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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Joel 1:14–20. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have observed abundance of tears shed for the destruction of the fruits of the earth by the locusts; now here we have those tears turned into the right channel, that of repentance and humiliation before God. The judgment was very heavy, and here they are directed to own the hand of God in it, his mighty hand, and to humble themselves under it. Here is,
I.A proclamation issued out for a general fast.
The priests are ordered to appoint one; they must not only mourn themselves, but they must call upon others to mourn too: "Sanctify a fast; let some time be set apart from all worldly business to be spent in the exercises of religion, in the expressions of repentance and other extraordinary instances of devotion." Note, Under public judgments there ought to be public humiliations; for by them the Lord God calls to weeping and mourning. With all the marks of sorrow and shame sin must be confessed and bewailed, the righteous of God must be acknowledged, and his favour implored. Observe what is to be done by a nation at such a time.
1.A day is to be appointed for this purpose, a day of restraint (so the margin reads it), a day in which people must be restrained from their other ordinary business (that they may more closely attend God's service), and from all bodily refreshments; for,
2.It must be a fast, a religious abstaining from meat and drink, further than is of absolute necessity. The king of Nineveh appointed a fast, in which they were to taste nothing, Jon 3:7. Hereby we own ourselves unworthy of our necessary food, and that we have forfeited it and deserve to be wholly deprived of it, we punish ourselves and mortify the body, which has been the occasion of sin, we keep it in a frame fit to serve the soul in serving God, and, by the appetite's craving food, the desires of the soul towards that which is better than life, and all the supports of it, are excited. This was in a special manner seasonable now that God was depriving them of their meat and drink; for hereby they accommodated themselves to the affliction they were under. When God says, You shall fast, it is time to say, We will fast.
3.There must be a solemn assembly. The elders and the people, magistrates and subjects, must be gathered together, even all the inhabitants of the land, that God might be honoured by their public humiliations, that they might thereby take the more shame to themselves, and that they might excite and stir up one another to the religious duties of the day. All had contributed to the national guilt, all shared in the national calamity, and therefore they must all join in the professions of repentance.
4.They must come together in the temple, the house of the Lord their God, because that was the house of prayer, and there they might be hope to meet with God because it was the place which he had chosen to put his name there, there they might hope to speed because it was a type of Christ and his mediation. Thus they interested themselves in Solomon's prayer for the acceptance of all the requests that should be put up in or towards this house, in which their present case was particularly mentioned. Kg1 7:37, If there be locust, if there be caterpillar.
5.They must sanctify this fast, must observe it in a religious manner, with sincere devotion. What is a fast worth if it be not sanctified?
6.They must cry unto the Lord. To him they must make their complaint and offer up their supplication. When we cry in our affliction we must cry to the Lord; this is fasting to him, Zac 7:5.
II.Some considerations suggested to induce them to proclaim this fast and to observe it strictly.
1.God was beginning a controversy with them. It is time to cry unto the Lord, for the day of the Lord is at hand, Joe 1:15. Either they mean the continuance and consequences of this present judgment which they now saw but breaking in upon them, or some greater judgments which this was but a preface to. However it be, this they are taught to make the matter of their lamentation: Alas, for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand. Therefore cry to God. For, (1.) "The day of his judgment is very near, it is at hand; it will not slumber, and therefore you should not. It is time to fast and pray, for you have but a little time to turn yourselves in." (2.) It will be very terrible; there is no escaping it, no resisting it: As a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. See Isa 13:6. It is not a correction, but a destruction; and it comes from the hand, not of a weak creature, but of the Almighty; and who knows (nay, who does not know) the power of his anger? Whither should we go with our cries but to him from whom the judgment we dread comes? There is no fleeing from him but by fleeing to him, no escaping destruction from the Almighty but by making our submission and supplication to the Almighty; this is taking hold on his strength, that we may make peace, Isa 27:5.
2.They saw themselves already under the tokens of his displeasure. It is time to fast and pray, for their distress is very great, Joe 1:16.
