Blow the horn in Zion: a day of darkness and thick gloom, a great people and a mighty, whose like has never been; 'Turn back to Me with all your heart — and rend your heart, and not your garments'; and Hashem answers His people with corn, wine, and oil, and repays the years that the locust has eaten.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Blow you the horn in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain; Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of Hashem comes, For it is at hand;
verse value 3585
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "all" (כֹּ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·day·of·Hashem" (יוֹם־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·sound·an·alarm" (וְהָרִ֙יעוּ֙), "in·mountain·of" (בְּהַ֣ר), "My·holy" (קׇדְשִׁ֔י). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·day·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel); "for" (root כי, 24x in Joel). First appearance of the root ציון ("in·Zion") in Joel. First appearance of the root הר ("in·mountain·of") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: תִּקְע֨וּ [blow] (576) + שׁוֹפָ֜ר [horn] (586) + בְּצִיּ֗וֹן [in·Zion] (158) + וְהָרִ֙יעוּ֙ [and·sound·an·alarm] (297) + בְּהַ֣ר [in·mountain·of] (207) + קׇדְשִׁ֔י [My·holy] (414) + יִרְגְּז֕וּ [tremble] (226) + כֹּ֖ל [all] (50) + יֹשְׁבֵ֣י [dwelling] (322) + הָאָ֑רֶץ [earth] (296) + כִּי־בָ֥א [for·comes] (33) + יוֹם־יְהֹוָ֖ה [the·day·of·Hashem] (82) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + קָרֽוֹב [near] (308) = 3585.
Rashi
"Blow the shofar": to cause them to hear, so that they will return in repentance before this evil comes upon them.
"The day of GOD." What we stated above:
Ibn Ezra
"Blow the shofar" – this refers to the prophet who said, "Gird yourselves before the coming of this day," and when the day comes, he says: "Blow the shofar." And because of this he also says, "Even now," for when the day of the Lord comes, they will return to the Lord, for He will perform wonders for you.
Radak
“Blow the shofar, and sound the alarm.” The matter is repeated in different words, for Zion is the holy mountain, and similarly it is said, “Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” The meaning of “Blow the shofar, and sound the alarm” is to arouse the hearts to repentance.
Metzudat David
“Blow the shofar.” To warn the people to repent:
"On My holy mountain" – this refers to Zion, and the matter is repeated in different words:
They shall tremble. From the terror of the sound of the shofar they shall tremble, on the Day of the Lord. The calamity is from the Lord:
"For it has come." As if it had already come.
Metzudat Zion
"And sound an alarm." From the term "teruah" (a blast/shout).
They shall tremble. The meaning is a movement of fear, like [the verse] "They stirred, and did not sin" (ibid. 4:5):
Malbim
“Blow the shofar” (until now, the text has been speaking about the time when the prophet announced the coming of the locusts through a prophetic vision of this decree; now it begins a second matter, speaking about the time when the locusts have already stirred up and begun to come upon the land). “Blow the shofar” according to the law that one sounds an alarm in times of distress. Now, the blowing of the shofar served to assemble the people, and regarding this, He commanded that they blow in Zion, throughout the entire city, so that all the inhabitants of the city would hear. And the sounding of the alarm served to arouse dread, so that they would return in repentance, and regarding this, it says, “and sound an alarm on My holy mountain,” which is in the Temple. And thereby, all the inhabitants of the land will tremble and fear God, for the day of the Lord has come, for it is near. This means that with regard to flesh and blood, we cannot say that a decree has come unless it has actually arrived, for as long as it has not arrived, distance intervenes, and it may be delayed and not come. But with regard to God, whenever the time is near and there is no temporal interruption, we can say that it has already come, for nothing can intercede against His decree, and since the time is near, the day of the Lord has already come.
A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, As blackness spread upon the mountains; A great people and a mighty, There has not been ever the like, Neither shall be any more after them, Even to the years of many generations.
verse value 4801
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "people·of" (עַ֚ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·mountains" (עַל־הֶהָרִ֑ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 56: day, day. 15 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "darkness" (חֹ֣שֶׁךְ), "and·darkness" (וַאֲפֵלָ֗ה), "cloud" (עָנָן֙). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root עם ("people·of") in Joel. First appearance of the root רב ("great") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·mountains', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 13 words.
Rashi
As the dawn spreads over the mountains. The locusts and the grasshoppers spread over the mountains, just as the dawn spreads throughout the entire world.
There has not been another like him in the world. [The verse states] that all these species came one after another, but the species of locusts alone was not like that of Egypt, as it is said, “After him there shall not be another like him” (Exodus 10:14).
Ibn Ezra
“Day” – as in: “and it shall cover the eye of the land,” and the meaning is that it was like the dawn, a single moment.
"Am" – it is joined, and similarly, "The cedars did not join with him" – they were not joined with him in one formation; and so too, "Goy" is called.
It did not come to be that all four species would be brought together.
Radak
“Day of darkness.” The affliction is likened to darkness, just as joy is likened to light. Or, it is explained that due to the multitude of locusts, the land was darkened, as it is stated regarding the locusts in Egypt: “And the land was darkened.”
"As the dawn spreads over the mountains." Just as the dawn is spread over the mountains in an instant, for there the sun is first seen upon its emergence due to their height, so too will this locust come, spread out and extended over the earth in an instant.
There has not been one like it. For that [plague] in Egypt was but a single species, namely the locust, and that species was more numerous in Egypt than it is now in the Land of Israel. Therefore, [the verse] states, "After it there shall not be another like it." And behold, it says, "There has not been one like it," for there were four species [of locusts], whereas in Egypt there was but a single species.
"Lo yosef." It is written with a tsere, like "lo yosif" with a chirik.
Metzudat David
"Like the dawn" – Just as the light of dawn spreads over the mountains, so too shall the locusts cover the mountains.
"A great and mighty people." This is stated of the locust by way of metaphor:
It did not come into being. For in the days of Moses there was one species, and this is from many species:
It shall not add. To be like it:
“Until two generations, generation after generation.” This means: until the two generations have passed away, i.e., forever.
Metzudat Zion
"And the mist." It is the thick cloud.
As the dawn. The morning light:
"Spread out." From the term for spreading out and flattening:
Malbim
“Day of darkness”: It depicts a day that is dark and gloomy due to the absence of light, and it is also a day of clouds and mist, which is not a darkness of mere absence but a tangible darkness caused by vapors and the fumes of mist that obscure the light. Through that darkness, the spread of the locusts appears like the dawn spreading over the mountains in the morning; so too, they will appear on the mountain peaks, glittering and shining from afar. They are a multitude in number and immense in quality, such as had never existed before, for there were four types [of locusts], and this one had not occurred in Egypt, as stated above.
A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame blazes; The land is as the garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Indeed, and nothing escapes them.
verse value 3451
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לּֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֔שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·also·escape" (וְגַם־פְּלֵיטָ֖ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 231: and·behind·him, and·behind·him. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "blazes" (תְּלַהֵ֣ט), "flame" (לֶהָבָ֑ה), "like·the·garden·of·Eden" (כְּגַן־עֵ֨דֶן). The root פנים appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root פנים ("to·his·face") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'flame', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 9 words.
Rashi
Before them devoured fire. They destroy everything as if fire were devouring before them, and a flame burning after them.
“Like the Garden of Eden.” The land was like the Garden of Eden before his coming, and after he departed, he left the land like a desolate wilderness.
Ibn Ezra
"Before it" – this is a parable referring to the locust.
And also *pelitah*—there is nothing that escapes from it.
Radak
“Before it.” In the place where it encamps, it appears as if fire has consumed and flame has scorched all vegetation before it and after it. Therefore, it says “before it” and “after it,” because the place of its encampment is not seen, for it covers the eye of the land. But it encamps in one place, consumes it, and travels to another place and consumes it; this is what is meant by “before it” and “after it.”
As the Garden of Eden was the land before it. Before the locust came, the land was like the Garden of Eden; and after it came upon the land and ate all the vegetation, the land remained after it a desert, a desolation.
And he had no remnant [left]. For he did not leave any part of the vegetation uneaten, and Jonathan rendered in the Targum: "And there is no escape for the wicked."
Metzudat David
"Before him..." This means that the devastation will be so immense, as if fire had consumed the crops of the land before his arrival, and as if a flame had burned the crops after his departure. For it is almost impossible, according to the usual course of events, for locusts alone to cause such great destruction, except when combined with the devastation of fire both before and after them.
Before him. Before his coming, the land was like the Garden of Eden, full of produce; and after his departure, it became a desolate wilderness.
And also "a remnant." It left no remnant, for it consumed everything.
Metzudat Zion
Talehet. The matter of burning:
Lahava. Shalhevet:
Pilita. The matter of "remnant" is like "fleeing ones" and "survivors" (Lamentations 2:22):
Malbim
"Before it, fire consumed." This describes how it consumes and destroys every tree and plant, like fire that eats and burns, as if when fire comes before it, it goes ahead and devours everything, and in its passing, nothing remains for the fire to consume. It resembles the flame that glows behind the fire, scorching the roots and the earth, and this is what it says, "And after it a flame shall glow." It explains that before its coming, the land was like the Garden of Eden, full of all good things, but after it passes, it is like a desert. And it is even worse than fire, for from fire there is escape, whereby people can save several things, but from it there was no escape at all, for they saved nothing.
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; And as horsemen, so do they run.
verse value 1782
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 1782 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֥ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·as·horsemen" (וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "as·sight·of" (כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה), "horses" (סוּסִ֖ים), "his·sight" (מַרְאֵ֑הוּ). The root מראה appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root רוץ ("they·will·run") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·sight', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה [as·sight·of] (266) + סוּסִ֖ים [horses] (176) + מַרְאֵ֑הוּ [his·sight] (252) + וּכְפָרָשִׁ֖ים [and·as·horsemen] (656) + כֵּ֥ן [so] (70) + יְרוּצֽוּן [they·will·run] (362) = 1782.
Rashi
"Like the appearance of horses, is its appearance." In its running:
Ibn Ezra
As it appears – like a running (course).
Radak
Like the appearance of horses. In its running, it resembles the appearance of horses:
Metzudat David
Like the appearance of horses. In its running, it resembles the appearance of horses:
Metzudat Zion
"And the horsemen." They are those accustomed to riding on horses.
Yerutzon. From the language of running and the pursuit of walking:
Malbim
Like the appearance [of horses], it depicts its matter as horses that come in time of war to conquer the land. Now, the horse itself has the strength to run with thunder and noise, and regarding this it said: "Like the appearance of horses, is its appearance," for thus it runs with thunder and noise. And if a person rides on the horse, then it is called a cavalryman, it runs with greater speed by means of the person who urges it. In accordance with this, it said: "And like cavalrymen, thus shall they run," for it too has yet another [force] compelling it to run, which is the command of the Lord and His decree that rides upon it. And if several horses are joined together in a chariot, then they will pull the chariot and make heard the sound of the clatter of the wheel and the wheel-rim. And regarding this it said.
Like the noise of chariots, On the tops of the mountains do they leap, Like the noise of a flame of fire That devours the stubble, As a mighty people set in battle array.
verse value 3770
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 58 letters. Verse gematria: 3770 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֔שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "chariots" (מַרְכָּב֗וֹת, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 156: like·voice·of, like·voice·of. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "chariots" (מַרְכָּב֗וֹת), "upon·heads·of" (עַל־רָאשֵׁ֤י), "they·dance" (יְרַקֵּד֔וּן). The root קול appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root קול ("like·voice·of") in Joel. First appearance of the root ראש ("upon·heads·of") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'stubble', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: כְּק֣וֹל [like·voice·of] (156) + מַרְכָּב֗וֹת [chariots] (668) + עַל־רָאשֵׁ֤י [upon·heads·of] (611) + הֶהָרִים֙ [the·mountains] (260) + יְרַקֵּד֔וּן [they·dance] (370) + כְּקוֹל֙ [like·voice·of] (156) + לַ֣הַב [flame] (37) + אֵ֔שׁ [fire] (301) + אֹכְלָ֖ה [devouring] (56) + קָ֑שׁ [stubble] (400) + כְּעַ֣ם [like·the·people] (130) + עָצ֔וּם [mighty] (206) + עֱר֖וּךְ [arrayed·for] (296) + מִלְחָמָֽה [battle] (123) = 3770.
Rashi
"As the sound of a flame." [The fire] that consumes straw produces a sound:
"Arrayed for battle." Because it is in construct form, it is vocalized with a chataf-segol.
Ibn Ezra
As a voice – the reason is that the chariot does not travel on high ground, whereas these are upon the tops of the mountains.
"In the voice of a flame of fire" – so that it would appear above.
"Arrayed for battle" – one formation after another.
Radak
Like the voice of chariots. With a patach under the mem:
“Upon the tops of the mountains they shall dance.” The sound of their marching is like the sound of the marching of chariots, and they are superior to chariots in that they walk upon the tops of the mountains, whereas chariots do not. They dance, for the manner of the locust’s movement is by dancing from place to place, as it is said, “to leap with them upon the earth.”
Like the sound of a flame of fire consuming straw. For when fire catches hold of straw and thin pieces of wood, they make a sound; and similarly it says, "Like the sound of thorns [crackling] under a pot" (Ecclesiastes 7:6).
“Prepare for battle.” Just as a mighty nation that is arrayed to fight against its opponent, which makes a sound and a blast to terrify its opponent.
Erukh. The ayin is with a shva and segol [i.e., a chateph-segol]; it is a pa'ul [passive-participle] form in the construct state.
Metzudat David
"Upon the tops of the mountains they shall dance." Those who dance in their running upon the tops of the mountains, so that the sound is heard from afar.
"Eating straw." For at that time, the sound of the voice is heard as the rumbling noise of the locust:
“Like a mighty nation”: This means like a strong nation that is arranged and organized for war.
Metzudat Zion
They shall dance. From the language of dancing and leaping:
Kash. Fine straw:
Arrayed. Arranged:
Malbim
Like the sound of chariots upon the tops of the mountains, they shall dance: by virtue of their joining together as one, they will make a sound like the sound of chariots. And even though it is not the way of chariots to ascend to the tops of the mountains, they will dance there like the sound of chariots.
As for the word "voice" (kol), after He has depicted the matter itself, He depicts the voice that is heard through its action, which will destroy everything: "He will make the voice like the flame of fire consuming stubble." For He has already depicted this as fire, saying that the voice will be heard like the voice of a flame of fire when it consumes stubble. Now He will depict how the locust will direct itself to descend from the mountains to the cities, and He depicts it as preparing itself for war against human beings who will hinder its progress; it is similar to a mighty nation prepared to wage war.
At their presence the peoples are in anguish; All faces have gathered blackness.
verse value 1325
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "peoples" (עַמִּ֑ים, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·faces" (כׇּל־פָּנִ֖ים, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "from·his·face" (מִפָּנָ֖יו), "they·will·twist" (יָחִ֣ילוּ), "peoples" (עַמִּ֑ים). 5 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root חיל ("they·will·twist") in Joel. First appearance of the root קבץ ("have·gathered") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'peoples', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִפָּנָ֖יו [from·his·face] (186) + יָחִ֣ילוּ [they·will·twist] (64) + עַמִּ֑ים [peoples] (160) + כׇּל־פָּנִ֖ים [all·faces] (230) + קִבְּצ֥וּ [have·gathered] (198) + פָארֽוּר [glow] (487) = 1325.
Rashi
"They have gathered blackness." [Meaning] blackness, like [that of] a pot, as it says, "and they boiled it in a pot" (Numbers 11). And the aleph that is written is superfluous and is not pronounced.
Ibn Ezra
"Nations tremble before Him" – that is, many nations, before this mighty nation. The word *pa'rur* is spelled with an aleph, from the pattern of *pe'er*, and the resh is doubled, like *sagrir* (a stormy, overcast day). The meaning is that they will gather and assemble, the opposite of being scattered, as it says: "they have withdrawn their brightness" [cf. Joel 2:10]. And Yefet said: it is a term denoting darkness, and the aleph is an additional letter.
Radak
“Before it” – “pa’rur.” [It means] darkness and blackness, like a pot; thus were all the faces before it, as in “and cooked it in a pot” (Numbers 11:8); and the aleph within it [in פארור] is a mater lectionis for prolongation [i.e., the same word as פרור]. And Targum Yonatan renders: “All faces are covered, turned black like a pot.” And some say [it should be read] “kibbetzu pa’rur,” along the lines of “and the stars gathered in their brightness” (Joel 2:10). But my father, of blessed memory, took issue with them, for the term “gathering” (kibbutz) is nowhere used in the sense of “collecting” (asifah). For one does not say “gather your hands” as one says “collect your hands”; nor does one say “and he gathered his legs” as it says “and he collected his legs into the bed” (Genesis 49:33); and it says “and there was no man to take me in,” and it does not say “gathering me.” Likewise, one does not say “they gathered their brightness,” for “gathering” (kibbutz) is said regarding something that is scattered, whereas “collecting” (asifah) is said even regarding something that is not scattered.
Metzudat David
"Peoples shall tremble." All of them shall quake before Him. And since He compared them to a nation arrayed for war, He used therein language fitting for a nation, which is a mode of hyperbole and exaggeration, in the manner of rhetorical speech.
"Every face." All the faces of the people gathered blackness, like a pot.
Metzudat Zion
Yechilu. From the language of "chil" (terror) and "chalchal" (trembling):
Parur. It is a type of cooking pot, as in "and they cooked it in a pot" (Numbers 11:8), and the letter aleph is added.
Malbim
"Before Him"—yet the nations shall tremble before Him, and their hearts shall not venture to wage war against Him; and every face's own splendor and glow shall shrink [i.e., pale], from the abundance of fear and grief.
They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; And they move on every one in his ways, And they entangle not their paths.
verse value 2830
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֥א, 3 letters) and the longest is "as·mighty" (כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 116: they·will·go·up, walk. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "as·mighty" (כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים), "as·men·of" (כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י), "wall" (חוֹמָ֑ה). The root איש appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root גבור ("as·mighty") in Joel. First appearance of the root איש ("as·men·of") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wall', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים [as·mighty] (281) + יְרֻצ֔וּן [run] (356) + כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י [as·men·of] (381) + מִלְחָמָ֖ה [battle] (123) + יַעֲל֣וּ [they·will·go·up] (116) + חוֹמָ֑ה [wall] (59) + וְאִ֤ישׁ [and·man] (317) + בִּדְרָכָיו֙ [in·his·ways] (242) + יֵֽלֵכ֔וּן [walk] (116) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + יְעַבְּט֖וּן [entangle] (147) + אֹרְחוֹתָֽם [their·ways] (655) = 2830.
Rashi
"And they shall not swerve." It has no parallel, and its interpretation, according to its context, is: "they shall not turn crooked/aside."
Ibn Ezra
"Like warriors ... their paths never cross" – "ye'avtun" is like "ye'utun" [i.e., relates to twisting/deviating], and so it is in the language of Ishmael [Arabic].
Radak
"Like mighty men they run," "and they shall not ya'avtun their paths." As its Targum renders it: "and they shall not hold back their paths." And it has no cognate in Scripture. And some say that it is derived from [the root of] "ha'avet ta'avitenu" ["you shall surely extend him credit"] (Deuteronomy 15:8), as in the phrase "a man on his path." And some say that it is like "ye'avetun" [they pervert], and so it is in Arabic.
Metzudat David
“And a man”: Each person shall walk in the path that is particular to him, and they shall not walk on a crooked and deceptive way.
Metzudat Zion
Ya'avtun. It has no parallel elsewhere, and its interpretation is according to the sense of "crooked and twisted":
Their ways. From the language of "way" and "path":
Malbim
"Like mighty men" – now he describes how they will conquer the city's wall: first, they will run toward the wall like mighty men, for the people will array themselves for battle from the wall and at the gate's entrance, and it is necessary to run with might to reach the wall and drive away the combatants. Afterwards, they must know the stratagems of war as to how to ascend the wall; concerning this it says, "Like men of war they shall ascend the wall." Then they will arrange for the soldiers a specific path for each battalion, and they will also leave for themselves a side path to which they can turn if they need to go to the side or flank the enemy; this is called an "orach" (path). Concerning this it says, "Each in his own path they shall go" – referring to the main road – and "they shall not cross their paths" – referring to the side path.
Neither does one thrust another, They march every one in his highway; And they break through the weapons, And suffer no harm.
verse value 2170
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "they·will·thrust" (יִדְחָק֔וּן, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 178: they·will·thrust, they·will·cut·off. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "his·brother" (אָחִיו֙), "they·will·thrust" (יִדְחָק֔וּן), "man" (גֶּ֥בֶר). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root שלח ("the·Shelah") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'march', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְאִ֤ישׁ [and·man] (317) + אָחִיו֙ [his·brother] (25) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִדְחָק֔וּן [they·will·thrust] (178) + גֶּ֥בֶר [man] (205) + בִּמְסִלָּת֖וֹ [in·his·highway] (538) + יֵלֵכ֑וּן [march] (116) + וּבְעַ֥ד [and·for] (82) + הַשֶּׁ֛לַח [the·Shelah] (343) + יִפֹּ֖לוּ [they·will·fall] (126) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + יִבְצָֽעוּ [they·will·cut·off] (178) = 2170.
