New English Translation
Joel 3:4
4Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon? Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia? I will very quickly repay you 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
2Then I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment against them there concerning my people Israel who are my inheritance, whom they scattered among the nations. They partitioned my land, 3and they cast lots for my people. They traded a boy for a prostitute; they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink. Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon? Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia? I will very quickly repay you for what you have done! 5For you took my silver and my gold and brought my precious valuables to your own palaces. 6You sold Judeans and Jerusalemites to the Greeks, removing them far from their own country.
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 Ammonite king, saying, “Why have you come against me to attack my land?”
- 2 Chronicles 21:16The Lord stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites.
- 2 Chronicles 28:17The Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried off captives.
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
- Amos 1:6This is what the Lord says: “Because Gaza has committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They deported a whole community and sold them to Edom.
- Zechariah 9:2as are those of Hamath also, which adjoins Damascus, and Tyre and Sidon, though they consider themselves to be very wise.
- Ezekiel 25:12“This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Edom has taken vengeance against the house of Judah; they have made themselves fully culpable by taking vengeance on them.
- Deuteronomy 32:35I will get revenge and pay them back at the time their foot slips; for the day of their disaster is near, and the impending judgment is rushing upon them!”
- Isaiah 34:8For the Lord has planned a day of revenge, a time when he will repay Edom for her hostility toward Zion.
- Isaiah 59:18He repays them for what they have done, dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries and punishing his enemies. He repays the coastlands.
- Jeremiah 51:6Get out of Babylonia quickly, you foreign people. Flee to save your lives. Do not let yourselves be killed because of her sins. For it is time for the Lord to wreak his revenge. He will pay Babylonia back for what she has done.
- Luke 18:7Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them?
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6For it is right for God 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries