Joel – Chapter 3

Old Testament21 Verses

Chapter Summary

"For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:" — so begins Joel 3. Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and holiness. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:

2I will gather together all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Josaphat: and I will plead with them there for my people, and for my inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and have parted my land.

3And they have cast lots upon my people: and the boy they have put in the stews, and the girl they have sold for wine, that they might drink.

4But what have you to do with me, O Tyre, and Sidon, and all the coast of the Philistines? will you revenge yourselves on me? and if you revenge yourselves on me, I will very soon return you a recompense upon your own head.

5For you have taken away my silver, and my gold: and my desirable, and most beautiful things you have carried into your temples.

6And the children of Juda, and the children of Jerusalem, you have sold to the children of the Greeks, that you might remove them far off from their own country.

7Behold, I will raise them up out of the place wherein you have sold them: and I will return your recompense upon your own heads.

8And I will sell your sons, and your daughters, by the hands of the children of Juda, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far off, for the Lord hath spoken it.

9Proclaim ye this among the nations: Prepare war, raise up the strong: let them come, let all the men of war come up.

10Cut your ploughshares into swords, and your spades into spears. Let the weak say: I am strong.

11Break forth, and come, all ye nations from round about, and gather yourselves together: there will the Lord cause all thy strong ones to fall down.

12Let them arise, and let the nations come up into the valley of Josaphat: for there I will sit to judge all nations round about.

13Put ye in the sickles, for the harvest is ripe: come and go down, for the press is full, the fats run over: for their wickedness is multiplied.

14Nations, nations in the valley of destruction: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of destruction.

15The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining.

16And the Lord shall roar out of Sion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem: and the heavens and the earth shall be moved, and the Lord shall be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

17And you shall know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Sion, my holy mountain: and Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall pass through it no more.

18And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweetness, and the hills shall flow with milk: and waters shall flow through all the rivers of Juda: and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the torrent of thorns.

19Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom a wilderness destroyed: because they have done unjustly against the children of Juda, and have shed innocent blood in their land.

20And Judea shall be inhabited for ever, and Jerusalem to generation and generation.

21And I will cleanse their blood, which I had not cleansed: and the Lord will dwell in Sion.

Important Verses in Joel 3

For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:

Joel 3:1

And I will sell your sons, and your daughters, by the hands of the children of Juda, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far off, for the Lord hath spoken it.

Joel 3:8

And you shall know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Sion, my holy mountain: and Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall pass through it no more.

Joel 3:17

And I will cleanse their blood, which I had not cleansed: and the Lord will dwell in Sion.

Joel 3:21

Historical Context

Joel belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for judah called to repentance, and the future Church of Pentecost. Chapter 3 of 3 brings the book to its close, gathering up themes introduced earlier. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter begins: "For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:" It concludes: "And I will cleanse their blood, which I had not cleansed: and the Lord will dwell in Sion. " In terms of historical background, A devastating locust plague becomes Joel's image of the coming Day of the Lord, prompting his summons: 'Rend your hearts and not your garments' (Joel 2:13)—read by the Church every Ash Wednesday. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Uncertain; commonly dated to the 5th-4th century BC.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Joel, son of Pethuel

When It Was Written

Uncertain; commonly dated to the 5th-4th century BC

Catholic Commentary

The literal sense of Joel 3 unfolds through 21 verses that carry forward the message of the Day of the Lord and the outpouring of the Spirit. A pivotal line is verse 1: "For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:" The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

Catholic exegesis reads Joel 3 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Joel's prophecy is fulfilled at Pentecost (CIC 715). St. Bede the Venerable and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 2559).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.
  • God's presence casts out fear; His command 'Be not afraid' echoes throughout salvation history.

Reflection for Today

Joel Chapter 3, containing 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation, offers a distinct passage for prayer and meditation.

The Magisterium teaches that every biblical passage must be read in light of Christ, the center of Scripture (CIC 756). Here the emphasis falls on living the Gospel in daily work, which shapes how the Church understands the Day of the Lord and the outpouring of the Spirit.

Entrust your meditation to Mary, who pondered God's Word in her heart. Through her intercession, may the message of living the Gospel in daily work bear fruit in humility, courage, and charity this day.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Joel Chapter 3 about?

Joel 3 contains 21 verses. It opens with "For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:" and closes with "And I will cleanse their blood, which I had not cleansed: and the Lord will dwell in Sion. ". The book as a whole is prophetic oracles.

What is a key verse in Joel 3?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "For behold in those days, and in that time when I shall bring back the captivity of Juda, and Jerusalem:" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Joel and when?

The prophet Joel, son of Pethuel. Uncertain; commonly dated to the 5th-4th century BC.

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