יואל, פרק ב׳, פסוק כ״ב

The promise of comfort brings a complete reversal of the devastating drought and locust plagues that previously struck the land. A reassuring call goes out to the wild animals, telling them they no longer need to fear starvation [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This stands in sharp contrast to the earlier distress, when the desperate animals cried out to God in their suffering [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. Now, the open pastures and grazing lands will once again be covered with fresh grass [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This fresh growth signals that the dry riverbeds have filled with water once more, overturning the earlier curse where fire had consumed the grazing lands [רד״ק, אבן עזרא].

The sudden growth in the wilderness is closely connected to the renewed strength of the trees. One perspective suggests this is a matter of logical certainty. Since trees require significantly more rainfall than grass, the fact that the trees are bearing fruit guarantees that the grass will grow in abundance [מצודת דוד]. Another approach views this as a parallel blessing, where the wilderness will flourish with grass just as the settled areas flourish with fruit-bearing trees [רד״ק]. Alternatively, this widespread growth is seen as a deliberate miracle designed for the people of Israel. The blessing refuses to be contained within the boundaries of human settlement, spreading out to every corner of the land, including the barren desert [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, the fig and vine yield their full strength, producing a rich harvest [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This miraculous abundance serves as a final restoration, completely overturning the previous tragedy where all the trees of the field had withered and died [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם].