Joel 3:4

4 And also: Tyre, Sidon, and all the territories of Philistia-what are you to Me? Are you paying Me back or trying to get even with Me? I will quickly bring retribution on your heads.^[a]

Joel 3:4 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 3:4

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all
the coasts of Palestine?
&c.] The Tyrians, Zidonians, and Philistines, were near neighbours of the Jews, and implacable enemies to them; and are here put for the enemies of the true church of Christ, the Papists and Turks, and in whose possession those places now are: these are addressed by the Lord, inquiring or demanding the reason of their ill usage of him and his people: "what have ye to do with me?" to be called by my name, or accounted my people? I know you not, nor will I have any fellowship with you: or what have ye to do with my people, to disturb and distress them? what wrong have I or they done you, that you thus use them? will ye render me a recompence?
for turning you out of your land, and putting my people into it? do you think to retaliate this? and if ye recompense me;
by doing an injury to my people: swiftly [and] speedily will I return your recompence upon your own
head;
bring swift and sudden destruction upon you.

Joel 3:4 In-Context

2 I will gather all the nations and take them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with them there because of My people, My inheritance Israel. The nations have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided up My land.

3 They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.

4 And also: Tyre, Sidon, and all the territories of Philistia-what are you to Me? Are you paying Me back or trying to get even with Me? I will quickly bring retribution on your heads.

5 For you took My silver and gold and carried My finest treasures to your temples.

6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks to remove them far from their own territory.

Footnotes

• [a] Jl 3:7; Ps 28:4