Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joel 1:12
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.
12. is dried up ] Better, sheweth shame, as Joe 1:10.
the pomegranate ] Num 13:23; Num 20:5; Deu 8:8; 1Sa 14:2; Hag 2:19; Son 4:3; Son 4:13; Son 6:7; Son 6:11; Son 7:12; Son 8:2. A tree abundant in Palestine, and highly prized on account of its fruit. The fruit when ripe is of a bright red colour, as large as an orange and crowned with the calyx. The name pomegranate is derived from the Latin, “grained apple,” from the bright red pips contained in the fruit. The expressed juice of the fruit makes a cooling drink, and it is also sometimes fermented into a light wine (Son 8:2).
the palm tree ] once, no doubt, with its tall, branchless stems and huge spreading leaves, the glory of most of the warmer parts of Palestine, the maritime plains, and the Jordan valley, but now comparatively rare. See Jdg 4:5; Son 7:7-8; Psa 92:13. Pliny ( H. N. xiii. 4) says, Judaea inclyta est palmis; and Tacitus ( Hist. Joe 1:6), Palmetis ( Judaeis) proceritas et decor. Jericho is called the “City of palm-trees,” Deu 34:3; Jdg 1:16; Jdg 3:13; 2Ch 28:15. Jericho was celebrated in antiquity for its palm-groves, the semi-tropical warmth of the Arbah here 600 feet below the level of the sea favouring their growth. A beautiful spring, called the ‘Ain es-Sultan, or Elisha’s Spring, gushes forth in the plain, at about a mile from the foot of the hills which lead up into the high land of Judah: this must have been near the site of the ancient city, and Josephus ( B. J. iv. 8, 3) speaks with admiration of the beautiful park of palms and other rare trees, which the stream watered. Comp. Herodis palmeta pinguia, Hor. Ep. ii. 2. 184. See an interesting collection of notices respecting the palm-groves of Jericho in Schrer, Hist. of N. T. Times, 15. Palms also flourished at Engedi, on the W. shore of the Dead Sea ( Sir 24:14 ).
the apple tree ] Son 2:3; Son 8:5; cf. apples Son 2:5; Son 7:8; Pro 25:11. It has been doubted whether tappa is really the apple; and Tristram ( N. H. B. p. 334 f.; D. B. 2 s.v.) adduces grounds tending to shew that is was more probably the apricot. But the corresponding Arabic word ( tuff) certainly means the apple; and though it is true that the Syrian apple is much inferior in flavour to the European apple, it has nevertheless been long esteemed in the East as a grateful and refreshing fruit, and valued in sickness on account of its restorative properties (W. R. Smith, in the Journ. of Phil. XV. 1885, p. 65 f., with quotations from Arabic authorities; and G. E. Post, in Clark’s Bible Dictionary).
even all the trees of the field ] The trees most prized for their fruits are mentioned first; but in the end all alike are included as suffering in the visitation.
are dried up ] The reference might be to the hard and dried appearance of the trees produced by the ravages of the locusts; but from Joe 1:17-20 it appears that the country was at the same time suffering from a protracted drought.
yea, joy is dried up ] better, with a pregnant construction, “ sheweth shame (and is vanished) from the sons of men.” The joy meant is that of which, directly or indirectly, the fruits of the earth, especially the harvest and the vintage, are the occasion: cf. Psa 4:7; Psa 104:15; Isa 9:3; Isa 16:10. The word rendered shew shame in Joe 1:10 and Joe 1:12 (twice) is exactly the same as that so rendered in Joe 1:11; and this is the more natural and obvious rendering of the word: it might, however, also just mean shew dryness (though elsewhere, where the same form is derived from the root to be dry, it has a causative force to make dry, and in Joe 1:12 this idea is expressed by the usual form for be dried up), and there may at least be a play upon this possible sense of the word.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Because joy is withered away – o: There are four sorts of joy, a joy in iniquity, a joy in vanity, a joy of charity, a joy of felicity. Of the first we read, Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the forwardness of the wicked Pro 2:14. Of the second, They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ Job 21:12. Of the third, Let the saints be joyful in glory Psa 149:5. Of the fourth, Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house; they will be still praising Thee Psa 84:4. The joy of charity and the joy of felicity wither from the sons of men, when the virtues aforesaid failing, there being neither knowledge of the truth nor love of virtue, no reward succeedeth, either in this life or that to come.
