Joel 2:13 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

And rend your heart, &c.— The rending of garments was used by almost all the ancients, as a token of deepest sorrow. The expression before us is a proper Hebraism; and the truest sense of it is, Rend your hearts, and not your garments only. The prophet does not forbid the external appearances of grief and mourning, but on the contrary requires them; as is plain from the foregoing verse, and the 16th and 17th. But he cautions them against an external, hypocritical show of sorrow, and exhorts them to rend their hearts, that is, to cherish that broken and contrite spirit, that sincere and unfeigned repentance for their sins, from which the rending of their garments ought to proceed, with which it should be accompanied. See Hosea 6:6. We might close this verse at the words, Of great kindness; and begin the 14th thus, And he that repents him of iniquity, how knows he, but he [God] may return, and repent, and may cause a blessing to be left after him, even a bread-offering, &c. But Dr. Chandler reads the 14th verse, Who knows but he [God] will return and repent, and cause to leave so much plenty behind him, that there may be a meat-offering and a drink-offering to Jehovah your God? However, Houbigant thinks all this is harsh; and accordingly he renders the verse, Who will consider, return, and repent, that he may leave him a blessing, &c.

Joel 2:13

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.