Jerom says there was in his time a village called Theman, five miles distant from the city Petra, and had a Roman garrison; and so says Eusebius f71 ; who places it in Arabia Petraea; it is put for the whole country; it signifies the south. So the Targum renders it, “a fire in the south.”

The “fire” signifies an enemy that should be sent into it, and destroy it: this was Nebuchadnezzar, who, as Josephus says, five years after the destruction of Jerusalem led his army into Coelesyria, and took it; and fought against the Ammonites and Moabites, and very probably at the same time against the Edomites: which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah ; another famous city of the Edomites; there was one of this name in Moab; either there were two cities so called, one in Edom, and another in Moab; or rather this city lay, as Jarchi says, between Edom and Moab; and so sometimes is placed to one, and sometimes to another, its it might belong to the one and to the other, according to the event of war. It is the same with Bezer in the wilderness, appointed a Levitical city, and a city of refuge, by Joshua, ( Joshua 20:8); and belonged to the tribe of Reuben; but being on the borders of that tribe, and of Moab and Edom, it is ascribed to each, as they at different times made themselves masters of it. It is the same with Bostra, which Ptolemy places in Arabia Petraea; and being on the confines of Arabia Deserts, and surrounded on all sides with wild deserts, it is commonly spoken of as situated in a wilderness, Jerom speaks of it as a city of Arabia in the desert, to the south, looking to Damascus; and, according to the Persian geographer, it is four days’ journey southward from Damascus; and Eusebius places it at the distance of twenty four miles from Adraa or Edrei. The destruction of this place is prophesied of by Jeremiah, ( 1 Kings 48:24 1 Kings 49:13); and perhaps these prophecies were accomplished when Nebuchadnezzar made war with the Ammonites and Edomites, as before observed; or however in the times of the Maccabees, when Judas Maccabeus took this city, put all the males to the sword, plundered it, and then set fire to it, which literally fulfilled this prophecy, “Hereupon Judas and his host turned suddenly by the way of the wilderness unto Bosora; and when he had won the city, he slew all the males with the edge of the sword, and took all their spoils, and burned the city with fire,” (1 Maccabees 5:28) It was afterwards rebuilt, and became a considerable city; in the time of the above Persian geographer f76 , it had a very strong castle belonging to it, a gate twenty cubits high, and one of the largest basins or pools of water in all the east. In the fourth century there were bishops of this place, which assisted in the councils of Nice, Antioch, Ephesus, and Chalcedon, as Reland observes; though he thinks that Bostra is not to be confounded with the Bezer of Reuben, or with the Bozra of Moab and Edom; though they seem to be all one and the same place.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Joel 3:1-8 The restoration of the Jews, and the final victory of tru religion over all opposers, appear to be here foretold. The contemp and scorn with which the Jews have often been treated as a people, an the little value set upon them, are noticed. None ever hardened his heart against God or his church, and prospered long.

Joel 3:9-17 Here is a challenge to all the enemies of God's people There is no escaping God's judgments; hardened sinners, in that day of wrath, shall be cut off from all comfort and joy. Most of the prophet foretell the same final victory of the church of God over all tha oppose it. To the wicked it will be a terrible day, but to the righteous it will be a joyful day. What cause have those who possess a interest in Christ, to glory in their Strength and their Redeemer! The acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, wil be a day of remarkable vengeance to others: let every one that is ou of Christ awake, and flee from the wrath to come.

Joel 3:18-21 There shall be abundant Divine influences, and the gospe will spread speedily into the remotest corners of the earth. Thes events are predicted under significant emblems; there is a day coming when every thing amiss shall be amended. The fountain of this plenty is in the house of God, whence the streams take rise. Christ is thi Fountain; his sufferings, merit, and grace, cleanse, refresh, and make fruitful. Gospel grace, flowing from Christ, shall reach to the Gentil world, to the most remote regions, and make them abound in fruits of righteousness; and from the house of the Lord above, from his heavenl temple, flows all the good we daily taste, and hope to enjoy eternally.

Judgments against the Syrians, Philistines, Tyrians, Edomites, an Ammonites.

--GOD employed a shepherd, a herdsman, to reprove and warn the people Those to whom God gives abilities for his services, ought not to be despised for their origin, or their employment. Judgments are denounce against the neighbouring nations, the oppressors of God's people. The number of transgressions does not here mean that exact number, but many: they had filled the measure of their sins, and were ripe for vengeance. The method in dealing with these nations is, in part, the same, yet in each there is something peculiar. In all ages thi bitterness has been shown against the Lord's people. When the Lor reckons with his enemies, how tremendous are his judgments __________________________________________________________________

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