描述這災禍在某些具體方面的嚴重。五穀和牲畜是農夫的主要商品；如今這兩樣都被剝奪了。（1）毛蟲吞盡了五穀，Joe 1:17。他們素常用來裝滿五穀的倉房荒涼了，穀倉也拆毀了，因為五穀枯乾了，主人既沒有東西可放，也看不到會有東西可放，就不值得花費去修繕；因為穀種在土塊下朽爛，或因雨水過多，或（這在迦南更為常見）因缺乏雨水，或許是地下的昆蟲把它們吃掉了。當一次收成失敗，農夫就盼望下一次可以補上；但在這裏他們對此也絕望了，因為播種和收割一樣糟糕。（2）牲畜也因缺乏草料而滅亡（Joe 1:18）：牲畜哀鳴不已！先知注意到這一點，為要使百姓受感動，把這審判放在心上。牲畜的哀鳴當軟化他們剛硬不悔改的心。牛群，大型牲畜（我們所稱的黑牲口），困惑了；不但如此，連羊群，那些可以在公地上生活、能以極短的草為足的，也受罰了。在此看見低等受造之物為我們的過犯受苦，並在雙重重擔之下嘆息—一方面服務於人的罪，另一方面又因這罪而服在神的咒詛之下。地因你的緣故受咒詛。
三、先知以所賜的榜樣激勵他們向神呼求。
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他自己的榜樣（Joe 1:19）：耶和華啊，我向你哀求。他不會把他們推到他不願自己決心去行的事上；不但如此，無論他們肯不肯行，他都要行。注意，神的僕人若不能以所揭示的神忿怒感動別人，自己卻當被這些所感動；若不能帶領別人向神呼求，自己卻當多多禱告。在患難之時我們不僅要禱告，更要呼求，必須懇切而不屈不撓地禱告；並且向著那位毀滅從之而來、拯救也必從之而來的神，我們的呼求當永遠指向。促使他向神呼求的，不是任何個人的患難，而是全國的災禍：火燒滅了曠野的草場，這似乎是指太陽灼熱炙烤之熱度，如火一般臨到地裏的出產；這把一切都吞滅了。注意，當神呼叫以火爭論之時，凡在天上稍有影響力的人，都當大大向他呼求以求解救。參民 11:2，摩 7:4,5。
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低等受造之物的榜樣：田野的走獸不僅哀鳴，更向你哀求，Joe 1:20。牠們照著自己的能力，向你的憐憫懇求，彷彿雖然牠們不能有理性和啟示的宗教，卻因天然的直覺而對神有所倚賴。至少，當牠們因災禍而哀鳴之時，他樂意將之解釋為牠們向他呼求；何況他對自己兒女的嘆息，雖然有時微弱得無法言喻，他豈不更要以恩慈的解釋看待麼，羅 8:26。這裏說走獸向神哀求，正如獅子從他那裏尋求食物（詩 104:21），小烏鴉也是如此，伯 38:41。這裏畜類受造之物的苦訴，是因為缺水（江河都乾涸了，因為熱度過甚），以及因為缺草，因為火燒滅了曠野的草場。那些除了五穀和新酒之外從不向神呼求、除了感官之樂的缺乏之外從不抱怨甚麼的人，比走獸好在那裏呢？然而他們在這些情形中向神呼求，卻羞辱了那些在任何情形中都不向神呼求之人的麻木。
英文原文
Threatenings of Judgment; A Proclamation for a Fast (720 BC)
¹⁴ Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
¹⁵ Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
¹⁶ Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
¹⁷ The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
¹⁸ How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
¹⁹ O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
²⁰ The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
We have observed abundance of tears shed for the destruction of the fruits of the earth by the locusts; now here we have those tears turned into the right channel, that of repentance and humiliation before God. The judgment was very heavy, and here they are directed to own the hand of God in it, his mighty hand, and to humble themselves under it. Here is,
I. A proclamation issued out for a general fast. The priests are ordered to appoint one; they must not only mourn themselves, but they must call upon others to mourn too: "Sanctify a fast; let some time be set apart from all worldly business to be spent in the exercises of religion, in the expressions of repentance and other extraordinary instances of devotion." Note, Under public judgments there ought to be public humiliations; for by them the Lord God calls to weeping and mourning. With all the marks of sorrow and shame sin must be confessed and bewailed, the righteous of God must be acknowledged, and his favour implored. Observe what is to be done by a nation at such a time. 1. A day is to be appointed for this purpose, a day of restraint (so the margin reads it), a day in which people must be restrained from their other ordinary business (that they may more closely attend God's service), and from all bodily refreshments; for, 2. It must be a fast, a religious abstaining from meat and drink, further than is of absolute necessity. The king of Nineveh appointed a fast, in which they were to taste nothing, Jon 3:7. Hereby we own ourselves unworthy of our necessary food, and that we have forfeited it and deserve to be wholly deprived of it, we punish ourselves and mortify the body, which has been the occasion of sin, we keep it in a frame fit to serve the soul in serving God, and, by the appetite's craving food, the desires of the soul towards that which is better than life, and all the supports of it, are excited. This was in a special manner seasonable now that God was depriving them of their meat and drink; for hereby they accommodated themselves to the affliction they were under. When God says, You shall fast, it is time to say, We will fast. 3. There must be a solemn assembly. The elders and the people, magistrates and subjects, must be gathered together, even all the inhabitants of the land, that God might be honoured by their public humiliations, that they might thereby take the more shame to themselves, and that they might excite and stir up one another to the religious duties of the day. All had contributed to the national guilt, all shared in the national calamity, and therefore they must all join in the professions of repentance. 4. They must come together in the temple, the house of the Lord their God, because that was the house of prayer, and there they might be hope to meet with God because it was the place which he had chosen to put his name there, there they might hope to speed because it was a type of Christ and his mediation. Thus they interested themselves in Solomon's prayer for the acceptance of all the requests that should be put up in or towards this house, in which their present case was particularly mentioned. 1Ki 7:37, If there be locust, if there be caterpillar. 5. They must sanctify this fast, must observe it in a religious manner, with sincere devotion. What is a fast worth if it be not sanctified? 6. They must cry unto the Lord. To him they must make their complaint and offer up their supplication. When we cry in our affliction we must cry to the Lord; this is fasting to him, Zec 7:5.
II. Some considerations suggested to induce them to proclaim this fast and to observe it strictly.
1. God was beginning a controversy with them. It is time to cry unto the Lord, for the day of the Lord is at hand, Joe 1:15. Either they mean the continuance and consequences of this present judgment which they now saw but breaking in upon them, or some greater judgments which this was but a preface to. However it be, this they are taught to make the matter of their lamentation: Alas, for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand. Therefore cry to God. For, (1.) "The day of his judgment is very near, it is at hand; it will not slumber, and therefore you should not. It is time to fast and pray, for you have but a little time to turn yourselves in." (2.) It will be very terrible; there is no escaping it, no resisting it: As a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. See Isa 13:6. It is not a correction, but a destruction; and it comes from the hand, not of a weak creature, but of the Almighty; and who knows (nay, who does not know) the power of his anger? Whither should we go with our cries but to him from whom the judgment we dread comes? There is no fleeing from him but by fleeing to him, no escaping destruction from the Almighty but by making our submission and supplication to the Almighty; this is taking hold on his strength, that we may make peace, Isa 27:5.
2. They saw themselves already under the tokens of his displeasure. It is time to fast and pray, for their distress is very great, Joe 1:16. (1.) Let them look into their own houses, and was no plenty there, as used to be. Those who kept a good table were now obliged to retrench: Is not the meat cut off before our eyes? If, when God's hand is lifted up, men will not see, when his hand is laid on they shall see. Is not the meat many a time cut off before our eyes? Let us then labour for that spiritual meat which is not before our eyes, and which cannot be cut off. (2.) Let them look into God's house, and see the effects of the judgment there; joy and gladness were cut off from the house of God. Note, The house of our God is the proper place of joy and gladness; when David goes to the altar of God, it is to God my exceeding joy; but when joy and gladness are cut off from God's house, either by corruption of holy things or the persecution of holy persons, when serious godly decays and love waxes cold, then it time to cry to the Lord, time to cry, Alas!