(1.)Let them look into their own houses, and was no plenty there, as used to be. Those who kept a good table were now obliged to retrench: Is not the meat cut off before our eyes? If, when God's hand is lifted up, men will not see, when his hand is laid on they shall see. Is not the meat many a time cut off before our eyes? Let us then labour for that spiritual meat which is not before our eyes, and which cannot be cut off.
(2.)Let them look into God's house, and see the effects of the judgment there; joy and gladness were cut off from the house of God. Note, The house of our God is the proper place of joy and gladness; when David goes to the altar of God, it is to God my exceeding joy; but when joy and gladness are cut off from God's house, either by corruption of holy things or the persecution of holy persons, when serious godly decays and love waxes cold, then it time to cry to the Lord, time to cry, Alas!
3.The prophet returns to describe the grievousness of the calamity, in some particulars of it. Corn and cattle are the husbandman's staple commodities; now here he is deprived of both.
(1.)The caterpillars have devoured the corn, Joe 1:17. The garners, which they used to fill with corn, are laid desolate, and the barns broken down, because the corn has withered, and the owners think it not worth while to be at the charge of repairing them when they have nothing to put in them, nor are likely to have any thing; for the seed it rotten under the clods, either through too much rain or (which was the more common case in Canaan) for want of rain, or perhaps some insects under ground ate it up. When one crop fails the husbandman hopes the next may make it up; but here they despair of that, the seedness being as bad as the harvest.
(2.)The cattle perish too for want of grass (Joe 1:18): How do the beasts groan! This the prophet takes notice of, that the people might be affected with it and lay to heart the judgment. The groans of the cattle should soften their hard and impenitent hearts. The herds of cattle, the large cattle (black cattle we call them), are perplexed; nay, even the flocks of sheep, which will live upon a common and be content with very short grass, are made desolate. See here the inferior creatures suffering for our transgression, and groaning under the double burden of being serviceable to the sin of man and subject to the curse of God for it. Cursed is the ground for thy sake.
III.The prophet stirs them up to cry to God, with the consideration of the examples given them for it.
1.His own example (Joe 1:19): O Lord! to thee will I cry. He would not put them upon doing that which he would not resolve to do himself; nay, whether they would do it or no, he would. Note, If God's ministers cannot prevail to affect others with the discoveries of divine wrath, yet they ought to be themselves affected with them; if they cannot bring others to cry to God, yet they themselves be much in prayer. In time of trouble we must not only pray, but cry, must be fervent and importunate in prayer; and to God, from whom both the destruction is and the salvation must be, ought our cry to be always directed. That which engaged him to cry to God was, not so much any personal affliction, as the national calamity: The fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, which seems to be meant of some parching scorching heat of the sun, which was as fire to the fruits of the earth; it consumed them all. Note, When God calls to contend by fire it concerns those that have any interest in heaven to cry mightily to him for relief. See Num 11:2; Amo 7:4, Amo 7:5.
