English Standard Version
Joel 3:4
4"What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily.
Joel 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
- New International Version (NIV)“Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, Swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head;
- New Living Translation (NLT)“What do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and you cities of Philistia? Are you trying to take revenge on me? If you are, then watch out! I will strike swiftly and pay you back for everything you have done.
Context of Joel 3:4
2I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. "What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. 5For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples. 6You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their own border.
Read all of Joel 3Joel 3:4 word by word
וְ֠גַם מָה־אַתֶּ֥ם לִי֙ צֹ֣ר וְצִיד֔וֹן וְכֹ֖ל גְּלִיל֣וֹת פְּלָ֑שֶׁת הַגְּמ֗וּל אַתֶּם֙ מְשַׁלְּמִ֣ים עָלָ֔י וְאִם־גֹּמְלִ֤ים אַתֶּם֙ עָלַ֔י קַ֣ל מְהֵרָ֔ה אָשִׁ֥יב גְּמֻלְכֶ֖ם בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyreצֹרtsôr tsôr · TyreH6865
- and Zidonצִידוֹןtsîydôn tsîydôn · SidonH6721
- and all the coastsגְלִילָהgelîylâh · borderH1552
- of Palestineפְּלֶ֫שֶׁתpelesheth · PhilistiaH6429
- will ye renderשָׁלֵםshâlam · to completeH7999
- me a recompenceגְּמוּלgemûl · recompenseH1576
- and if ye recompenseגָּמַלgâmal · to weanH1580
- me, swiftlyקַלqal · swiftH7031
- speedilyמְהֵרָהmehêrâh · hasteH4120
- will I returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- upon your own headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
Cross-references for Joel 3:4
- Judges 11:12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, "What do you have against me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?"
- 2 Chronicles 21:16And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians.
- 2 Chronicles 28:17For the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried away captives.
- Acts 9:4And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
- Amos 1:6Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they carried into exile a whole people to deliver them up to Edom.
- Zechariah 9:2and on Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
- Ezekiel 25:12"Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them,
- Deuteronomy 32:35Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.'
- Isaiah 34:8For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.
- Isaiah 59:18According to their deeds, so will he repay, wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies; to the coastlands he will render repayment.
- Jeremiah 51:6"Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the Lord's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her.
- Luke 18:7And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
Commentaries on Joel 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4What have ye to do with me - Why have the Syrians and Sidonians joined their other enemies to oppress my people? for they who touch my people touch me. Will ye render me a recompense? - Do you think by this to avenge yourselves upon the Almighty? to retaliate upon God! Proceed, and speedily will I return your recompense; I will retaliate.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Yea, and what have ye to do with Me? - Literally, “and also, what are ye to Me?” The words, “And also,” show that this is something additional to the deeds of those before spoken of. Those, instanced before, were great oppressors, such as dispersed the former people of God and “divided their land.” In addition to these, God condemns here another class, those who, without having power to destroy, harass and vex His heritage. The words, “what are ye to Me?”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon, along with the cities of Philistia, were guilty of stealing valuable treasures from Jerusalem. They also sold the people of Jerusalem as slaves to the Greeks (see Amos 1:6, 9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. what have ye to do with me--Ye have no connection with Me (that is, with My people: God identifying Himself with Israel); I (that is, My people) have given you no cause of quarrel, why then do ye trouble Me (that is, My people)? (Compare the same phrase, Jos 22:24; Jud 11:12; 2Sa 16:10; Mt 8:29). Tyre ... Zidon ... Palestine--(Am 1:6, 9). if ye recompense me--If ye injure Me (My people), in revenge for fancied wrongs (Eze 25:15-17), I will requite you…Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 3:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joel 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries