God’s Word Translation
Joel 3:4
4“Now what do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will quickly pay you back for what you have done.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
- 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;
Context of Joel 3:4
2I will gather all the nations. I will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will judge them there. They scattered the Israelites, the people who belong to me, among the nations. They divided my land. 3They threw dice for my people. They traded boys for prostitutes. They sold girls so that they could buy wine to drink. “Now what do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will quickly pay you back for what you have done. 5You took my silver and my gold. You brought my finest treasures to your temples. 6You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks. That way you could send them far away from their land.
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 11:12Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon. They asked the king, “Why did you invade my land and wage war against me?”
- 2 Chronicles 21:16The Lord prompted the Philistines and the Arabs who lived near the people of Sudan to attack Jehoram.
- 2 Chronicles 28:17The Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and captured prisoners.
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
- Amos 1:6This is what the Lord says: Because Gaza has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Philistines have taken all the people captive in order to hand them over to the Edomites.
- Zechariah 9:2and also Hamath, which borders on it, and Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. (The eyes of humanity and of all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord.)
- Ezekiel 25:12“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Edom took revenge on the nation of Judah and became guilty because of it.
- Deuteronomy 32:35I will take revenge and be satisfied. In due time their foot will slip, because their day of disaster is near. Their doom is coming quickly.
- Isaiah 34:8The Lord will have a day of vengeance, a year of revenge in defense of Zion.
- Isaiah 59:18He will pay them back according to their deeds. He will pay back his opponents with wrath and punish his enemies. He will pay back the people who live on the coastlands.
- Jeremiah 51:6Run away from Babylon! Run for your lives! You shouldn’t die because of Babylon’s crimes. This is the time for the vengeance of the Lord. He will pay the people of Babylon back for what they have done.
- Luke 18:7Won’t God give his chosen people justice when they cry out to him for help day and night? Is he slow to help them?
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6Certainly, it is right for God to give suffering to those who cause you to suffer.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries