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Joel.1:1. The word of the Lord came to Joel the son of Bethuel. Since, as is likely, many had the same name; then the Prophet added the name of his father. He teaches that the words he utters are not the product of human thoughts, but that, inspired by the Lord of all, he foresees and predicts the future. Joel.1:2. Hear this, the elders, and teach all you that dwell on the earth: if there was a calico in your days, or in your fathers? You, says the Prophet, who have lived for a long time, who have probably acquired experience in many ways, who have repeatedly heard what is told by your fathers and grandfathers, when you hear the words of this prophecy, judge for yourself whether anything like this has happened before, or with you, or with your fathers; and all who dwell in the promised land, pay careful attention to what is said. Then he adds: having learned from experience, do not consign this to oblivion, but pass on the legend about this to ignorant children, and instruct them to tell this to their children, so that the generation that follows them will take up the story about this from them. Blessed David also says in a similar way: “For let another generation know that they are born sons, and they arise and command their sons” (Ps. 77:6), showing the reason for this: “Let them place their trust in God” (Ps. 77:7). Therefore, from what has been said, it is clear that the grace of the Divine Spirit alone inspired the holy Prophets. Thus, having aroused the elders and all the others to listen to what was spoken, the Prophet depicts the whole multitude of disasters behind this, and says: first the “caterpillars” will attack (Joel 1:4), and the “pruzi” will destroy what is undamaged by them, and what escapes from them will be eaten by the “mosses”, and finally the “sepleve” will attack 1 and leave nothing undamaged. Others understood this to be said in a figurative sense about the king of Assyria and Babylonia, calling Tiglaphelasser “caterpillars,” Shalmaneser “springs,” and Sennacherib being “mosses,” and Nebuchadnezzar “sniffles,” who, having finally taken up arms, finally devastated all of Judea, and took those who escaped death as captives. And although I recognize this as fair, I nevertheless think that the prophecy, understood literally, was truly fulfilled; because blessed Amos also mentions springs and mosses (Amos 7:1), about “destroying and golden plants”, about fig trees, olives and vineyards damaged by caterpillars (Amos 4:9), in addition to drought and lack of rain; for he says: “One part will be needed, and the part that is not needed will dry up” (Am. 4:7). The divine Jeremiah also clearly mentioned this. Therefore, what has been said should not be taken in a figurative sense only, when the holy Prophets showed us in agreement that what was predicted was fulfilled historically. In order for the Israelites to know for sure that, as punishment for lawlessness and wickedness, they were handed over to the enemies who attacked them, they were rightly subjected to punishments sent down from heaven, admonished by this fact that the God they had forgotten was punishing them with both. Therefore, having predicted sorrowful things, the Prophet offers exhortation and advice. Joel.1:5. Be sober from your wine, and weep: all you who drink wine, weep until you become drunken. Replace intemperance and immoderation in pleasure, says the Prophet, with a lamentable song, because it is not bad if you drink wine, but it is harmful if you drink immoderately. Having said: “from his wine,” the Prophet also implies another intoxication, calling by this a decisive inclination towards evil and lawlessness of every kind. And you, says the Prophet, must weep and weep; because you will be completely deprived of what can bring joy. Then he describes what the prugi, or the king of Assyria, will do, because he implies both, and says: Joel.1:6. The tongue that ascends to My earth is strong and countless: Countless and distinguished by strength and strength; He calls the land of Israel His land; because He also calls Israel His people. 3 His teeth are the teeth of a lion, and his limbs are like the teeth of a lioness. He expressed the same thing in different ways, wanting to frighten with a multitude of names; for he calls the same one a lion and a lioness. If anyone wants to mean different things by this; then this will not harm the meaning, because after some springs other small ones follow, as if some kind of lionesses, and the enemies, along with the warlike and valiant, bring the less powerful. The Prophet describes what will happen from them, pointing to damaged vineyards, whitened vines, and fig trees left without leaves, which usually happens from an attack by springs. And what is said about this, not as about the past, but as about the future, is evidenced by the continuation of speech. For the Prophet says: Joel.1:8. Cry to Me more than the bride girded in sackcloth after her virgin husband. The Prophet did not say “cry,” but “cry,” indicating that after experiencing disasters they will indulge in lamentation, shedding tears, as