Rashi
"And through the weapon [missile]." Like "through the windows" [used elsewhere] — they fall upon the face of the weapons and encamp.
"And they shall not gain [unjustly]." This means they shall not accept money; and Targum Yonatan interprets it as a term of "mission" (sheliḥut): for the sake of the Holy One's errand they would cast themselves into danger, yet they took no money for unjust gain.
Ibn Ezra
"and a man" – this is a metaphorical expression.
"Strong man" – the masculine gender, and because it mentioned "like strong men they shall run."
"And through the shelach" – [this refers to] a weapon of war, as in: "passing through by the shelach" [Job 33:18]; and it does not carry the sense of a "mission" [dispatch] in [this context of] war.
"They shall not be wounded (lo yivtza'u)" – like "they shall not be wounded (ve-lo yippatze'u)"; and similarly: "and He smote them on the head, all of them" (u-vitz'am be-rosh kullam) [Amos 9:1].
Radak
"And a man" – "a mighty man in his path." Since he likened them [the locusts] to men and mighty warriors, he said "gever" [mighty man], even though this term applies only to human beings.
"And through the sword they shall fall." "The sword" (hashelach) refers to the sword; similarly, "passing through the sword" (me'avor bashelach), and "there is no discharge in war" (ve'ein mishlachat bamilchamah). The word "be'ad" ("through/for") is explained as meaning "al" ("concerning/for"), as in "and the LORD shut him in" (vayisgor Hashem ba'ado) and "he atoned for him" (v'chiper ba'ado). "They shall fall" (yiplu) is like "they shall encamp" (yachanu), and so too "he settled before all his brothers" (al penei kol echav nafal) [and] "lying [encamped] in the valley" (noflim ba'emek).
"Lo yivtzu" ("They shall not be wounded"). This is like "lo yiftzu" ("they shall not be wounded"), from "wound for wound" (petza tachat petza) [Exodus 21:25], and it is an intransitive verb. Similarly, "uvitz'am" ("and He will cut them all down") in the phrase "at the head of all of them" [Amos 9:1], and it is a transitive verb, conveying the sense of cutting off. He says: This army is not like other enemies, whom you would prevent from coming against you with the sword, for these will encamp upon swords and not be wounded, and this is due to their lightness [their light weight]. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered "shelach" in the sense of "sending" [i.e., messengers], and "yivtzu" in the sense of "haters of unjust gain," [translating]: "and to the place where they are sent, they kill and do not accept money." He says: They are not like other enemies, whom you would appease with money.
Metzudat David
"Let them not press against one another." This is because each one walks on his own designated path.
"And should they fall through the weapon." They shall lie upon the swords; they shall not be cut thereby into pieces.
Metzudat Zion
"ידחקון" – from the root דָּחַק, meaning to press or crowd.
Gever ["man"]. "Ish" [man] is stated by way of a borrowed term [i.e., metaphorically] regarding the locust:
In his path. From the language of "and a way":
And for. Its meaning is like "upon," and similarly, "and he shall make atonement for him" (Leviticus 16).
"Ha-shelach." So too is the sword called "shelach," as it is written: "and each man with his weapon in his hand" (2 Chronicles 23).
"Yiflu" [lit. "they shall fall"]. [Meaning] they shall dwell/settle, like "he dwelt alongside all his brethren" (Genesis 25:18):
"Yiv'atzu." The meaning is "cut," for it says, "You shall cut her into pieces" (Leviticus 2:6); the Targum renders it: "B'tza yatyah b'tzu'in," i.e., cut her into pieces.
Malbim
And they shall not push one another, for one must still be careful not to go in a jostling crowd until one pushes his fellow and he falls; rather, each man shall go in his own lane, so that each one walks in the path that is trodden before him, neither distant from his fellow nor crowded. And likewise, after they have climbed up onto the wall and throw themselves from there down into the city, even though there stand below [defenders] with swords and spears, they must fall upon the spear and not be wounded, so that it will not harm them.
They leap upon the city, They run upon the wall, They climb up into the houses; They enter in at the windows like a thief.
verse value 2004
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "behind" (בְּעַ֧ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "window" (הַחַלּוֹנִ֛ים, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "in·the·city" (בָּעִ֣יר), "they·rush" (יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ), "in·the·wall" (בַּֽחוֹמָה֙). 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·go·up', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: בָּעִ֣יר [in·the·city] (282) + יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ [they·rush] (416) + בַּֽחוֹמָה֙ [in·the·wall] (61) + יְרֻצ֔וּן [run] (356) + בַּבָּתִּ֖ים [in·the·houses] (454) + יַעֲל֑וּ [they·will·go·up] (116) + בְּעַ֧ד [behind] (76) + הַחַלּוֹנִ֛ים [window] (149) + יָבֹ֖אוּ [they·will·go·in] (19) + כַּגַּנָּֽב [like·the·thief] (75) = 2004.
Rashi
"In the city they run to and fro." This is the language of a sound being heard, like "the rushing of locusts" (Isaiah 33:4), "a roaring bear" (Proverbs 28:15), "a possession of nettles" (Zephaniah 2:9). And Targum Yonatan [renders it] as a term of "weapon" [meaning] they arm themselves.
Ibn Ezra
"They dash about in the city" – [yeshoku is] from the pattern of "shuk" [street/marketplace, i.e., to run through the streets].
Radak
"In the city they shall course about" (ba'ir yashoqu). The meaning relates to "shok" (leg); this term is used of the locust because its legs are long, and further, because it is always moving, resting only a little. So too it says, "like the rushing of locusts, it darts about" (Isaiah 33:4), meaning the persistence of movement. And similarly, "the steward of my house" (uven meshek beiti) [Genesis 15:2]. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "In the city they arm themselves" (bekartha mizdaynin).
"In houses they shall ascend." For when enemies' torches are raised high, a person ascends to the high houses. "Through the windows." Like "from the windows," and also "through the lattice." Regarding "through the window," it says that they are not like other enemies, before whom you would shut the gate, for they will enter the house through the windows, like a thief who finds the gate shut and endeavors to enter through the windows.
Metzudat David
"In the city they shall rush about." Within the city they shall make a sound, run along the walls, climb into the houses, and enter them through the windows like a thief. And since it compared them to a people, it used language fitting for men of war — mighty-hearted, who fight with strength — and this is a matter of rhetorical expression.
Metzudat Zion
"Yashoku." The matter is of causing a sound to be heard, like "as the rushing sound of locusts" (Isaiah 33):
"Be'ad." In the sense of "through," as in "through the window" (Judges 5):
Malbim
"In the city" — now, let us depict their manner when they are in the city: there they shall rush about, and they shall make their voice heard in the streets of the city, and they shall run along the wall surrounding the houses, and they shall climb into the houses, not entering through the doors but only through the windows.
Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble; The sun and the moon are become black, And the stars withdraw their shining.
verse value 3171
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "land" (אֶ֔רֶץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·stars" (וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "trembled" (רָ֣גְזָה), "land" (אֶ֔רֶץ), "they·quaked" (רָעֲשׁ֖וּ). 11 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root שמים ("heaven") in Joel. First appearance of the root שמש ("sun") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heaven', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: לְפָנָיו֙ [to·his·face] (176) + רָ֣גְזָה [trembled] (215) + אֶ֔רֶץ [land] (291) + רָעֲשׁ֖וּ [they·quaked] (576) + שָׁמָ֑יִם [heaven] (390) + שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ [sun] (640) + וְיָרֵ֙חַ֙ [and·moon] (224) + קָדָ֔רוּ [they·mourned] (310) + וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים [and·stars] (104) + אָסְפ֥וּ [they·gathered] (147) + נׇגְהָֽם [their·brightness] (98) = 3171.
Rashi
"Heaven shook." Because of the calamity coming upon Israel, they quake and shake.
“Gather their splendor.” – “Bring in their light.”
Ibn Ezra
Before Him – the people of the land trembled.
Sun and moon – [they] grew dark over them, as it says: "before the sun is darkened" [Ecclesiastes 12:2].
Radak
“Before Him the earth quaked.” When He comes, the earth will quake before Him. This is a metaphor, just as it says, “The heavens trembled and grew dark, and they gathered in their brightness.” All of this is a metaphor for the intensity of distress, for such is the manner of Scripture, like the verse, “The sun was darkened at its rising,” and there are many similar examples. The meaning of “they gathered in their brightness” is that they gathered their light within themselves, so that it was not visible. Similarly, we find the expressions “gather your hands” and “he gathered his feet.”
Metzudat David
“Before Him the earth trembled, etc.” This means that there will be great distress in the world at the time of His coming, as if the earth were to quake and the heavens shake, and the sun and moon were to be darkened, and the stars withdrew their radiance and ceased to shine over the face of the earth.
Metzudat Zion
"Ragzah." The matter of the trembling of fear:
They trembled. The meaning of trembling:
"Kadaru." The meaning is blackness, as in "koder shachoti" [I went about in gloom] (Psalms 35:14).
"Gather them." The sense is of taking in; and likewise, "and no man would take them in" (Judges 19:15).
"Their brightness" – the matter is one of illumination and shining, as it is written: "from the brightness before Him" (Psalms 18:13).
Malbim
“Before Him the earth trembled, the heavens shook” – this means that the order of the natural system will be nullified, for the matter will be under the direct providence of the Lord. And in Isaiah 13:13 it says: “Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall move out of her place.” There, the meaning is that the Lord will arrange the natural system and alter it in such a way that He will destroy Babylon through the natural system. But here, the meaning is that the event will not be accomplished through the natural system at all, but rather through the Lord alone. First, the earth trembled before Him, and consequently the heavens shook, for they will be nullified by His direct providential governance. Likewise, “the sun and the moon were darkened,” for their indication and governance will be nullified. And “the stars gathered their light,” for they will have no influence or illumination whatsoever.
And Hashem utters His voice before His army; For His camp is very great, For he is mighty that executes His word; For great is the day of Hashem and very terrible; And who can abide it?
verse value 2752
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 75 letters. Verse gematria: 2752 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·day·of·Hashem" (יוֹם־יְהֹוָ֛ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 45: very, very. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "gave" (נָתַ֤ן), "his·army" (חֵיל֔וֹ), "his·camp" (מַחֲנֵ֔הוּ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel); "for" (root כי, 24x in Joel). First appearance of the root נתן ("gave") in Joel. First appearance of the root עשה ("doing") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·word', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Rashi
"And GOD gave." [He gave] forth His voice upon them through the words of His prophets, before He sent this army of His against them.
