Book of Joel Chapter 2 Vs. 17

 Return to the Lord

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Joel 2:17

Let the priests... The priests were to lead the ceremony by weeping before the Lord in the court of the temple (i.e., between the temple porch and the bronze altar of burnt offering; cf. Eze. 8:16) and by offering a prayer for deliverance.

the ministers of... Not the altar of incense which stood in the Holy Place; but the altar of burnt offering, where the priests used to stand and do service.

But now having nothing to do of that kind, they are called upon to weep and pray between that and the porch of the temple; where they might be seen and heard by the people in the outward court which the porch led into. This is thought by some as the same situation with that between the temple and the altar (Mat. 23:35).

and let them... They are directed to plead, not in a way of justice, but mercy; that though it might be just with God to destroy these people, who were called by his name. Yet it is entreated that he would not, but in mercy spare them, and not cut them off in his sore displeasure, which the present judgment threatened them with.

There seems to be an argument for mercy suggested, in the relation these people stood in to God, they are "thy people", whom thou hast chosen, and who are called by thy name; though this was also an aggravation of their sin; and the same may be observed in what follows.

and give not... The people whom he had chosen for his inheritance, and the land of Canaan he had given to them for an inheritance; both which would be given to reproach if such a famine should ensure, that they must be obliged to go into other countries for food.

that the Heathen... As they would, should they be forced to leave their own country, and settle in theirs for the sake of food. Or "to be a proverb", or "byword, among the Heathen", as Jarchi. This clause Jerom thinks opens the mystery, and explains who are meant by the mighty nation under the name of locusts, the northern enemies of Syria and Babylon, of the Jews.

Though this does not necessarily follow, take the words in either sense, as explained: it seems indeed very likely, that though the locusts may be understood literally.

wherefore should they... They boast of as their Creator and Benefactor, their Protector and Defender, that gave them a land flowing with milk and honey, and abounding with all blessings? What is become of that? And where is he now? Which the enemy Gentiles would say in a reproaching blaspheming way.

Should they be reduced to famine by the locusts, or fall into the hands of their enemies; than which kind of reproach and blasphemy there is nothing more cutting to religious minds (see Psm. 42:10).

And this, as well as the former is used as an argument with God for mercy. The Targum is, "where are they that are redeemed by the Word of your God?

Where is their... Question 5. Next, Joel 3:4.

The priests were to lead the ceremony by weeping before the Lord in the court of the temple (i.e., between the temple porch and the bronze altar of burnt offering; cf. Eze. 8:16) and by offering a prayer for deliverance.

The prayer was to include a twofold petition: (a) spare (ḥûs, “pity or have compassion on”; cf. Jon. 4:11 for the same word, where the NIV renders it “be concerned about”) and (b) do not make, a question aimed at motivating God to action. The concern of the latter was God’s reputation. If Israel, God’s own inheritance (cf. Deut. 4:20; 9:26, 9:29; Psm. 28:9; 33:12; 78:62, 78:71; 79:1; 94:14; Mic. 7:14, 7:18), were to become an object of scorn (cf. Joel 2:19), the nations might erroneously conclude that He lacked the power and/or love to save those who belonged to Him (cf. Exo. 32:12; Deut. 9:26-29; Psm. 79:4, 79:10).

The rendering, a byword among the nations, though not the only way to translate the Hebrew here (cf. KJV, “that the heathen should rule over them”), is favored by the poetic structure (cf. the parallel phrase “object of scorn”; also see Jer. 24:9).