Having thus pictured the coming woe, he calls all to repentance and mourning, and those first, who were to call others. God Himself appointed these afflictive means, and here He gives to the priest a model for penitence and a way of entreating mercy. : He invites the priests first to repentance through whose negligence chiefly the practice of holiness, the strictness of discipline, the form of doctrine, the whole aspect of the Church was sunk in irreverence. Whence the people also perished, hurrying along the various haunts of sin. Whence Jeremiah says, The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. For the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, they have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood Lam 4:13-14.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. The vine is dried up] Dr. Shaw observes that in Barbary, in the month of June, the locusts collect themselves into compact bodies a furlong or more square, and march on, eating up every thing that is green or juicy, and letting nothing escape them, whether vegetables or trees.
They destroy the pomegranate, the palm, the apple, ( tappuach, the citron tree,) the vine, the fig, and every tree of the field. See Clarke on Joe 2:2.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The vine is dried up: see Joe 1:10,
The fig tree; a tree well known, and the fruit of it was usually a great advantage and benefit to the people of those countries.
The pomegranate tree; a pleasant tree, as appears Son 4:13; 7:12; and its fruit lovely, therefore fit for ornaments about the pillars of the temple. These in the common drought and by locusts have lost their beauty, and fail the hopes of him that planted them.
The palm tree; of great beauty in the height and uniformity of its growth, and that doth rise under the weight which would depress it, Psa 92:12; with these Ezekiels temple was adorned, Eze 40:16,22,26; with the branches of these triumphant shows were also made; but these are withered and dry.
The apple tree; the fruit whereof was very useful, and did ordinarily well recompense the care of the planter, but now, as other trees, fail them.
All the trees of the field; none so hardy and able to bear unkind seasons, but are now destroyed by the judgments of God in drought and locusts.
Are withered; not as in autumn, when the leaf falleth, but, because the root fails, is either dead or dying.
Because; or therefore, or surely, for the particle here used is oftentimes assertive, not causal.
Joy is withered away from the sons of men; all mirth and liveliness of men is blasted with this dismal blast upon their labours and hopes; they cannot rejoice who foresee they shall be, nay, are already, pinched with want and famine.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. pomegranatea treestraight in the stem growing twenty feet high; the fruit is of thesize of an orange, with blood-red colored pulp.
palm treeThe dates ofPalestine were famous. The palm is the symbol of Judea on coins underthe Roman emperor Vespasian. It often grows a hundred feet high.
apple treeThe Hebrewis generic, including the orange, lemon, and pear tree.
joy is withered awaysuchas is felt in the harvest and the vintage seasons (Psa 4:7;Isa 9:3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The vine is dried up,…. Withered away, stripped of its leaves and fruits, and its sap and moisture gone: or, “is ashamed” t; to see itself in this condition, and not answer the expectation of its proprietor and dresser:
and the fig tree languisheth; sickens and dies, through the bite of the locusts:
the pomegranate tree: whose fruit is delicious, and of which wine was made: the palm tree also; which bears dates:
and the apple tree; that looks so beautiful, when either in bloom, or laden with fruit, and whose fruit is very grateful to the palate; so that both what were for common use and necessary food, and what were for delight and pleasure, were destroyed by these noisome creatures:
[even] all the trees of the field are withered; for locusts not only devour the leaves and fruits of trees, but hurt the trees themselves; burn them up by touching them, and cause them to wither away and die, both by the saliva and dung, which they leave upon them, as Bochart, from various authors, has proved:
because joy is withered away from the sons of men; this is not given as a reason of the above trees dried up and withered, but of the lamentation of the vinedressers and husbandmen: or else the particle
is merely expletive, or may be rendered, “therefore”, or “truly”, or “surely” u, “joy is withered”, or “ashamed”; it blushes to appear, as it used to do at the time of harvest; but now there was no harvest, and so no joy expressed, as usually was at such times; see Isa 9:3.