For his camp is very great. That He will send among you, if you do not do good.
Ibn Ezra
"And the Lord." The meaning is that they have a great sound; therefore the earth trembled at the sound of the blast, as it says: "all the inhabitants of the land shall tremble" (Joel 2:1). And the commentator who explained that the Name informed you of this before His coming is not correct according to the way of the language; rather, the meaning is as if the Name made the earth quake, in the manner of "He shall roar from Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem" (Amos 1:2), and he is prophesying about the quaking; therefore it says: "He shall surely roar upon His habitation" (Jeremiah 25:30). And one should not wonder how His voice can be like the sound of an earthquake, for His camp is very great, as in "and the tumult of nations" (Isaiah 17:12).
"He performs His word" – as in: "For My mouth, it ... has gathered them" [Isaiah 34:16].
Radak
"And the Lord gave forth His voice." And behold, the Lord caused this host to be heard before its arrival through His prophets, in order that they might return in repentance.
"And who can bear it?" — Who can endure it? And similarly: "Who can sustain the day of His coming?"
Metzudat David
"He gave His voice" – He caused His voice to be heard by His people through the prophets before the arrival of His army, which is the locust.
"for he is great." This means that it said, "whose camp is very great."
"Who performs His word." The Destroyer, acting as an agent of the Omnipresent, blessed be He.
Day of the Lord. The day of calamity that comes from the Lord:
"And who can bear it?" – Who can endure that day?
Metzudat Zion
Natan. This means: He caused to be heard.
His host. From the language of "host" and "armies" of people:
"Yechilenu" [can endure/contain it]. The matter is bearing and holding, as in "marbah lehachil" [enlarged to hold much] (Ezekiel 26).
Malbim
"And GOD" [this phrase] explains the reason that the order of the [celestial] arrangement will be nullified, because GOD gave forth His voice, and He decreed the matter through His providence. And behold, it says, "GOD gave forth His voice before His army," meaning that before His army arrived, He proclaimed and announced, saying: Although His camp is exceedingly great—namely, the locusts which He sent to devastate the land—nevertheless, mighty is the one who performs His word: whoever performs His word which He spoke, that they return in repentance and abandon their sins, is mightier than His camp, and will overpower the locusts and drive them out of the land. Furthermore, He gave forth His voice to say, "For great is the day of GOD and very awesome," referring to the day which He has appointed to punish the sinners. And "Who can endure it?" means: Which strong man will gird himself with strength to return in repentance? For in this way he will be able to endure it, namely, that he will be able to withstand the day and bear the calamity so that it will not harm him. And behold, this voice GOD gave before His army, meaning that many days before He sent the army, He gave forth His voice through the prophet, as all of this is prophesied in Chapter 1 — and nevertheless...
Yet even now, says Hashem, Turn you to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation;
verse value 1555
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "turn" (שֻׁ֥בוּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·all·your·heart" (בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·also·now" (וְגַם־עַתָּה֙), "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה), "turn" (שֻׁ֥בוּ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). First appearance of the root שוב ("turn") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·all·your·heart', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְגַם־עַתָּה֙ [and·also·now] (524) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה [says·Hashem] (117) + שֻׁ֥בוּ [turn] (308) + עָדַ֖י [to·me] (84) + בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם [with·all·your·heart] (146) + וּבְצ֥וֹם [and·in·fasting] (144) + וּבִבְכִ֖י [and·in·weeping] (40) + וּבְמִסְפֵּֽד [and·in·wailing] (192) = 1555.
Ibn Ezra
"And also return to Me" – with the heart, to repent; and with fasting, perhaps the iniquity may be atoned for by afflicting the soul; and with weeping, to confess the transgressions; and to seek supplication for this evil that has come upon them.
Radak
“And even now.” The meaning of “and even” is to say: If you do not return before they come, “even now,” after they have come, I warn you to return. And He said “now” because the time of their coming was near at the time the prophet prophesied, as it is said, “For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is near.”
"With all your heart" – so that your repentance not be with a divided heart, [lest] you show the ways of repentance openly while not repenting in secret; rather, the repentance should be in secret [inward], for that is the essence.
"And with fasting, weeping, and mourning." This refers to the visible [aspect], to subdue the hearts, so that each person will see his fellow fasting, weeping, and mourning, and will [thereby] subdue his heart, if he had not repented on his own.
Metzudat David
"And also now." After the decree was issued:
Metzudat Zion
"Adai." [Means] 'to me' (eli), as in "ha'azinah adai" [listen to me] (Numbers 23:18).
Malbim
"And even now" — although now the army has already come, and the great day has already arrived, do not think that there is no remedy, for even now, the word of GOD is: "Return to Me [עָדַי] with all your hearts." And it says "Return to Me" [עָדַי], even though I am now far from you (as explained regarding the distinction between "Return to Me" [אֵלַי] and "Return to Me" [עָדַי], Hosea 14:2) — meaning only that the repentance be with all your hearts, not with a divided heart, and that it be accompanied by fasting, weeping, and mourning, which constitute confession and abandonment of sin.
And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn to Hashem your God; For He is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, And repents Him of the evil.
verse value 2607
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "He" (ה֔וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·your·garments" (וְאַל־בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם, 9 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·tear" (וְקִרְע֤וּ), "your·heart" (לְבַבְכֶם֙), "and·not·your·garments" (וְאַל־בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). First appearance of the root הוא ("He") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: וְקִרְע֤וּ [and·tear] (382) + לְבַבְכֶם֙ [your·heart] (94) + וְאַל־בִּגְדֵיכֶ֔ם [and·not·your·garments] (116) + וְשׁ֖וּבוּ [and·return] (320) + אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה [to·Hashem] (57) + אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם [your·God] (106) + כִּֽי־חַנּ֤וּן [for·gracious] (144) + וְרַחוּם֙ [and·compassionate] (260) + ה֔וּא [He] (12) + אֶ֤רֶךְ [long·of] (221) + אַפַּ֙יִם֙ [anger] (131) + וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד [and·abounding·in·kindness] (280) + וְנִחָ֖ם [and·relenting] (104) + עַל־הָרָעָֽה [upon·the·evil] (380) = 2607.
Rashi
"And not your garments." For I am not concerned with the tearing of your garments. Another interpretation: "Tear your hearts," and you shall not need to tear your garments due to mourning.
"And He relented concerning the evil." It was transformed into a different thought:
Ibn Ezra
"And they tore" – Such was their custom when calamity befell them, to tear their garments, as it is said: "And Jacob tore his garments" (Genesis 37:34). Similarly, in the words of David, [there is the concept of] "the tearing of the heart," comparable to: "And you shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart" (Deuteronomy 10:16), and it is written: "And I will tear open the enclosure of their heart" (Hosea 13:8). Now, the meaning is to remove the covering of the heart by tearing it, for this covering prevents the heart from understanding, and the purpose is that it should comprehend the truth. Therefore, it is written: "Every prudent man acts with knowledge" (Proverbs 13:16).
"And renouncing (ve-nicham)" – it is an adjective; and were it not for the guttural letter, the second root letter [the ḥet] would have taken a dagesh to assimilate the nun.
Radak
“Tear your hearts, and not your garments.” If you tear your hearts and remove from them every evil thought, you do not need to tear your garments, as a person tears his garments over sorrow and distress.
"For He is gracious and merciful." His attributes are such, as it is written in the Torah that He relents concerning the evil [decreed] for those who repent, and as it is also written, "And the Lord relented concerning the evil that He had said He would do to His people."
Metzudat David
“Tear your hearts.” This means: practice humility in the heart, and not merely in the act of tearing one’s garments.
“Return.” With such humility, return to God.
“For He is gracious, etc.” – He will have mercy upon you.
And He regretted. He repented of the evil that He had intended to do.
Metzudat Zion
“And you shall tear.” This means: Open and remove the foreskin of your hearts, to demonstrate humility.
And He relented. The meaning is regret:
Malbim
"Tear yourselves" – afterward, you shall tear your hearts a second time, which is complete remorse for the past; and do not tear your garments over the evil that has befallen you, but rather tear your hearts over your sins, for the sins that you have committed are worse for you than the evil that has found you as a consequence of them. And "return to the Lord" – this is the second repentance: after you have drawn near to the Lord, you shall return to Him a second time out of love. And then, because He is gracious and merciful, He will relent of the evil even now, although the locusts have already come and the evil has begun.
Who knows whether He will not turn and repent, And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a meal-offering and a drink-offering To Hashem your God?
verse value 1937
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 48 letters. Verse gematria: 1937 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·leave" (וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "who?" (מִ֥י), "knows" (יוֹדֵ֖עַ), "he·will·return" (יָשׁ֣וּב). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). First appearance of the root ידע ("knows") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·relent', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: מִ֥י [who?] (50) + יוֹדֵ֖עַ [knows] (90) + יָשׁ֣וּב [he·will·return] (318) + וְנִחָ֑ם [and·relent] (104) + וְהִשְׁאִ֤יר [and·leave] (522) + אַחֲרָיו֙ [after·him] (225) + בְּרָכָ֔ה [blessing] (227) + מִנְחָ֣ה [gift] (103) + וָנֶ֔סֶךְ [and·libation] (136) + לַיהֹוָ֖ה [to·Hashem] (56) + אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם [your·God] (106) = 1937.
Rashi
"Who knows?" [Meaning:] whether there is sin in it [Israel]; [if not,] He will turn back and relent.
And He left. The verse states that after the chasil and the gazam, a blessing follows through repentance; thus, a blessing will come in the fruits.
Ibn Ezra
"Who" – the meaning is, perhaps the Name will return and leave this army [of locusts] as a blessing, so that they may make from it a meal offering and a libation.
Radak
“Who knows?” There are those who explain: “Who knows? Perhaps the Lord, blessed be He, will return and have compassion,” even though we have stated that it is among His attributes to have compassion on evil, and there is no doubt about this. Nevertheless, if the sins are numerous, He will not have compassion until [the people] are punished, whether slightly or greatly. Therefore, it says, “Who knows?” Alternatively, its interpretation is: “Whoever knows the ways of repentance, [the Lord] will return and have compassion on this evil.” And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum: “Who knows — he who has sins in him, let him turn back from them, and he will be shown compassion.”
“And He shall leave behind a blessing.” And the Lord shall leave behind a blessing after the locusts, in that if they return against us, the Lord shall drive them away, and He shall leave in the growing produce a blessing, so that not all shall be ruined, and what remains shall be for a blessing, and you shall make from it a meal-offering and a libation to the Lord your God, corresponding to what is stated: “Meal-offering and libation are cut off from the House of the Lord.”
