"To the conductor, on the tune of "Lilies." A Psalm of David. Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, You Who leads Joseph like a flock; You Who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. As for the verse (Song of Songs 2:2), "As a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters," Rabbi Acha said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Let your deeds be moist like this lily.'"
Our sages explained that this chapter was fulfilled in the days of Yoel ben Pethuel. The Rabbis said, "Why was his name called Pethuel? Because he would meditate at his gate like a virgin." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Nehemiah said in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, "When the prophet judges a person, he does not judge him by saying, 'You have sinned,' but rather by saying, 'Have you not sinned?'
As it is written (Jeremiah 2:35), 'Behold, I will judge you for saying, "I have not sinned."' And it is written (1 Samuel 7:6), 'They said there, "We have sinned to the Lord."' And it is written (1 Chronicles 5:13), 'The name of the firstborn was Yoel.' And another verse states (1 Chronicles 2:24), 'The name of the firstborn was Aviah.'
Rabbi Yehuda bar Siman and the Rabbis said, "Just as the latter was a wicked person, so was the former a wicked person." Rabbi Yehuda said, "He changed his deeds and became like his father." Rabbi Acha said, "He (Yoel) is the same person as his father (Aviah)."...