The Meaning of Joel 3:4 Explained

Joel 3:4

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;

YLT: And also, what are ye to Me, O Tyre and Zidon, And all circuits of Philistia? Recompence are ye rendering unto Me? And if ye are giving recompence to Me, Swiftly, hastily, I turn back your recompence on your head.

Darby: Yea also, what have ye to do with me, O Tyre and Zidon, and all the districts of Philistia? Will ye render me a recompence? But if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I bring your recompence upon your own head;

ASV: Yea, and what are ye to me, O Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? will ye render me a recompense? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does Joel 3:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord addressed the Phoenicians and Philistines directly. They had no special relationship to Yahweh, as Israel did, and they had not been just in dealing with the Israelites. The Lord promised to repay them for their sins. Probably these nations are representative of all Israel"s enemies since God said later that He would judge all of them ( Joel 3:12).

Context Summary

Joel 3:1-21 - "the Valley Of Decision"
Having stated the outward blessings that would follow repentance, Joel unveils the extraordinary spiritual blessings that were in store. The outpouring of the Spirit, described in Acts 2:16-17, does not exhaust these glorious words. This blessing is for all whom the Lord our God shall call to Himself, and as one to whom His call has come, you have a perfect right to claim your share in Pentecost. The promise is to all that are "afar off" in space and time. The very slaves, the most degraded and despised of men, become free when they yield themselves to Jesus and have an equal right to the same Spirit.
Joel 3:1-21 refers to the last desperate effort made by the powers of the world against Christ and His people. This will be the closing scene of man's apostasy. But the Lord will vindicate and deliver His oppressed from the hand of their oppressors; and the same judgment will bring them blessing. Having cleansed His people from their stains, Messiah will tabernacle among them, Revelation 21:3 [source]

Chapter Summary: Joel 3

1  God's judgments against the enemies of his people
9  God will be known in his judgment
18  His blessing upon the church

What do the individual words in Joel 3:4 mean?

And indeed what have you to do with Me Tyre and Sidon and all the coasts of Philistia retaliate you will against Me but if retaliate against Me Swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head
וְ֠גַם מָה־ אַתֶּ֥ם לִי֙ צֹ֣ר וְצִיד֔וֹן וְכֹ֖ל גְּלִיל֣וֹת ؟ פְּלָ֑שֶׁת ؟ הַגְּמ֗וּל אַתֶּם֙ מְשַׁלְּמִ֣ים עָלָ֔י וְאִם־ גֹּמְלִ֤ים עָלַ֔י קַ֣ל מְהֵרָ֔ה אָשִׁ֥יב גְּמֻלְכֶ֖ם בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם

וְ֠גַם  And  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אַתֶּ֥ם  have  you 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
לִי֙  to  do  with  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
צֹ֣ר  Tyre 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֹור 
Sense: the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast.
וְצִיד֔וֹן  and  Sidon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִידֹון  
Sense: ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre.
וְכֹ֖ל  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
גְּלִיל֣וֹת  the  coasts 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: גְּלִילָה  
Sense: circuit, boundary, territory.
؟ פְּלָ֑שֶׁת  of  Philistia 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פְּלֶשֶׁת  
Sense: the general territory on the west coast of Canaan or the entire country of Palestine.
؟ הַגְּמ֗וּל  retaliate 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּמוּל  
Sense: dealing, recompense, benefit.
עָלָ֔י  against  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְאִם־  but  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
גֹּמְלִ֤ים  retaliate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
עָלַ֔י  against  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
קַ֣ל  Swiftly 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קַל  
Sense: swift, light, fleet.
מְהֵרָ֔ה  and  speedily 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְהֵרָה  
Sense: haste, speed.
אָשִׁ֥יב  I  will  return 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
גְּמֻלְכֶ֖ם  your  retaliation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: גְּמוּל  
Sense: dealing, recompense, benefit.
בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם  upon  your  own  head 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.