2.The example of the inferior creatures: "The beasts of the field do not only groan, but cry unto thee, Joe 1:20. They appeal to thy pity, according to their capacity, and as if, though they are not capable of a rational and revealed religion, yet they had something of dependence upon God by natural instinct." At least, when they groan by reason of their calamity, he is pleased to interpret it as if they cried to him; much more will he put a favourable construction upon the groanings of his own children, though sometimes so feeble that they cannot be uttered, Rom 8:26. The beasts are here said to cry unto God, as from him the lions seek their meat (Psa 104:21) and the young ravens, Job 38:41. The complaints of the brute-creatures here are for want of water (The rivers are dried up, through the excessive heat), and for want of grass, for the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. And what better are those than beasts who never cry to God but for corn and wine, and complain of nothing but the want of delight of sense? Yet their crying to God in those cases shames the stupidity of those who cry not to God in any case.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Verse 17, 18.) The animals have trampled in their own dung; the barns have been destroyed, the storehouses have been scattered, because the grain has been mixed up; why does the animal groan, why do the herds of cattle moo? Because there is no pasture for them; and the flocks of sheep have also perished. LXX: The calves have jumped in their stalls; the treasuries have been scattered, the wine presses have been buried, because the grain has dried up; what shall we put aside for ourselves? The herds of oxen have mourned, because there is no pasture for them, and the flocks of sheep have perished. After the provisions have perished, and the joy and delight of the house of God have been taken away, even the beasts have decayed in their own filth, or, according to spiritual understanding, have become lascivious in their mangers, and have kicked against their Creator, so that what is written may be fulfilled: If they are not satisfied, they will murmur (Ps. 58:16). The one whose god is his belly decays in his own filth, and he who says: Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (Isaiah 22:16): to him the storehouses of future happiness are destroyed, and the storehouses of eternal abundance are scattered or destroyed. Even the winepresses are overturned, for if there are no wheat and wine, in vain are storehouses and winepresses prepared. And when everything burns, they will then lament with a mournful voice and say: What shall we restore for ourselves? And what follows according to the Septuagint: The herds of oxen mourned because there are no pastures for them, it compels us not to receive from oxen and herds what has been said; but from those, who are called oxen and sheep for their simplicity. Concerning their pastures, the Savior speaks: He will enter and go out, and will find pasture (John 10:3). But understand all these things metaphorically, as caterpillars, locusts, worms, and rust, which, with the crops removed and ravaged, have possessed everything with hunger and pestilence.
What is a basket of dung, except the memory of sins? For the sins of the flesh are called dung. Hence it is also said through the prophet: "The beasts have rotted in their dung." For the beasts to rot in their dung is for carnal people to end their lives in the stench of luxury.
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Summary
Joel 1:17 graphically portrays the catastrophic agricultural devastation afflicting Judah, serving as a visceral illustration of divine judgment. The verse meticulously details the failure of crops at every stage, from the seeds decaying in the soil to the complete emptiness and disrepair of storage facilities, signifying a total collapse of the food supply and an existential threat to the nation. This stark imagery underscores the severity of the famine and sets the stage for Joel's urgent call to national repentance and spiritual renewal in the face of overwhelming calamity.
Context
Literary Context
Joel 1:17 is situated within the opening chapter of the Book of Joel, which immediately follows a vivid and terrifying description of an unprecedented locust plague and accompanying drought. The preceding verses (Joel 1:1-16) detail the widespread destruction of all vegetation, from vineyards and fig trees to grain fields, impacting every segment of society from farmers to priests. Verse 17 specifically focuses on the result of this devastation on the staple food supply, moving from the general destruction of crops to the specific failure of the grain cycle. It serves as a climactic statement of the agricultural ruin, explaining why the people are called to lament and fast, and directly precedes the prophet's call for a solemn assembly and a cry to the Lord in Joel 1:13-14. The verse reinforces the prophet's interpretation of these natural disasters as a direct manifestation of God's judgment, foreshadowing the "Day of the Lord" introduced in Joel 1:15.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Joel is set in Judah, a predominantly agrarian society where the annual harvest of grain, grapes, and olives was critical for survival and prosperity. The imagery of "seed," "clods," "garners," "barns," and "corn" speaks directly to the agricultural practices of ancient Israel. The land's fertility was understood as a direct blessing from God, while drought, famine, and pestilence were often interpreted as divine curses or judgments for covenant disobedience, as outlined in passages like Deuteronomy 28:15-68. A locust plague, in particular, was a terrifying and often devastating event, capable of consuming entire harvests in a matter of hours, leading to widespread starvation. The "clods" refer to the lumps of earth in a plowed field, where seeds would be planted. The "garners" and "barns" were essential storage facilities, indicating the complete absence of any harvest to store. This context highlights the profound spiritual and physical impact of such a disaster on the Israelite people, driving home the urgency of Joel's message.