Metzudat David
Who knows? One who knows his own sin will return and repent.
And he left. This means that even when the locust comes, as it passes through, a blessing remains in its wake, and it does not destroy everything.
Minchah and nesekh. This means: it shall be from what is used to bring a minchah and nesachim.
Malbim
"Who knows?" — He added to say that even if the entire community does not wish to return in repentance, at least I command the individuals: whoever among them knows and understands, he shall return and repent for his sins. And although the repentance of an individual will not suffice to annul the decree in its entirety, at least a blessing will remain in his wake, namely, "a meal-offering and a drink-offering to the Lord your God." He envisions that according to the multitude of sinners and sins, the evil will increase; but if one of them returns in repentance, the calamity due to come will be diminished according to that man's share in the general evil, and there will remain a meal-offering and a drink-offering for the House of the Lord.
Blow the horn in Zion, Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly;
verse value 2538
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 2538 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "blow" (תִּקְע֥וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "sanctify·fast" (קַדְּשׁוּ־צ֖וֹם, 7 letters). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Zion', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תִּקְע֥וּ [blow] (576) + שׁוֹפָ֖ר [horn] (586) + בְּצִיּ֑וֹן [in·Zion] (158) + קַדְּשׁוּ־צ֖וֹם [sanctify·fast] (546) + קִרְא֥וּ [call] (307) + עֲצָרָֽה [solemn·assembly] (365) = 2538.
Ibn Ezra
"Sound the shofar" – after the locusts have entered.
Radak
"Sound the shofar." We explained this above:
Metzudat David
"Blow the shofar" – to warn [the people] to repent.
“Sanctify a fast.” This means: designate a day for fasting.
"Call out an assembly." Proclaim [for the people] to gather at the House of the LORD:
Metzudat Zion
"Sanctify." [Meaning:] Prepare / designate [it].
Call. Proclaim:
Atzarah. The matter of gathering and assembling:
Malbim
“Blow the shofar in Zion” (here begins the third matter). Until now, he spoke about the time of the locusts’ arrival and advised them to return and annul the decree so that they would not come. Now, he speaks about the time when the locusts have already devastated the land, and he informs them that even now there is a remedy for their removal from the land. With this, he commands that they blow the shofar in Zion to assemble the people (and it is not a commandment to sound the teruah blasts with a cry to arouse terror, for they will already be terrified on their own, since the affliction has already arrived).
“Sanctify a fast.” Initially, He commanded that the priests should sanctify the fast and proclaim an assembly; now, however, it is said that the people should rouse themselves on their own to sanctify a fast, now that the calamity has already arrived.
Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children, And those that suck the breasts; Let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, And the bride out of her pavilion.
verse value 3481
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. Verse gematria: 3481 = 59². The shortest word is "assembly" (קָהָל֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "gather·people" (אִסְפוּ־עָ֞ם, 6 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "gather·people" (אִסְפוּ־עָ֞ם), "assembly" (קָהָל֙), "children" (עֽוֹלָלִ֔ים). The root אסף appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'breasts', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: אִסְפוּ־עָ֞ם [gather·people] (257) + קַדְּשׁ֤וּ [sanctify] (410) + קָהָל֙ [assembly] (135) + קִבְצ֣וּ [gather] (198) + זְקֵנִ֔ים [elders] (207) + אִסְפוּ֙ [gather] (147) + עֽוֹלָלִ֔ים [children] (186) + וְיֹנְקֵ֖י [and·suckling] (176) + שָׁדָ֑יִם [breasts] (354) + יֵצֵ֤א [let·him·go·out] (101) + חָתָן֙ [son-in-law] (458) + מֵֽחֶדְר֔וֹ [from·his·chamber] (258) + וְכַלָּ֖ה [and·bride] (61) + מֵחֻפָּתָֽהּ [from·her·chamber] (533) = 3481.
Rashi
"Assemble the elders." From the pattern of "send, gather to me" (I Kings 18:19), [this is] a term of rafeh [without dagesh] and kal [light] form.
Ibn Ezra
"Gather... let the bridegroom come out" – [even the bridegroom is summoned] to hold lamentation and weeping.
Radak
“Gather the children and the nursing infants.” This teaches that even the small children, and indeed the nursing infants, should fast, meaning they should not nurse, so that all of them would be gathered together in one assembly. The small children and the nursing infants would weep from their hunger, and the adults would be humbled by their weeping and would return [to God]. And God, blessed be He, in His mercy, would have compassion because of the crying of the small children.
The bridegroom went forth from his chamber, and the bride from her bridal canopy. Even the bridegroom, who had reason to rejoice with his wife, went forth from his chamber; and likewise the bride goes forth from the house of her bridal canopy. And this is the chamber that was mentioned; or alternatively, the meaning of “from her bridal canopy” is from the jewelry and ornaments with which she is adorned during the days of the wedding. And all of them will be gathered in one assembly, and the bridegroom and the bride will weep with them, in place of their joy. And all these matters break a person’s heart, and the LORD will have mercy. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: “And the bridegroom went forth from the inner chamber of his bed, and the bride from her house of concealment.”
Metzudat David
“Sanctify the assembly.” They appointed the entire assembly to fast before the Lord.
“Gather the children.” So that they too may fast with you.
The groom goes out from his chamber. To gather with all the people, and he shall not rejoice then with his bride:
"מחפתה" – this is the place where the bride is concealed with the groom, and it is the chamber that was mentioned.
Metzudat Zion
Kahal. A gathering of the people:
“Children.” Small ones:
"From her canopy." The language of "covered" and "concealed."
Malbim
“Gather the people.” Initially, it said, “Gather the elders,” meaning all the inhabitants of the land should gather the elders, so that the elders would tell them words of rebuke, and they would arouse the inhabitants of the land to repentance. But now, since the evil has already come to actuality, the people should gather themselves, and the assembly that gathers should sanctify themselves on their own, and the people should gather the elders to pray on their behalf, for there is no longer a need for the elders to arouse and gather the people. And He commanded that they also gather the children and those who are still nursing at the breast, and the bridegroom from his chamber, in order to increase fasting and supplications.
Let the priests, the ministers of Hashem, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say: ‘Spare your people, O Hashem, And give not Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should make them a byword: Wherefore should they say among the peoples: Where is their God?’
verse value 4799
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 100 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "between" (בֵּ֤ין, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·altar" (וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 17 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "between" (בֵּ֤ין), "porch" (הָאוּלָם֙), "and·the·altar" (וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). First appearance of the root אמר ("and·let·them·say") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 14 words.
Rashi
For reproach. For blasphemies:
"To be a byword among the nations." This is a term of parable and mockery/taunt.
Ibn Ezra
Between – it is not proper to weep in the House of the Lord, in the Sanctuary, before Him.
For shame - famine.
"For nations to rule over them" – for the hungry will flee to them, and if they come against them, they will have no strength to fight.
Radak
Between the Ulam and the Altar. For there they would stand to perform their service, and when the service ceased, as it is written: “Meal-offering and libation are cut off,” there, in the place of their service, they would weep and pray to God, blessed be He, in His Holy Temple, and say, “Have mercy, O Lord, upon Your people.”
Chusah. [Accented] on the penultimate syllable.
“to be a reproach, to rule over them the nations.” For when there was famine in the Land of Israel, many would leave it to dwell in the Land of Egypt and in the Land of the Philistines on account of the famine, and this was a reproach to them, and the nations ruled over them while they were sojourners in their lands.
Metzudat David
“L'herpah.” For because of the famine, inevitably all the peoples will go to the gentiles, and they will become a reproach among them, and they will rule over them as the natives rule over the sojourners.
"Where is their God?" This means: Why did He abandon His people, leaving them in need of bread?
Metzudat Zion
"חוסה" – from the language of "pity" and "compassion."
Malbim
"Between the porch and the altar": For initially he stated that the priests would gather the people, and here he mentions that the people would gather themselves, as explained above, and he did not mention what the priests would do. He therefore stated that they would be found between the porch and the altar, and they would weep and pray, and they would say in their prayer: "Have mercy, O Lord, on Your people." This means: a) Have mercy on them because they are Your people and You are their King; b) Because the land is Your inheritance, for the term "inheritance" here indicates the holiness inherent in it, and that Your Divine Presence dwells upon it due to its holiness. Do not therefore hand it over to disgrace on this account. He then explains: Because they are Your people, do not hand them over for the nations to rule over them, for You are their King and Ruler. And because the land is Your inheritance, do not hand it over to disgrace, for otherwise the nations would ask, "Where is their God?" This constitutes a disgrace, precisely because it is Your inheritance and Your Divine Presence dwells there, and You are their God.
Then was Hashem jealous for His land, And had pity on His people.
verse value 830
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·was·jealous" (וַיְקַנֵּ֥א, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·was·jealous" (וַיְקַנֵּ֥א), "to·his·land" (לְאַרְצ֑וֹ), "and·spared" (וַיַּחְמֹ֖ל). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·his·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיְקַנֵּ֥א [and·was·jealous] (167) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + לְאַרְצ֑וֹ [to·his·land] (327) + וַיַּחְמֹ֖ל [and·spared] (94) + עַל־עַמּֽוֹ [upon·with] (216) = 830.
Rashi
"And GOD was roused for His land." This is the language of "Are you jealous for my sake?" (Numbers 11:29). Her distress entered His heart, He fought her battles, and He occupied Himself with her needs. And our Rabbis interpreted it as a term of warning: He warned the locusts concerning the affairs of His land.
Ibn Ezra
And he became jealous—on account of his land, as it is said: “Lest they say to Me,” and I have already mentioned that this is a decree that the prophets were to utter it, in the past tense.
Radak
"And the Lord will be zealous for His land." The prophet prophesied that after they do repentance, God, blessed be He, will accept their prayer, and then He will be zealous for His land so that it will not be desolate. And the meaning of "zealous" is because it had become a disgrace among the nations.
To His land. For the sake of His land, and similarly, “Are you jealous for my sake?”
Metzudat David
“And He will be jealous.” This means: when you do so, then for the sake of His land, the Omnipresent will be jealous in the influence of the land of the gentiles.
Metzudat Zion
And he became jealous. The word is from jealousy.
