Book of Joel Chapter 1 Vs. 16

 A Call to Repentance

Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God? Joel 1:16

Is not the... Question 2. Next, Joe. 2:11.

לֹה לוֹא לֹא

lô' lô' lôh

lo, lo, lo

lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles: - X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig [-norant], much, less, nay, neither, never, no ([-ne], -r, [-thing]), (X as though . . . , [can-], for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

meat cut off... Such an interrogation most strongly affirms; it was a matter beyond all question, but they could see it with their eyes. It was a plain case, and not to be denied, that every eatable thing or that of which food was custom to be made, was cut off by the locusts, or the drought.

אֹכֶל

'ôkel

o'-kel

From H398; food: - eating, food, meal [-time], meat, prey, victuals.

yea, joy and... The harvest being perished, there were no firstfruits brought to the temple, which used to be attended with great joy. And the corn and vines being wasted, no meat offerings made of fine flour, nor drink offerings of wine, were offered, which used to make God and man glad.

Nor any other sacrifices, on which the priests and their families lived, and were matter of joy to them; and these they ate of in the temple, or in courts adjoining to it.

The meat, corn, and fruit were all cut off. There was famine in the land. There were no sacrifices, because there was nothing left to sacrifice. This destruction really comes from God. He may use some ruler to finalize the destruction, but it is truly from God who is angry. The loss of foodstuff is a direct judgment from God. The war is indirect, but it comes from God, too.

שִׂמְחָה

śimchâh

sim-khaw'

From H8056; blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival): - X exceeding (-ly), gladness, joy (-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice (-ing).

אֱלֹהִים

'ĕlôhı̂ym

el-o-heem'

Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

Joel 1:16-20 contain a detailed description of the aftermath of the locust plague. By again concentrating on the unique nature of this particular event, the prophet supported his contention that the destructive day of the Lord was around the corner (cf. near in Joel 1:15).

The people were all too aware (before their very eyes) that their food supply, and with it all reason to rejoice, had disappeared (Joel 1:16).