t “confusa est”, V. L. “pudefacta est”, Cocceius; “pudet”, Drusius. u “ideo”, Grotius; “imo”, Piscator; “sane”, Mercer.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet now concludes his subjects which was, that as God executed judgments so severe on the people, it was a wonder that they remained stupefied, when thus reduces to extremities. The vine, he says, has dried up, and every kind of fruit; he adds the fig-tree, afterwards the רמון remun, the pomegranate, (for so they render it,) the palm, the apple-tree, (4) and all trees. And this sterility was a clear sign of God’s wrath; and it would have been so regarded, had not men either wholly deceived themselves, or had become hardened against all punishments. Now this αναὶσθησὶα ( insensibility) is as it were the very summit of evils; that is, when men feel not their own calamities, or at least understand not that they are inflicted by the hand of God. Let us now proceed —
(4) Of the three foregoing trees we may add this account: The pomegranate, רמון, grows about 20 feet high, has a straight stem and spreading branches, and bears large red blossoms. Its fruit is about the size of an orange, and is delicious and cooling. The palm or date-tree, תמר, is sometimes as high as 100 feet, and remarkably straight. Its fruit grows in clusters under its leaves, and is in taste very sweet. Palm branches were emblems of victory. What is called here the apple-tree, תפוח, was no doubt the citron-tree. The word is derived from נפה, to breathe, on account of the extreme fragrance it emits. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) The vine is dried up.The ravages produced by the locusts and the drought are universal. There seems to be a method in the enumeration of the trees. The vine is the favourite term for the chosen people; the fig-tree has its life prolonged at the intercession of the dresser of the vineyard, in our Lords parable (Luk. 13:8); the tall and stately pomegranate is of such importance as to give its name to the idol Rimmon; yea, and the palm-tree, even that is gone; the apple also, including the lemon, citron, &c.all joy is vanished.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Joe 1:12. The vine is dried up In Barbary, in the month of June, the locusts collect themselves into compact bodies, a furlong or more square; and afterwards, marching directly on toward the sea, let nothing escape them; eating up every thing that is green or juicy, not only of the lesser kind of vegetables, but also the trees mentioned in this verse. The author of the
Observations is of opinion, that apple-tree cannot be a proper translation in this place; for the apples which the Arabs of Judea eat at this day, are of foreign growth, and at the same time very indifferent. He is therefore of opinion that the citron-tree is meant. See Observations, p. 199 and Dr. Shaw’s Travels.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joe 1:12 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.
Ver. 12. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree lanquisheth ] God cutteth you short of all things both for necessity and delight; and this is so much inculcated and iterated that you may not slight it as a common occurrence; but be deeply affected with it, as a sore affliction. Verba toties repetita viva sunt, vera sunt, sana sunt, plana sunt (Aug.). Let no man think that this is a superfluous tautology, or an idle repetition of the same thing. For, in sacred Scripture there is not a tittle in vain; there is not an apex whereon there hangs not a mountain of sense, as the Rabbis use to say. By one and the same thing repeated, memory is helped, affection is excited, and matters of moment are better minded, Phi 3:1 . Besides, Repetitio confirmatio est, saith Ambrose, The repeating of a matter implieth, 1. The infallible truth of it; 2. The inexpressible excellency of it; 3. The profitable use of it; 4. The absolute necessity of it. Aut faciendum, aut patiendum. Either to do or to endure.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
men. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
The vine: Dr. Shaw observes, that in Barbary, in the month of June the locusts are no sooner hatched than they collect themselves into compact bodies, each a “furlong or more square; and marching directly after they are come to life, make their way towards the sea and let nothing escape them, eating up everything that is green or juicy; not only the lesser vegetables, but the vine likewise, the fig-tree, the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field.” Joe 1:10, Hab 3:17, Hab 3:18
the pomegranate: Num 13:23, Psa 92:12, Son 2:3, Son 4:13, Son 7:7-9
joy: Joe 1:16, Psa 4:7, Isa 9:3, Isa 16:10, Isa 24:11, Jer 48:3, Hos 9:1, Hos 9:2
Reciprocal: Isa 32:10 – for Jer 48:33 – joy Joe 1:7 – laid Jon 4:7 – it withered Mal 3:11 – neither
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joe 1:12. There is nothing new in this verse, but it is a repetition of the devastation awaiting the unfaithful nation to be effected by the hand of Babylon.