Malbim
“And He shall be jealous, and the Lord shall hear their prayer,” and this corresponds to what is stated, “Do not give Your inheritance to reproach,” which means that He shall be jealous for the honor of the land, which is His inheritance; thus, “And the Lord shall be jealous for His land” means for the honor of His land. And this corresponds to what is stated, “Spare, O Lord, Your people” and “He shall have mercy on His people.” And our Sages of blessed memory already stated in the Midrash Rabbah on Ruth: One verse says, “For the Lord will not abandon His people for the sake of His great name,” and another verse says, “For the Lord will not abandon His people.” When Israel does the will of the Lord He acts for the sake of His people and His inheritance; but when they do not do the will of the Lord He acts for the sake of His great name. And the priests used to pray that He should act for the sake of His great name, even though Israel was not worthy, as it is stated, “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” Therefore, they said, “Spare, O Lord, Your people.” For there is a difference between “spare” (chus) and “have mercy” (chamel). “Sparing” is from the perspective that He has a need for the matter, and He does not destroy it because of His own benefit, which is for the honor of His Name that is shared with them. But after Israel has done repentance, He will act for the sake of His people and His inheritance, “And the Lord shall be jealous for His land.” Therefore, it says, “And He shall have mercy on His people,” for the definition of mercy is that He does not destroy the matter because of the perfection of the matter itself, not because of His need for it; that is, the Lord will have mercy on them because of their perfection after they have become righteous. And there are seven differences in this: [1] If He had acted only for the sake of His great name, then He would have answered the priests, who were the ones praying that He should act for the honor of His Name. But after the salvation came for the sake of His people and His inheritance, by the merit of Israel.
And Hashem answered and said to His people: ‘Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, And you shall be satisfied therewith; And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations;
verse value 5422
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 77 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sending" (שֹׁלֵ֤חַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·wine" (וְהַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ, 7 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·he·answered" (וַיַּ֨עַן), "and·said" (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר), "sending" (שֹׁלֵ֤חַ). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). First appearance of the root הן ("they") in Joel. First appearance of the root לכם ("to·you") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'him', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
"Shame." A curse that they will call you "those lacking bread."
Ibn Ezra
And he answered - the weeping priests.
The word "and you shall be satisfied" – it occurs both plene [written fully] and defective [written deficiently].
"And I will not give you" – so that they should not scatter to seek bread, as it is said, "They gave a hand to Egypt" [i.e., submitted to Egypt for bread].
Radak
And He answered. He answered those who cry out through His prophets:
"Sending to you" – that I will cause the trees of the field and the herb of the earth to sprout for you. And the Targum translates: "Blessing to you."
“And you shall be sated with it.” [Meaning] “from it.” And similarly, “lest you be sated with it and vomit it up,” [equivalent to] “you shall be sated from it.”
Metzudat David
And he answered. In response to the plea and request of his people:
"I, behold, I am sending to you." This means: from now on, the blessing will be in the crops of the field.
“And you shall be satisfied with it.” This means: You shall be sated from it.
“Disgrace among the nations.” This means that they will become sojourners among them due to the distress of famine, and will endure their disgrace.
Malbim
And the Lord answered and said to His people: the response would be to the people themselves, by their own merit. [2] For if He were acting solely for the sake of His great Name, and they were not worthy, it should have said, “Behold, I am giving you grain,” since it would not be theirs by virtue of their deeds, but merely a gift from Him. But since He acts on their behalf, it is written, “Behold, I am sending you grain,” for it is theirs by virtue of their deeds, and only its arrival was delayed; and the Lord will send it to go to them, for it is theirs and they are worthy of it according to their merit. [3] For if He were acting solely for the sake of His great Name, He would not perform a miracle for them beyond the natural order, and He would give them only grain, which grows in the natural way when sown. He would not give them new wine and oil, for the trees have already withered (as stated above in section 1), and it is impossible for them to produce fruit in the natural way, only through a miracle. And He promises that He will perform a miracle for them on account of their merit, so that new wine and oil will also grow. [4] For if He were acting solely for the sake of His great Name, so that it not be profaned, He would give them in a restricted measure, such that this would suffice so that His Name not be profaned. But since He acts for them on account of their merit, He said, “and you shall be satisfied,” meaning He will give them abundantly to satiation. [5] For if He were acting solely for the sake of His great Name, He would not have compassion on the honor of the people, who are not worthy, but only on the honor of His Name alone. But since He acts on account of your merit, I will be careful regarding your honor, and I will not give you over to reproach again among the nations.
But I will remove far off from you the northern one, And will drive him into a land barren and desolate, With his face toward the eastern sea, And his hinder part toward the western sea; that his foulness may come up, and his ill savour may come up, because he has done great things.’
verse value 6152
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 101 letters. Notable word values: "into·the·sea" (אֶל־הַיָּם֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·the·northern" (וְֽאֶת־הַצְּפוֹנִ֞י, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 86: into·the·sea, into·the·sea. 16 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·the·northern" (וְֽאֶת־הַצְּפוֹנִ֞י), "I·will·remove·far" (אַרְחִ֣יק), "from·upon·you" (מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗ם). The root איל appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 24x in Joel). First appearance of the root איל ("to·land") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·last', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 7 words.
Rashi
"And the northerner." One should interpret this as referring to the army of locusts, and the term "I will banish it" (וְהִדַּחְתִּיו) fits it — [as in], "to a land of drought and desolation." Alternatively: "the people coming from the north" refers to the kings of Assyria. And our Sages say: this refers to the evil inclination, which is hidden (צָפוּן) in a person's heart.
"The eastern [sea]." [Meaning] the eastern one. And our Rabbis, who interpreted [the northerner] as referring to the evil inclination, expounded these two seas [as referring] to the First Temple and the Second Temple. And so, too, they explained it: that it set its face against the First and Second Temple and destroyed them. And according to the Targum, which interpreted it as referring to the army of the king of Assyria, it must be explained that "its face" [is turned] to the eastern sea: [meaning] I will send part of its army to the east, and part of it to the west.
Tzichanato. The word "ba'osho" indicates that it refers to filth and dirtiness.
"For he has done greatly." See that he stretched out his hand against the great ones:
Ibn Ezra
"And the northern one" – the host of locusts that comes from the north.
And the meaning of "to a land of drought" is that he will not find anything to eat.
The "former" is the eastern one, and the "latter" is the western one, and both are opposite Jerusalem; and behold, when they are in the land of desolation, they shall die.
"Its stench (tzachanato)" – [it is] like "ba'sho" [its stench, earlier in the verse] and has no parallel elsewhere; rather, the sense is [merely] doubled [for emphasis].
Radak
“And I will drive the northerner far from you.” The locust is called “northerner” because it came to them from the north.
"And I will drive him into a land of drought and desolation, and there he shall die, because he will not find anything to eat; therefore, its stench shall rise."
"His face toward the eastern sea." The Mizrachi explains: This is the Sea of Kinneret or the Dead Sea, which are to the east of the Land of Israel.
"And its end is at the latter sea." The western sea, which the Torah calls "the great sea," because it lies to the west of the Land of Israel.
"His face." This means his head — so vast was the locust's host that it extended from the eastern sea to the western sea.
"And its stench rose." The aleph has a plain shva alone.
"And its stench rose." The matter is repeated in different words, for "its stench" is like "its foulness" [i.e., its stink], and the meaning of "rose" is that their foul odor would rise to the nostrils of passersby.
"For He has done greatly." The locust has done greatly in causing evil in the land, and God, blessed be He, had mercy on the land and killed it [the locust]. And our Sages of blessed memory interpreted this verse as referring to the days of the Messiah, and they said: "And I will remove the northerner from you" — this is the evil inclination, which is hidden and dwells in the heart of man.
"And I will cast it out into a land of desolation and waste." To a place where people are not found, so that no one is there to come into conflict with it.
"His face toward the eastern sea." This teaches that it cast its eyes upon the First Temple and destroyed it.
And its end is to the latter sea. This refers to the Second Temple, which he looked upon and destroyed, and in which he killed the sages.
"And its stench rose, and its foulness went up." This teaches that He sets aside the nations of the world and contends with the enemies of Israel, for He has done great things. Abaye said: and this is true of the Torah scholars more than all of them.
Metzudat David
“And the northerner.” The locusts that come from the north will I drive far from you, and they will not return to come again.
"And I will remove it, etc." – to die there.
“His face.” The beginning of the swarm of locusts I will drive to the eastern sea, which is the Salt Sea, located in the east of the Land of Israel.
And its end. The end of the swarm of locusts that goes last, I will drive to the last sea, that is, the western sea.
"And the stench of it shall go up." After death, their foul odor will rise into the nostrils of passersby.
"And its foul smell shall rise." The matter is repeated in what was stated [previously].
"For he has greatly exceeded in doing." For the locust has greatly exceeded in doing much evil in the Land of Israel, and therefore it shall die and not return again.
Metzudat Zion
And I will thrust it out. The language is that of “pushing away.”
"His face." This means his head and his beginning.
The western side is called "the rear," as it is stated: "even unto the Western Sea" (Deuteronomy 34:2).
"Ba'asho" (its stench). The meaning is foul odor.
Tzchano. Its meaning is like "ba'asho" (it stank), and it has no parallel; and in the piyyut Kol Nidrei: "Tzchan hasar" (remove the stench).
Malbim
"And the northerner" – this teaches that if the deliverance had been for the sake of His Name, He would not have driven the locusts far away, so that they would remain ready and close to them, should they continue to sin. But now, "I will drive away from you the locust that comes from the north." If it had been for the sake of His Name, He would have sent them upon the nations to avenge the honor of His Name which they despised, and so that Israel might take a lesson, as it is stated: "I have cut off nations... I said, 'Only fear Me, take a lesson.'" Not so is it now, since I have done it for your sake; I will drive it away to a dry and desolate land. "Its face" – this describes it, for it spread throughout the entire land, from sea to sea, and its movement was from west to east. When the decree was revoked, it divided into two parts. And one part of it, which remained in the east – this is called "its face" – will be lifted up to the eastern sea, and its end will be lifted up to the western sea. "And its stench shall go up" – for it is the nature of locusts, when they depart, to leave behind a stench and a foul odor. The foul odor arises from the eggs they leave behind, and the stench from the fact that many of them die, causing the land to rot, and thereby generating pestilence and diseases due to the corruption of the air. He promises that the stench and the foul odor will rise and disappear. "For it has done greatly" – meaning that it has already completed its mission perfectly and caused great destruction. It also means that it has already accomplished much in that through it they returned in repentance, and there is no need to add further afflictions through it. Our Sages of blessed memory interpreted this regarding the evil inclination. Their intent is that it is not the serpent that kills, but sin that kills, and the evil inclination was the cause of the locusts' arrival. And through the removal of the northerner, which is the evil inclination – hidden in the heart, which entices to sin – that which results from it, namely the locusts that come as a consequence of sin, will also be removed.
Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for Hashem has done great things.
verse value 2033
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "ground" (אֲדָמָ֑ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "not·fear" (אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "not·fear" (אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י), "my·gladness" (גִּ֣ילִי), "and·rejoice" (וּשְׂמָ֔חִי). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ground', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: אַל־תִּֽירְאִ֖י [not·fear] (652) + אֲדָמָ֑ה [ground] (50) + גִּ֣ילִי [my·gladness] (53) + וּשְׂמָ֔חִי [and·rejoice] (364) + כִּֽי־הִגְדִּ֥יל [for·did·greatly] (82) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + לַעֲשֽׂוֹת [to·do] (806) = 2033.
Rashi
“Fear not, O land.” The Land of Israel: if you return in repentance.
Ibn Ezra
"Fear not" – corresponds to "and very awesome."
"Rejoice" – corresponding to mourning.
"For the Lord has done greatly" – good, corresponding to "For the locust has done greatly" to harm.
Radak
“Fear not, O earth.” The Land of Israel—let its inhabitants not fear.
"Rejoice and be glad." This corresponds to: "Gird yourselves and lament, and wail; sanctify a fast."
"For the Lord has done greatly." Explanation: To do good in response to the locusts, which had done greatly in causing harm.
Metzudat David
"Fear not, O land." [This means] that the locust shall not return again; rather, rejoice and be glad, for from now on the Lord has done much good.
Malbim
“Fear not, O earth”: The word *adamah* (earth) denotes also a place that is not a grain field, but rather a place of trees, as stated above (1:10). And it explains that if the salvation had been for the sake of His great Name, the trees would not have returned, as stated above (verse 19). But since the salvation was on your merit, even the *adamah*, which is the place of the trees, will yield its strength in the fruit of the tree in a miraculous manner. Therefore, “rejoice and be glad,” for the definition of *gilah* (rejoicing) is regarding the renewal of a good thing that did not at all enter one’s mind. And regarding this it said, “For the Lord has done great things,” for the sprouting of the trees that were ruined is a great thing, above nature. And since the Lord has done great things in a miraculous manner, “fear not, O earth.”
Be not afraid, you beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree bears its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength.
verse value 4485
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. Verse gematria: 4485 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·fear" (אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙, 7 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "not·fear" (אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙), "beast" (בַּהֲמ֣וֹת), "field" (שָׂדַ֔י). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 24x in Joel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wilderness', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ [not·fear] (648) + בַּהֲמ֣וֹת [beast] (453) + שָׂדַ֔י [field] (314) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + דָשְׁא֖וּ [they·sprouted] (311) + נְא֣וֹת [pastures·of] (457) + מִדְבָּ֑ר [wilderness] (246) + כִּי־עֵץ֙ [for·tree] (190) + נָשָׂ֣א [lifted] (351) + פִרְי֔וֹ [his·fruit] (296) + תְּאֵנָ֥ה [fig] (456) + וָגֶ֖פֶן [and·vine] (139) + נָתְנ֥וּ [they·gave] (506) + חֵילָֽם [their·valor] (88) = 4485.
Ibn Ezra
"Fear not, O beasts of the field" – in contrast to: "Even the beasts of the field shall yearn toward you."
"For the pastures of the wilderness have grown [green] with grass" – the opposite of: "And fire has consumed the pastures of the wilderness."
"For the tree has brought forth its fruit" – this is the opposite of: "All the trees of the field have dried up."
Radak
"Fear not, O beasts of the field." [The word שדי is] like sadeh ["field"], corresponding to what is said: "Even the beasts of the field will long for you."
"For the pastures of the wilderness have sprouted with grass." It is stated concerning them: "And fire consumed," and since they have sprouted with grass, so too the channels were filled with water.
"For the tree has borne its fruit." Just as the tree bore its fruit in the settled land, so too in the wilderness did the fertile places yield their produce.
חילם. Their strength, and it is the fruit; and Jonathan the Aramaic translator rendered it: “they bore their fruits.”
Metzudat David
"Fear not, O beasts of the field." [Meaning: do not] worry about the lack of pasture, for from now on grass will grow in the place of the tents of the wilderness, the dwelling place of the shepherds.
“For the tree has borne its fruit.” This means that even the tree will produce fruit, and all the more so will it cause grass to sprout, for the rain from heaven is more necessary for the trees than for the grass of the earth.
Metzudat Zion
“Dash’u.” From the language of “deshe” (grass) and “esev” (herb):
"Ne'ot" – meaning dwelling places, i.e., an abode.
Nasa. He carried and increased:
Their strength. From the word "strength" and "power," and it means their fruitfulness.
Malbim
Do not fear, O beasts of the field, for if the salvation had been solely for the sake of His great Name, He would have restored the crops only in the settled regions, not in the wilderness. But now that it was for the sake of Israel, even the pastures of the wilderness were made to flourish, for the tree bore its fruit, even though this was done through a miracle, as stated above, for the salvation was comprehensive, encompassing all places and all species.
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Hashem your God; For He gives you the former rain in just measure, And He causes to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, at the first.
verse value 4224
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 75 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָכֶ֛ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·God" (אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: to·you, to·you. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "Zion" (צִיּ֗וֹן), "rejoice" (גִּ֤ילוּ), "and·rejoice" (וְשִׂמְחוּ֙). The root לכם appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). First appearance of the root ירד ("and·he·brought·down") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·righteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Those who instruct." Your prophets who instruct you to return to Me, in order to justify you.
"Moreh and malkosh." Just as it is written "yoreh and malkosh" (Deuteronomy 11:14):
"On the first [of Nisan]." [Meaning] in Nisan. And even though the yoreh is the first rainfall that falls upon the seed, and it occurs in Marcheshvan, in that same year the sowing takes place in Nisan, as is explicitly stated in tractate Ta'anit, that the grain grows [to maturity] in eleven days.
Ibn Ezra
"And [the] children [of Zion]" – Yefet said: The "moreh" is the prophet, who guides them in the way of righteousness; therefore the good came to them. And he mentioned "moreh" and "malkosh" [as words bearing two senses], just as [in]: "With the jawbone of the donkey, a heap, heaps" [Judges 15:16], "thirty colts... and thirty towns" [Judges 10:4], [and] "he who kindles a fire" as against "if a man lets [his cattle] loose to graze" [Exodus 22:4-5]. But in my opinion, it [moreh] is like "yoreh" [early rain], and it calls the moreh "[a rain] of righteousness," just as: "a sun of righteousness, with healing in its wings" [Malachi 3:20].
And the meaning of "in the first [month]" is "in the first month," for there are always many days between the time of the yoreh (early rain), which is the same as the moreh, and the time of the malkosh (late rain). Yet in the first month both will come, and this is by a miraculous act; and this too [is alluded to in]: "For the Lord has done greatly."
Radak
And the children of Zion. This corresponds to what is stated: "Blow the shofar in Zion."
"For He has given you the moreh for righteousness." [The word moreh is] like yoreh; and it says, "For He has given you for righteousness," that He did with you in the past when He passed over your transgression and visited you with rain. And he mentioned the moreh first, which is in the month of Marcheshvan; afterwards he explained further and said, "And He causes rain to fall for you, moreh and malkosh, in the first [month]." Or, the explanation is: the rain called moreh He brought down for you in its time, which is in Marcheshvan, and He brought down for you also the malkosh (latter rain) in its time, in the first month, which is Nisan. And both [instances of moreh] are spelled with a mem, like yoreh is spelled with a yod. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated the first moreh as a matter of instruction/teaching, translating the verse thus: "And O children of Zion, exult and rejoice in the word of the LORD your God, for He has given you your teachers for righteousness, and has brought down for you the early rain in its season and the late rain in the month of Nisan." And our Sages of blessed memory explained that yoreh and malkosh both fell in Nisan in that year. As they said: In that year, the majority of Adar had passed, and no rains had fallen for them. And the first rain fell for them on the first of Nisan. The prophet said to Israel: "Go out and sow." They said: "Whoever has a kav of wheat or barley, should he eat it and live, or sow it and die?" He said to them: "Nevertheless, go out and sow." A miracle was performed for them, and what was hidden in the holes, in the crevices of ants, and in the walls was revealed to them. They went out and sowed on the second, third, and fourth [of Nisan], and the second rain fell for them on the fifth of Nisan. And they offered the Omer on the sixteenth of Nisan. Thus, the Omer that was offered, [though normally coming] from produce that grows in six months, was offered from produce [that had grown] in eleven days. And thus, the produce that grows in six months grew in eleven days. And of that generation it is said: "Those who sow in tears shall reap with singing."
Metzudat David
"The early rain, out of kindness." He gives the rain out of kindness, and not according to reward.
"As formerly." This means: as in the former time, before the withholding of the rains, when each [rain] fell in its own time.
Metzudat Zion
"Ha-moreh." Thus is called the rain that falls after the sowing, because it waters and satisfies the land and the seeds; and likewise [the terms] "yoreh" and "malkosh" (Deuteronomy 11).
"Litzdakah" (with charity). Just as it says "b'tzedakah" (with charity), and the lamed here takes the place of the bet, similar to "yashavta l'kisse" (you sat on the throne) in Psalms 9:5, where it should be "b'kisse" (on the throne).
And "malkosh." It is the late rain that falls upon the stalks and the ears of grain.
Malbim
"And the children of Zion" – however, you, children of Zion, shall not rejoice over transient successes. Rather, rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God, because the Lord has returned to favor you through your having returned in repentance before Him; this shall be the essence of your joy. And thus, you shall subsequently rejoice in His having sent upon you the locust and the famine, for thereby He compelled you to return in repentance. And thus, you shall rejoice that He gave you the locust as a teacher for charity, for the locust was the teacher that taught you to perform charity in the commandments between man and God, such that ultimately you shall rejoice that He brought afflictions upon you, for thereby He taught you to improve your deeds. And through your having learned charity and improved your deeds, He will thereby send you rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in their proper seasons, and the famine shall depart from you.
Now, the law is that if Kislev arrives and rains have not fallen, they fast twice [the sequence of] Monday-Thursday-Monday [beha"v], and thereafter they fast seven [more] fasts. And if thereafter rains have not fallen, they do not fast any more, for rain is not so beneficial then; only individuals fast, until Nissan. And when the tekufah [season] of Nissan has passed and rains fall, they are a sign of a curse. Regarding this it says, "Children of Zion, rejoice and be glad," for they fasted until Nissan, and the rain came in Nissan: rain for the trees is [called] moreh, and malkosh is for the grain (for the time [of fruiting] of the trees is near Passover, as stated in tractate Taanit). And even so, although the time for the rains had already passed, it was a blessing, for...
And the floors shall be full of corn, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
verse value 2770
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "grain" (בָּ֑ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·threshing-floors" (הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·they·shall·fill" (וּמָלְא֥וּ), "the·threshing-floors" (הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת), "grain" (בָּ֑ר). 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'grain', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּמָלְא֥וּ [and·they·shall·fill] (83) + הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת [the·threshing-floors] (664) + בָּ֑ר [grain] (202) + וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ [and·they·shall·overflow] (427) + הַיְקָבִ֖ים [the·wine-vats] (167) + תִּיר֥וֹשׁ [wine] (916) + וְיִצְהָֽר [and·oil] (311) = 2770.
Rashi
"והשיקו" – the term denotes the sound made when the stream of juice flows down from the winepress into the vat, which is the pit situated in front of the winepress.
Ibn Ezra
"And they filled and made the wine presses overflow" – like "mashikot" (touching, i.e., striking against one another).
Radak
"And the threshing floors shall be filled with grain." This is self-evident.
"Vehashiqu." This is like "vehitzifu" [caused to overflow], as in "vayatzef Hashem Elohim et mei Yam Suf al peneihem" [and the LORD God caused the waters of the Sea of Reeds to float upon them] — meaning that the vats were filled until the wine or oil would overflow over their surfaces. And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: the water of the Festival [libation] that became impure — if one performed hashakah on them and afterward consecrated them, they are pure; if one consecrated them and afterward performed hashakah on them, they are impure. The explanation is that they sank them in the waters of a mikveh until the waters of the mikveh would rise over them.
Metzudat David
"And they shall overflow." When the wine and oil descend into the vat, they make a loud noise, meaning that the wine and oil will increase.
Metzudat Zion
“The threshing floors.” A place where they store the grain:
"Bar." [Means] "grain" (tevu'ah), like "lishbor bar" (to buy grain), as stated in Genesis 42.
And they shall make a sound. The meaning is the sounding of a noise, like "k'mashak gevim" (like the rushing of locusts) (Isaiah 33).
The winepresses. These are the vats into which the wine and oil descend.
Malbim
"The threshing floors are filled with grain, etc." – this was by means of God's blessing, above the natural order.
And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpiller, and the palmer-worm, My great army which I sent among you. .
verse value 4189
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 62 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָכֶם֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·years" (אֶת־הַשָּׁנִ֔ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·I·will·restore" (וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֤י), "the·years" (אֶת־הַשָּׁנִ֔ים), "and·the·caterpillar" (וְהֶחָסִ֣יל). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·locusts', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֤י [and·I·will·restore] (786) + לָכֶם֙ [to·you] (90) + אֶת־הַשָּׁנִ֔ים [the·years] (806) + אֲשֶׁר֙ [that] (501) + אָכַ֣ל [ate] (51) + הָאַרְבֶּ֔ה [the·locust] (213) + הַיֶּ֖לֶק [the·young·locust] (145) + וְהֶחָסִ֣יל [and·the·caterpillar] (119) + וְהַגָּזָ֑ם [and·locusts] (61) + חֵילִי֙ [my·wealth] (58) + הַגָּד֔וֹל [the·great] (48) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + שִׁלַּ֖חְתִּי [I·sent] (748) + בָּכֶֽם [in·you] (62) = 4189.
Ibn Ezra
"And I will repay" — this indicates that in every year that had passed, only one species came, but now all four have come, and they had great abundance.
Radak
“And I will repay you for the years.” For they did not come in a single year, as he explained. And the Targum rendered this verse in an allegorical manner, as it appears that his understanding was that it is a prophecy destined for the Messianic era, which he translated: “And I will repay you for the years of good,” etc.
Metzudat David
"And I will restore to you." That which was lacking in the previous years due to the locusts, I will make up for it to complete everything, for the blessing will be abundant.
Malbim
"And I will repay you for the years," which is like the parable of a mortal king who wages war against a province, and they [the province] defeat him; he is required to pay for what his troops caused loss of during the siege. Likewise, after you are victorious through the repentance that you will perform out of love, I will be required to repay for what My troops consumed of the produce of the land. Now, initially, He counted the locusts at the head of all the others, as it is stated, "The remainder of the locusts was eaten by the grasshoppers." Here, however, He counts the locusts at the end, because when He brought the locusts upon them, it was as a judgment for the evil of their deeds. Only afterward, when they began to repent, was repayment required. Therefore, there is no need to repay for what the locusts ate at the beginning of their arrival, but only for what the grasshoppers, the caterpillars, and the worms ate, since by then they had already repented. Likewise, He will repay for what the locusts ate at the end, after they had already repented. And in all this, the locusts served together with the other species, and thus repayment is required for the losses they incurred.
And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Hashem your God, that has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be ashamed.
verse value 4175
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·people" (עַמִּ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·shall·not·be·ashamed" (וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "and·you·shall·eat" (וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם), "surely" (אָכוֹל֙), "and·to·be·satisfied" (וְשָׂב֔וֹעַ). The root אכל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·act·wondrously', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם [and·you·shall·eat] (497) + אָכוֹל֙ [surely] (57) + וְשָׂב֔וֹעַ [and·to·be·satisfied] (384) + וְהִלַּלְתֶּ֗ם [and·shall·praise] (511) + אֶת־שֵׁ֤ם [the·name·of] (741) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם [your·God] (106) + אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה [that·did] (876) + עִמָּכֶ֖ם [with] (170) + לְהַפְלִ֑יא [to·act·wondrously] (156) + וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ [and·shall·not·be·ashamed] (355) + עַמִּ֖י [my·people] (120) + לְעוֹלָֽם [to·ever] (176) = 4175.
Ibn Ezra
"And you shall eat" – and they shall not be ashamed. This is the opposite of "the plowmen have been ashamed"; they are two roots with the same meaning. A similar case is: "he planned" and "take counsel."
Radak
"And you shall eat" that which He did for you, to make it wondrous. It was a wonder that in one year He provided them with the produce of four years, and according to the words of our Sages of blessed memory that we have written, the wonder was even greater.
"And they shall not be ashamed." Because during these years they suffered the disgrace of famine among the nations.
Metzudat David
"And you shall eat." This means that you will eat with fullness and satisfaction; namely, there will be no lack of bread, and you will eat until you are fully satisfied, not in the manner of eating during days of famine, which is merely to sustain the soul.
"And you shall praise." Then you shall praise the Lord, who has done for you a thing that is wondrous, in that the blessing will be at its utmost perfection.
"And My people shall not be ashamed forever." This means that they will no longer go to dwell in the lands of the nations due to a shortage of bread, and they will not subsequently endure the reproach of the nations and their shame.
Metzudat Zion
And you shall praise. From the language of "halul" and praise:
To make wondrous. From the language of wonder and amazement:
Malbim
"And you shall eat and be satisfied" – this refers to eating and being satisfied, excluding the provision that He will restore to them the increase of the grain until it fills up what was lost during the years of the famine. He will send them a blessing in their intestines, such that they eat a little and are blessed in their bowels. This is what it says, "eat and be satisfied." This blessing is a miracle and a wonder, beyond the natural order. Regarding this, it says, "and you shall praise the name of the Lord your God, who has directed His providence over you, who has done for you wondrously," meaning that through this the glory of His great Name will be magnified. "And my people shall never be ashamed." First, it states, "I will no longer give you as a reproach among the nations." There is a distinction between "reproach" (cherpah) and "shame" (bushah): reproach comes from others, whereas shame is internal disgrace. The meaning is that they will not be ashamed of their evil deeds, for their sins will be transformed into merits through repentance out of love. Additionally, this alludes to the law explained in Hilchot Taaniyot [the Laws of Fasts]: if they begin to fast and rain falls, they do not complete the fast; rather, they eat first, and afterwards they recite Hallel, for it is impossible to recite Hallel except from a state of satiety. This applies only if they are answered in the middle of their fast. Here, the verse depicts that the Lord will answer them in the middle of their fast, and they will eat to satiety so that they may praise in the recitation of Hallel, which is only said in a state of satiety.
And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Hashem your God, and there is none else; and My people shall never be ashamed.
verse value 2463
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·be·ashamed" (וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 67: and·I, and·nothing. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joel. Unique to this verse in Joel (hapax): "in·midst·of" (בְקֶ֤רֶב), "and·I" (וַאֲנִ֛י). The root אני appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 33x in Joel); "for" (root כי, 24x in Joel). First appearance of the root ישראל ("Israel") in Joel. First appearance of the root אני ("I") in Joel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'else', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וִידַעְתֶּ֗ם [and·you·shall·know] (530) + כִּ֣י [for] (30) + בְקֶ֤רֶב [in·midst·of] (304) + יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ [Israel] (541) + אָ֔נִי [I] (61) + וַאֲנִ֛י [and·I] (67) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם [your·God] (106) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·nothing] (67) + ע֑וֹד [else] (80) + וְלֹא־יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ [and·not·be·ashamed] (355) + עַמִּ֖י [my·people] (120) + לְעוֹלָֽם [to·ever] (176) = 2463.
Ibn Ezra
"And you shall know" – Were it not for My honor, which is among you, this would not have been so; therefore, let them trust in Me from this day onward, and they shall never be ashamed.
Radak
And you shall know. You shall recognize that I am among you, hearing your cry, and I am your God, and there is none else; not like the gods of the nations whom you served, for they will not be of any help, for they are vanity.
Metzudat David
"And you shall know." Then you will see that I am among the people of Israel, to watch over them.
"And there is none else." This means: There is no other God to prevent Me from bestowing upon you such an abundant blessing.
"And they shall not be ashamed, etc." And therefore they shall not be ashamed forever, for who will stand to oppose Me and bring them to shame?
Malbim
"And you shall know" – initially, it says, "and you shall praise the name of the Lord." The term "name" indicates His fame spreading far and wide, for in this present era, they do not know the Lord in His essence. This means that the Divine Presence will be established among them through constant, wondrous miracles, and they will only praise His name, which is made known to all through His comprehensive providence. But there will yet come a day, in the time to come, when you will know with clear knowledge, as one who grasps a matter through direct sensory perception.
For I am in the midst of Israel, meaning that I am constantly present among them and walk in their midst. I do not guide them through the medium of nature; rather, it is only I, the Lord your God, and there is none else. For neither nature nor the [celestial] order has any power at all, since everything is governed by miraculous guidance without any intermediary. And then My people shall not be ashamed forever. Initially, it was stated that they would not be ashamed on account of their evil deeds, and now it adds that they shall not experience shame due to the deficiency in the indwelling of the Divine Presence. The matters that were lacking in the Second Temple period, which indicated that the Divine Presence was not fixed among them as it was in ancient times, will then also not be a cause for shame, for they will return to their former state. This will occur in the end of days, at the time of the future Redemption, as will be explained in the signs that follow.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim