brought to a close. It cannot then be proved, that even some small
portion of the territory was lost at that time; far less, that the
whole country was apportioned anew. It is quite the same as regards the
dispersion among the Gentiles. The invasion of the Philistines cannot
[Pg 322] here come into consideration, because, in ver. 4, these
enemies are expressly distinguished from those who had effected the
dispersion of the people, and the distribution of the land: "And ye
also, what have ye to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the borders
of Palestine?" The prophet can thus not be speaking of something which
had taken place at his time; but as little can he speak of something
still future, which had not been touched upon by him when he threatened
punishment upon the Covenant-people; for the devastation by the locusts
appears as the highest and last calamity of the future. Nothing,
therefore, remains but to suppose, that under the image of the
devastation by locusts, the devastation of the country by heathen
enemies, and the dispersion of its inhabitants, are described,--a
supposition which is confirmed by the great resemblance of the passage
under consideration to chap. ii. 17-19. _Vatke_ (_Theol. des A. Th._ i.
S. 462) founded upon the fact that the general exile is here predicted,
the assertion that Joel had prophesied only after the captivity. No
one, of course, has been willing to agree with him in this; but as long
as the devastation by the locusts is understood literally, it will not
be possible to undermine the grounds upon which he supports his views.
It is altogether in vain that people spend their labour in disputing
the fact, so obvious and evident, that the discourse here concerns the
total occupation of the land by the heathen, the total carrying away of
its inhabitants.

It may be further remarked, that this passage at the same time
considerably strengthens the proof already adduced, that Joel foretells
future things in chap. i. and ii. A devastation by the locusts is
described in these chapters; but the substance of this figure does not
refer to the time of Joel.

_Finally_--We must still direct attention to the words in iv. 17:--"And
Jerusalem shall be a sanctuary, and there shall no strangers pass
through her any more." This promise stands in evident contrast to the
former threatening, and becomes intelligible only by it. In it,
therefore, the _strangers_ must be represented under the figure of th