neighbouring nations, the Tyrians, Sidonians, and Philistines. To
them he addresses his discourse _in passing_ (_in transitu_), and
announces to them, in the name of God, that they themselves also would
not remain unpunished." The correctness of _Vitringa_, with his "_in
transitu_," is proved by the [Hebrew: vgM], as well as by the
circumstance, that vers. 9 ff. are closely connected with ver. 3; so
that vers. 4 ff. form a real parenthesis. How entirely out of place
would here have been any mention of the Syrians! There was necessarily
something required which was very striking, and [Pg 294] which, having
but recently occurred, was still vividly remembered. But the matter was
altogether different in the case of Amos. Joel has to do with the
enemies of Judah only; Amos, with those of the kingdom of Israel also,
among whom the Syrians were the most dangerous. Hence, he begins with
them at once. The crime with which he charges them in chap. i. 3, that
they had threshed the inhabitants of Gilead with threshing instruments
of iron, concerns the kingdom of Israel only. The same applies to the
Ammonites and Moabites also, who, in like manner, are mentioned by
Amos, and not by Joel. The Ammonites are charged in Amos i. 13 with
ripping up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge
their border; and the crime of the Moabites, rebuked in chap. ii. 1,
occurred, very probably, during the time of, or after, the expedition
against them, mentioned in 2 Kings iii.--the real instigator of which
was the king of Israel.

We must indeed be astonished that _Hitzig_, _Ewald_, _Meier_, _Baur_,
and others, after the example of _Credner_, have likewise declared in
favour of the view that the prophecies of Joel were composed under
Joash. None of the arguments, however, by which they attempt to support
their view, can stand examination.

"There is nowhere, as yet, the slightest allusion to the Assyrians,"
says _Ewald_. But neither is any such found in Amos, nor in the first
part of Hosea. An irruption, however, such as former times had not
known,--an overflowing, as it were, by the heathen, such as could by no
means proceed from the small neighbouring nations, but from extensive
kingdoms only, is here also brought into view. Joel is, in this
respect, in strict agreement with Amos, who embodies his prophecy
concerning this event, in chap. vi. 14, in these words: "For, behold, I
raise up against you, O house of Israel, Gentile people,