Joel 2:18

“Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, etc.] Or “zealous” for it; for the honour of it, and the good of its inhabitants, and for the glory of his own name, it being the chief place in the world for his worship and service; and his indignation will be moved against those who have brought desolation on it: and pity his people; as a father his children, who had suffered much, and had been reduced to great distress by the locusts, or by their enemies: this the prophet foretells would be done upon their repentance, fasting, prayers, and tears; or, as some think, this is a narrative of what had been done, and the prophet was a witness of; that the people meeting together with their princess…”

“Then--when God sees His people penitent. be jealous for his land--as a husband jealous of any dishonor done to the wife whom he loves, as if done to himself. The Hebrew comes from an Arabic root, "to be flushed in face" through indignation.”

“Then will the Lord be jealous for His land - Upon repentance, all is changed. Before, God seemed set upon their destruction. It was His great army which was ready to destroy them; He was at its head, giving the word. Now He is full of tender love for them, which resents injury done to them, as done to Himself. The word might more strictly perhaps be rendered, “And the Lord is jealous” . He would show how instantaneous the mercy and love of God for His people is, restrained while they are impenitent, flowing forth upon the first tokens of repentance. The word, “jealous for,” when used of God, jealous for My holy Name Ezekiel 39:25, jealous for Jerusalem, Zechariah 1:14; Zechariah 8:2, is…”

“2:18–3:21 Up to this point, the book of Joel has focused on God’s judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, but from here on, it describes God’s promise of restoration. If the people sincerely repented, God would respond graciously. 2:18-27 God promised to restore his people’s material lives in the immediate future, replenishing their fields, orchards, vineyards, and flocks. 2:18 Since both people and land suffered from God’s judgment, both would be the objects of his zealous compassion.”

“be: Isa 42:13; Zac 1:14, Zac 8:2 and pity: Deu 32:16, Deu 32:36, Deu 32:43; Jdg 10:16; Psa 103:13, Psa 103:17; Isa 60:10, Isa 63:9, Isa 63:15; Jer 31:20; Lam 3:22; Hos 11:8, Hos 11:9; Luk 15:20; Jam 5:11 Joel 2:19”

“Joe 2:18 and Joe 2:19 contain the historical statement, that in consequence of the penitential prayer of the priests, the Lord displayed His mercy to His people, and gave them a promise, the first part of which follows in Joe 2:19-27. Joe 2:18, Joe 2:19. "Then Jehovah was jealous for His land, and had compassion upon His people. And Jehovah answered, and said." The grammar requires that we should take the imperfects with Vav consec. in these clauses, as statements of what actually occurred. The passages in which imperfects with Vav cons. are either really or apparently used in a prophetic announcement of the future, are of a different kind; e.g., in Joe 2:23, where we find one in a…”