Book of Joel Chapter 2 Vs. 20

 The Lord Had Pity

But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Joel 2:20

But I will... The Lord next announced that the threat described in Joel 2:1-11 would be averted (Joel 2:20).

But I will remove far off...

רָחַק

râchaq

raw-khak'

A primitive root; to widen (in any direction), that is, (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation): - (a, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep [self], put, remove, be too, [wander], withdraw) far (away, off), loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way (off).

עַל

‛al

al

Properly the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural, often with prefix, or as conjugation with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications: - above, according to (-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through (-out), to, touching, X with.

you the northern army...

צְפוֹנִי

ts^ephônı̂y

tsef-o-nee'

From H6828; northern: - northern.

פָּנִים

pânı̂ym

paw-neem'

Plural (but always used as a singular) of an unused noun (פָּנֶה pâneh, paw-neh'; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.): - + accept, a (be-) fore (-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront (-part), form (-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him (-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look [-eth] (-s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason, of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them (-selves), through (+ -out), till, time (-s) past, (un-) to (-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with (-in, + stand), X ye, X you.

toward...

אֶל אֵל

'êl 'el

ale, el

(Used only in the shortened constructive form (the second form)); a primitive particle, properly denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, that is, near, with or among; often in general, to: - about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because (-fore, -side), both . . . and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in (-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to (-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

the east sea... The east sea could be the Dead Sea or the Euphrates and the Persian Gulf. He would turn against the very army He had been bringing against His disobedient people (cf. Joel 2:11), driving it into the desert a parched and barren land and the seas (the eastern sea and the western sea, probably the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, cf. Zec. 14:8).

the east...

קַדְמֹנִי קַדְמוֹנִי

qadmônı̂y qadmônı̂y

kad-mo-nee', kad-mo-nee'

From H6930; (of time) anterior or (of place) oriental: - ancient, they that went before, east, (thing of) old.

Sea...

יָם

yâm

yawm

From an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article) the Mediterranean; sometimes a large river, or an artificial basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south: - sea (X -faring man, [-shore]), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).

the utmost sea... The utmost sea is the Mediterranean.

and his hinder part...

סוֹף

sôph

sofe

From H5486; a termination: - conclusion, end, hinder part.

toward... see above.

the utmost sea...

אַחֲרֹן אַחֲריֹן

'achăryôn 'achărôn

akh-ar-one', akh-ar-one'

From H309, hinder; generally late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western: - after (-ward), to come, following, hind (-er, -ermost, -most), last, latter, rereward, ut(ter)most.

and his stink... The carcasses’ stench would permeate the air. As in Joel 2:1-11, the language, though alluding to a literal army (cf. Isa. 34:3; Amos 4:10), applies to locusts as well. Eyewitness accounts tell how dead locusts, having been driven into the sea and then washed ashore, gave out a foul odor. See Eze. 39:11-16.

בְּאשׁ

b^e'ôsh

be-oshe'

From H887; a stench: - stink.

shall come up...

עָלָה

‛âlâh

aw-law'

A primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or active (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literally and figuratively: - arise (up). (cause to) ascend up, at once, break [the day] (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up), grow (over), increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, [make] up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.

and his ill savour...

צַחֲנָה

tsachănâh

tsakh-an-aw'

From an unused root meaning to putrefy; stench: - ill savour.

shall come up... see above.

because...

כִּי

kı̂y

kee

A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed: - and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured [-ly], + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, who, yea, yet,

he hath done...

עָשָׂה

‛âśâh

aw-saw'

A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application: - accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress (-ed), (put in) execute (-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, [fight-] ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfil, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ([a feast]), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, practice, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be [warr-] ior, work (-man), yield, use.

great things...

גָּדַל

gâdal

gaw-dal'

A primitive root; properly to twist (compare H1434), that is, to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride): - advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be (-come, do, give, make, wax), great (-er, come to. . estate, + things), grow (up), increase, lift up, magnify (-ifical), be many set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly [spoken], tower.

Again, The Lord next announced that the threat described in Joel 2:1-11 would be averted (Joel 2:20). He would turn against the very army He had been bringing against His disobedient people (cf. Joel 2:11), driving it into the desert (a parched and barren land) and the seas (the eastern sea and the western sea, probably the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, cf. Zec. 14:8).

As noted in the Introduction, the designation northern army lit., northerner suggests that a literal army is ultimately in view. If the northerner is yet future eschatological, the army is possibly the army in Joel 3:9, 3:12; Dan. 11:40; and Zec. 14:2. But if the reference is strictly historical, any precise identification of the army is precluded by the uncertainty surrounding the date of authorship. So in this case it would not be clear to what extent, if any, Joel 2:20 was historically fulfilled in Joel’s day. If the invasion threatened in Joel 2:1-11 had not actually begun, the language of Joel 2:20 need not refer to a historical event. It would simply be a vivid and concrete way of saying that the destruction planned by the Lord had been averted at the last moment.