to Joel son of Pethuel—The son of Samuel the prophet who persuaded God with his prayer (פִתָּה לְאֵל) . Some say that this prophecy was said in those seven years in which Elisha said: “For the Lord has decreed a famine etc.” and they took place during the days of Jehoram son of Ahab.

Did this come about—I.e., what is mentioned below.

What the shearing locust left over—Gazam, arbeh, yelek, hasil are species of locusts and he prophesied concerning them that they would come in those days and destroy all the fruit of the trees and the herbs of the field.

the strong wine—Heb. עָסִיס, good wine.

For a nation has ascended upon my land—He named these locusts as a host of nations.

and its molars are like those of a young lion—These are the thick teeth with which he chews.

into a disappointment—Heb. לִקְצָפָה, into a disappointment.

he has peeled it and cast it off—He has peeled off the bark of the tree and cast it off until the branches of the vine have become white.

Lament Heb. אֱלִי. Lamentations (קִינָה) is translated into Aramic as אִילְיָא.

have been cut off Heb. הָכְרַת, like נִכְרַת. The “hey” vowelized with a short “kamatz” takes the place of a “nun.” Comp. (Job 5:23), “And the beast of the field made peace (הָשְׁלְמָה) with you.”

Be ashamed Heb. הֹבִישוּ

plowmen Heb. אִכָּרִים. Those who guide the plowshare.

for wheat and for barley—This refers back to the plowmen, and concerning the vine dressers, he says...

The vines have dried up, and the fig trees have been cut off Heb. הוֹבִישָׁה, it was cut off, its produce terminated.

has dried up Heb. הֹבִיש, like יָבֵש

Proclaim a fast Heb. קַדְּשׁוּ, designate a fast

an assembly Heb. עֲצָרָה, a gathering.

Woe Heb. אֲהָהּ. An expression of sighing and wailing.

and like plunder Heb. וּכְשֹׁד. Like the plunder of brigands.

it will come—from the Omnipresent.

from before our eyes—I.e., we see it.

have gathered mold Heb. עָבְשׁוּ, have gathered rust and mold. in French moisir, to become moldy.

casks of wine Heb. פְרֻדּדוֹת. Jonathan renders: casks of wine.

under their bungs Heb. מֶגְרְפֹתֵיהֶם. Jonathan renders: מְגוּפָתֵיהוֹן, the cover of the cask.

the storehouses are laid desolate—I.e. the storehouses of wine and oil.

garners are demolished—Granaries of wheat.

herds of cattle are perplexed—They are confounded. They are closed in and astray in the forests and in the wilderness.

are laid waste Heb. נֶאְשָׁמוּ. have become spoiled through their guilt.

the dwellings of the wilderness Heb. נְאוֹת, an expression of a dwelling (נָוֶה).

cry out Heb. תַּעֲרֹג, will cry out, as Dunash (Teshuvoth Dunash, p. 18) interpreted it: ערג is the cry of the hinds. נהם is the roar of the lions; געה is the lowing of the calves; צהל is the whinnying of the horses; צִפצוּף is the chirping of the birds, and נבח is the barking of the dogs. [Also the beasts of the field—I.e., the hind of the field.]