Key Themes
Joel 1:17 powerfully contributes to several key themes in the book. Firstly, it amplifies the theme of Divine Judgment, presenting the agricultural catastrophe as a direct consequence of Judah's spiritual condition and God's righteous wrath. The severity of the famine serves as a wake-up call, demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His willingness to use natural phenomena to bring His people to repentance. Secondly, it underscores the theme of Total Devastation and Despair, emphasizing the completeness of the ruin from the very beginning of the agricultural cycle (rotten seed) to the end (empty storage). This comprehensive destruction leaves no room for hope outside of divine intervention. Finally, the verse implicitly highlights Human Dependence on God's Providence. In a society utterly reliant on the land's produce, the complete failure of crops forces the people to confront their vulnerability and their absolute reliance on God for sustenance, aligning with the broader prophetic message that true security and prosperity come only through obedience and faithfulness to the Lord, as seen in the promises of restoration in Joel 2:21-27.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to dry up" or "to be rotten." In this context, it vividly describes the decay of the planted seeds. Instead of germinating and producing life, the seeds have succumbed to moisture deficiency or pestilence, turning putrid in the soil. This signifies a fundamental failure at the very outset of the agricultural cycle, preventing any possibility of a harvest.
Meaning "a depository," "storehouse," or "treasure-house." These were crucial structures for storing harvested grain, protecting it from pests and weather, and ensuring food security. The description of them being "laid desolate" (H8074) indicates their complete emptiness, a stark visual testament to the absence of any yield from the fields. This emptiness reflects the economic and societal collapse brought on by the famine.
A primitive root meaning "to pull down or in pieces," "break," or "destroy." Applied to "barns" (H4460), this word suggests a state of disrepair, neglect, or even collapse. It implies that these storage facilities, once vital for the community's sustenance, have been rendered useless due to the prolonged absence of any produce to store. Their dilapidated state underscores the prolonged and severe nature of the agricultural disaster, indicating that the famine is not a temporary setback but a profound and enduring crisis.
Verse Breakdown
"The seed is rotten under their clods,"
This clause describes the initial stage of agricultural failure. The "seed" (H6507, pᵉrudâh, referring to kernels of grain) that was planted in the soil ("under their clods," H4053, migrâphâh, lumps of earth) has not germinated but has "rotted" (H5685, ʻâbash). This indicates a lack of sufficient moisture for germination or perhaps an overwhelming presence of pests or disease, preventing any growth from the very beginning. It signifies a complete and foundational loss of the future harvest.
"the garners are laid desolate,"
This phrase moves from the planted seed to the storage facilities. "Garners" (H214, ʼôwtsâr) are granaries or storehouses. To be "laid desolate" (H8074, shâmêm) means they are utterly empty and abandoned. This powerfully conveys the absence of any harvested crops; there was nothing to put into storage, highlighting the severity of the famine and the complete lack of food reserves.
"the barns are broken down;"
Similar to garners, "barns" (H4460, mammᵉgurâh) were structures for storing agricultural produce. Their state of being "broken down" (H2040, hâraç) suggests disuse, neglect, or even collapse due to the prolonged emptiness and lack of purpose. This reinforces the picture of total agricultural collapse, where even the infrastructure for storage has fallen into ruin because there is nothing to store.
"for the corn is withered."
This final clause provides the overarching reason for the preceding calamities. The "corn" (H1715, dâgân, referring to grain like wheat or barley, the staple crop) has "withered" (H3001, yâbêsh). This means the plants dried up and died before they could mature and produce grain. This widespread withering explains why the seeds rotted (no moisture), why the garners were empty (no harvest), and why the barns were broken down (no need for storage). It encapsulates the comprehensive and overwhelming nature of the agricultural disaster.