3. The prophet returns to describe the grievousness of the calamity, in some particulars of it. Corn and cattle are the husbandman's staple commodities; now here he is deprived of both. (1.) The caterpillars have devoured the corn, Joe 1:17. The garners, which they used to fill with corn, are laid desolate, and the barns broken down, because the corn has withered, and the owners think it not worth while to be at the charge of repairing them when they have nothing to put in them, nor are likely to have any thing; for the seed it rotten under the clods, either through too much rain or (which was the more common case in Canaan) for want of rain, or perhaps some insects under ground ate it up. When one crop fails the husband man hopes the next may make it up; but here they despair of that, the seedness being as bad as the harvest. (2.) The cattle perish too for want of grass (Joe 1:18): How do the beasts groan! This the prophet takes notice of, that the people might be affected with it and lay to heart the judgment. The groans of the cattle should soften their hard and impenitent hearts. The herds of cattle, the large cattle (black cattle we call them), are perplexed; nay, even the flocks of sheep, which will live upon a common and be content with very short grass, are made desolate. See here the inferior creatures suffering for our transgression, and groaning under the double burden of being serviceable to the sin of man and subject to the curse of God for it. Cursed is the ground for thy sake.
III. The prophet stirs them up to cry to God, with the consideration of the examples given them for it.
1. His own example (Joe 1:19): O Lord! to thee will I cry. He would not put them upon doing that which he would not resolve to do himself; nay, whether they would do it or no, he would. Note, If God's ministers cannot prevail to affect others with the discoveries of divine wrath, yet they ought to be themselves affected with them; if they cannot bring others to cry to God, yet they themselves be much in prayer. In time of trouble we must not only pray, but cry, must be fervent and importunate in prayer; and to God, from whom both the destruction is and the salvation must be, ought our cry to be always directed. That which engaged him to cry to God was, not so much any personal affliction, as the national calamity: The fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, which seems to be meant of some parching scorching heat of the sun, which was as fire to the fruits of the earth; it consumed them all. Note, When God calls to contend by fire it concerns those that have any interest in heaven to cry mightily to him for relief. See Nu 11:2, Am 7:4,5.
2. The example of the inferior creatures: "The beasts of the field do not only groan, but cry unto thee, Joe 1:20. They appeal to thy pity, according to their capacity, and as if, though they are not capable of a rational and revealed religion, yet they had something of dependence upon God by natural instinct." At least, when they groan by reason of their calamity, he is pleased to interpret it as if they cried to him; much more will he put a favourable construction upon the groanings of his own children, though sometimes so feeble that they cannot be uttered, Ro 8:26. The beasts are here said to cry unto God, as from him the lions seek their meat (Ps 104:21) and the young ravens, Job 38:41. The complaints of the brute-creatures here are for want of water (The rivers are dried up, through the excessive heat), and for want of grass, for the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. And what better are those than beasts who never cry to God but for corn and wine, and complain of nothing but the want of delight of sense? Yet their crying to God in those cases shames the stupidity of those who cry not to God in any case.
本章描述猶大遍地因蝗蟲與毛蟲所造成的可悲毀壞。有人認為先知是論到將來的事，事先發出警告，正如先知通常對將臨的審判所作的那樣。也有人認為這災當時已經臨到，先知的職責是要使百姓感受到這災，並藉此喚醒他們悔改。一、這災被描述為前無古人的審判，Joe 1:1-7。二、各階層的人同受其害，都被呼召來哀號，Joe 1:8-13。三、他們受指示在哀號中仰望神，並在他面前自卑，Joe 1:14-20。