significant substratum in the history of the past. But it
is, throughout, the custom of the prophets to describe the future under
the image of the analogous past, which, as it were, is revived in
it.--It ought to be still further remarked, that we must, _a priori_,
be the less indisposed to admit a detailed symbolical representation in
Joel, as the two prophets, betwixt whom he is placed, have likewise
such symbolical portions.

The decision depends, therefore, upon the internal character of the
description itself. An allegory must betray itself as such, by
significant hints; where these are wanting, it is arbitrary to assume
its existence. Following the order of the [Pg 309] text, we shall bring
together everything of this kind which we find in it.

The words, even, of the introduction,--"Hath any such thing happened in
your days, and in the days of your fathers? Of it you shall tell your
sons, and your sons to their sons, and their sons to the succeeding
generation,"--scarcely permit us to think of a devastation by locusts
in the literal sense. It could only be by means of the grossest
exaggeration--which, if it were far from any prophet, was certainly so
from the simple and mild Joel--that he could represent, as the greatest
disaster which ever befell, or should ever befall the nation, a
devastation by locusts which was, after all, only a transitory evil.
For it is the greatness of the disaster which is implied in the call to
relate it to the latest posterity; no later suffering should be so
great as to cause this one to be forgotten.

We must not overlook the expression in ver. 6: "_For a nation_
([Hebrew: gvi]) has come up over my land." "Nation," according to most
interpreters, is thought to signify the mere multitude; but in that
case, [Hebrew: eM] would certainly have been used, as is done in Prov.
xxx. 25, 26, concerning the ants. In [Hebrew: gvi] there is implied not
only the idea of what is hostile--this _Credner_ too acknowledges--but
also of what is profane. This, indeed, is the principal idea; and, on
this account, even the degenerate Covenant-people several times receive
the name [Hebrew: gvi]. That this principal idea is here likewise
applicable, is evident from the antithesis: "Over my land." It is true,
that the suffix cannot be referred to Jehovah, as is done by _J. H.
Michaelis_ and others, although the antithesis would thus most
strikingly appear; but as little can we refer it, as is done by moder