Joel — Chapter 3

Congregabo omnes gentes

'I will gather together all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Josaphat.' À Lapide follows Jerome in reading the Valley of Josaphat as a figure of the vale of judgment—josaphat meaning 'God judges.' He surveys the Fathers' dispute whether this judgment is general or particular, concluding with Thomas Aquinas that it refers to the universal Last Judgment. The nations are arraigned for their treatment of God's people.

Confringite vomeres vestros in lanceas

'Beat your ploughshares into swords and your pruning-hooks into spears.' À Lapide notes this is the precise inversion of Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3, where swords become ploughshares—the peace of the messianic age. Here the wicked are summoned to marshal their forces against God's judgment, only to be utterly defeated. The irony discloses divine providence overruling human aggression.

Dominus de Sion rugiet

'The Lord shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem.' À Lapide connects this to Amos 1:2 (identical wording) and to the Christ who drove the money-changers from the Temple with a shout. The shaking of heaven and earth is the cosmic trembling before divine majesty; the stillness that follows images the peace of the elect who shelter in God after judgment.

Et erit in die illa stillabunt montes dulcedinem

'And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweetness and the hills shall flow with milk.' À Lapide reads this eschatological abundance as a figure of the spiritual goods of the New Law: the mountains of apostolic preaching drip with the sweet doctrine of the Gospel; the milk of the hills figures the simplicity of faith offered to all. A fountain proceeding from the house of God is identified with the sacraments, especially Baptism and the Eucharist.