happens to a bride who, at a young age, sees her groom dead. Joel.1:9. There was a sacrifice and an outpouring from the house of the Lord. It is common for Divine Scripture to speak about the future as about the past, and not only does this happen from translating words from one language to another, but it is also used to strengthen speech. This is so true, say the Prophets, that we see it as having happened, and we retell it as if it happened. And about what, according to the Prophet’s prophecy, should happen, precisely as about the past, he commands the priests to cry; because the altars and the drink offerings became scarce for lack of what was necessary; The earth also became impoverished due to the failure of the fruits of the earth. The farmers, he says, also remained in shame, having worked hard to cultivate the land, but having not reaped any fruit. This, as we see, still happens today. For when the land is barren, farmers usually feel ashamed, not providing the usual income to the landowners, and due to a lack of necessities, they are forced to live on alms. Presenting the disaster in its most extensive form, in order to arouse those who suffer from insensibility to repentance, the Prophet commands the “villages” themselves to cry (Joel 1:11), because the barley and wheat have become scarce, the vineyards have dried up, in a word, the olives, fig trees and other fruit trees do not produce any fruit; since there is no moisture left in them. It should be known that the Prophet commands the earth and villages to cry not because they are rational; on the contrary, he tries to arouse those gifted with reason through the inanimate. Showing this, he added: Joel.1:12. As if I have disgraced the joy of the sons of men. The reason for this barrenness is the lawlessness of people; Because of this, the joy stopped and despondency set in. Therefore, says the Prophet, you, priests, take on a deplorable appearance, and not only weep at the altar, but also, when preparing for sleep, lay sackcloth under you; for such is the lack of necessities that even the usual sacrifices are not made. Joel.1:14. Sanctify the fast, preach celibacy, gather the elders, better to say, not only them, but also all the inhabitants of the earth to the house of your God. And having gathered together, exclaim, saying: Joel.1:15. Woe is me, woe is me, woe is my day! From what has been said, we clearly learn that fasting is a protective medicine for those who are sick in soul, and can heal sinful passions. Why did the Prophet combine celibacy with fasting: “sanctify,” he says, “fasting, preach celibacy.” He used the word “sanctify” instead of “separate”; separate, he says, yourself for this, pass the fast holy and pure; while fasting, cry out: “woe is me, woe is me in the day!” , that is, woe is me because of the expected day of disaster. Joel.1:16. For the day of the Lord is near, and for trouble will come from trouble. For there is food before your eyes, and there is joy and joy in the house of your God. You will see continuous disasters, one added to another. For the Prophet expressed this with the words: “trouble from trouble.” Joel.1:17. The young girls jumped up at their mangers The granaries were moldy, covered with layers of dust. “Young men,” it is said, “jumped up” - they do not do this out of satiety, but when they are languishing with hunger; They are spread out on the ground and kicking the ground. About the granaries he says that they will remain moldy, because they have not received wheat for a long time. as superfluous, and everything else that was intended for such needs, as superfluous, was left neglected; because there was nothing to put there. And herds of oxen moo, uttering a plaintive voice; because they don't get regular food. Herds of sheep do the same thing with oxen. But when this happens, I, says the Prophet, Joel.1:19. I cry to You, Lord, for the red desert has been consumed by fire, and the flame has consumed all the wood of Poland. From You we can only hope for an end to the surrounding disasters. And by “fire” we can mean enemies, who, like fire, devastated the whole country, and we can also mean “Prusi”, and “Sipleve”, and other disasters of the same kind; because they, no less than enemies, destroy the fruits of the earth. The Prophet calls “red deserts” places that were once beautiful, but are now desolate due to the misfortunes that have befallen them. For a little lower he says: “Like a paradise of sweetness the earth is before him, and like a field of destruction behind him” (Joel 2:3). But when we are unworthy, says the Prophet, to be worthy of Your love for mankind, may the mooing and bleating animals not be deprived of any mercy. Joel.1:20. and the cattle looked up to You, as if the spring of water had dried up. The Prophet said about the cattle: “I looked up to You” - not as about reasonable ones, but, wanting to bow this Lord to mercy, he expressed himself this way about the lowing of cattle due to lack of food. Here, by the words “pruzi” and “mosses” we should mean locusts in two forms, with wings and without wings, and by the word “sipleve” a plant disease known as rust.