Joel 3:17

Blessings for God’s People

17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.

Joel 3:17 in Other Translations

KJV
17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
ESV
17 "So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.
NLT
17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, live in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy forever, and foreign armies will never conquer her again.
MSG
17 Then you'll know for sure that I'm your God, Living in Zion, my sacred mountain. Jerusalem will be a sacred city, posted: 'no trespassing.'
CSB
17 Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never overrun it again.

Joel 3:17 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 3:17

So shall ye know that I [am] the Lord your God dwelling in
Zion, my holy mountain
The church of God, which is his dwelling place; and will appear more manifestly to be so at this time, when Christ the Lamb will stand on Mount Zion, with an 144,000, having his Father's name in their foreheads, ( Revelation 14:1 ) ; and which presence of the Lord will be clearly discerned by his people; by the destruction of their enemies, and by his protection of them; by his being their hope and strength, their refuge and their fortress; they will experimentally know his divine inhabitation among them: then shall Jerusalem be holy;
or "holiness" F19; not Jerusalem, literally taken, as Kimchi; though, it being now rebuilt, will be inhabited by holy persons, the converted Jews, and so all manner of holiness practised in it; but rather the whole church of God everywhere, consisting of holy persons, made so through the holiness of Christ imputed to them, and the sanctifying grace of his Spirit wrought in them; not that they will be perfectly holy in themselves, as the saints will in the New Jerusalem state, ( Revelation 21:2 Revelation 21:27 ) ; but they will be greatly so; holiness will be predominant and universal among men; there will be more real saints, and fewer hypocrites will be in the churches; see ( Isaiah 4:3 ) ( Zechariah 14:20 Zechariah 14:21 ) ; and there shall no strangers pass through her any more;
to hurt and annoy the church of God; for there shall be none in these times to molest, disturb, and hurt, in all the holy mountain of the Lord, ( Isaiah 11:9 ) ; or to pollute her with false doctrine, superstitious worship, or morality; or her communion shall not be interrupted and made uncomfortable, or she be pestered with hypocrites and ungodly persons, strangers to God and godliness, to Christ, his Spirit, and the power of religion; see ( Isaiah 52:1 ) ( Ezekiel 44:9 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F19 (vdq) "sanctitas", Munster, Mercerus, Vatablus, Piscator, Tarnovius.

Joel 3:17 In-Context

15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
16 The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.
18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias.
19 But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.

Cross References 6

  • 1. S Exodus 6:7
  • 2. S Joel 2:27
  • 3. S Psalms 74:2; S Isaiah 4:3
  • 4. Psalms 2:6; S Isaiah 2:2; S Ezekiel 17:22
  • 5. S Jeremiah 31:40
  • 6. S Isaiah 52:1; S Ezekiel 44:9; Zechariah 9:8
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