Literary Devices
Joel 1:17 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of the agricultural disaster. Imagery is central, painting a vivid and progressively bleak picture from the decaying seed in the ground to the empty and ruined storage facilities. The phrase "the seed is rotten under their clods" evokes a visceral sense of death and decay, contrasting sharply with the expectation of life and growth. Parallelism is evident in the successive descriptions of "garners are laid desolate" and "the barns are broken down," reinforcing the theme of utter emptiness through similar structures. The entire verse functions as a form of Synecdoche, where specific parts of the agricultural process (seed, garners, barns, corn) represent the complete failure of the entire food system. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Hyperbole to emphasize the extreme nature of the famine; while some crops might fail in a bad year, the comprehensive failure described here—from planting to storage—underscores a disaster of unprecedented scale, designed to shock the audience into recognizing the gravity of their situation and the divine hand behind it.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Joel 1:17 stands as a stark testament to the principle of divine judgment and humanity's utter dependence on God's sovereign provision. The comprehensive agricultural collapse is not merely a natural disaster but a direct consequence of the people's spiritual state, a vivid illustration of God's withdrawal of blessing due to covenant disobedience. This severe famine serves as a prophetic warning, demonstrating that God has absolute control over the natural world and can use even the most basic necessities of life to call His people to repentance. It underscores the biblical truth that prosperity and sustenance are ultimately gifts from God, and when His people stray, He may withhold these blessings to bring them back to Himself. The despair depicted in the verse is intended to drive the community to lamentation and a sincere turning back to the Lord, recognizing that true security lies not in their fields or storehouses, but in their relationship with the Creator.
Reflection and Application
Joel 1:17 offers a profound opportunity for reflection on our own dependence, gratitude, and spiritual priorities. While we may not face the immediate threat of widespread agricultural collapse in the same way ancient Judah did, the underlying principles remain eternally relevant. This verse reminds us that all provision ultimately comes from God's hand. It challenges us to consider how easily we take daily sustenance for granted, often forgetting the source of our blessings. The complete devastation described should cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for the abundance we often enjoy and a renewed awareness of the fragility of life. Furthermore, it serves as a powerful reminder that physical hardships, whether personal or societal, can often be a divine catalyst for spiritual introspection. Just as the famine in Joel's day was a call to national repentance, our own struggles can prompt us to examine our hearts, confess our sins, and turn back to God with sincerity. It encourages us to live with a posture of humility, acknowledging God's sovereignty over all aspects of life, and to respond with compassion and generosity to those who experience scarcity or hardship, recognizing our interconnectedness as recipients of God's grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "seed is rotten under their clods" phrase?
This phrase highlights the utter failure of the agricultural cycle at its very beginning. "Seed" refers to the grain kernels planted in the soil, and "clods" are the lumps of earth in the field. For the seed to be "rotten" means it decayed instead of germinating. This signifies a catastrophic lack of moisture or an overwhelming pestilence that prevented any growth whatsoever, indicating that the famine was not just a poor harvest but a complete and foundational loss of the food source from the outset. It underscores the severity and comprehensiveness of the disaster, leaving no hope for future yield.
How does Joel 1:17 relate to the concept of divine judgment?
In the prophetic tradition, natural disasters like famine, drought, and locust plagues were often interpreted as direct manifestations of God's judgment upon His people for their unfaithfulness and disobedience to the covenant. Joel 1:17, by vividly describing the complete agricultural devastation, serves as a tangible sign of this judgment. The prophet Joel uses this immediate crisis to call the people to repentance, indicating that the physical suffering is a spiritual wake-up call. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over creation and His willingness to use even the most basic elements of life to bring His people back to Himself, as seen in the broader context of Joel 1.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Joel 1:17 describes a physical famine and divine judgment in the Old Testament, its ultimate fulfillment and resolution are found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "rotten seed" and "withered corn" speak to a profound spiritual barrenness and the consequences of sin, which separates humanity from the life-giving presence of God. Just as the physical famine led to a desperate cry for sustenance, so too does humanity's spiritual barrenness necessitate a source of true life. Jesus identifies Himself as the "bread of life" in John 6:35, promising that those who come to Him will never hunger. He is the ultimate provision, the "seed" that, though it "falls into the earth and dies," produces "much fruit" (John 12:24). The desolation of the garners and barns, indicative of a world devoid of true spiritual nourishment, points to the empty promises of human effort and self-reliance. In Christ, however, believers find an inexhaustible supply of grace, forgiveness, and eternal life, satisfying the deepest spiritual hunger that no earthly "corn" could ever fulfill. His sacrifice on the cross breaks down the barriers of sin, offering a spiritual harvest of righteousness and peace, transforming the barren landscape of the human heart into a fruitful garden, echoing the themes of restoration found in Joel 2:23-27.