Joel 3:15 kjv
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
Joel 3:15 nkjv
The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness.
Joel 3:15 niv
The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
Joel 3:15 esv
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
Joel 3:15 nlt
The sun and moon will grow dark,
and the stars will no longer shine.
Joel 3 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 13:10 | For the stars...will not give their light; the sun...and the moon... | Cosmic judgment for Babylon |
| Eze 32:7-8 | When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; | Judgment on Pharaoh and Egypt |
| Amos 8:9 | I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight | Darkness during the Day of the Lord |
| Zep 1:15 | That day is a day of wrath...a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds | Day of the Lord as a dark day |
| Mt 24:29 | Immediately after the distress...the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; and the stars will fall | Jesus' prophecy of end-time signs |
| Mk 13:24-25 | But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; and the stars will be falling | Signs of tribulation and Christ's coming |
| Lk 21:25-26 | And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress | Cosmic signs before Christ's return |
| Rev 6:12-14 | when he opened the sixth seal...the sun became black...and the moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell | Sixth seal cosmic disturbances |
| Acts 2:20 | The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord | Peter quoting Joel on Pentecost |
| Mal 4:1-2 | For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all arrogant... | Day of the Lord consumes wicked |
| Hag 2:6 | Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land | God shakes creation |
| Heb 12:26-27 | Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. This means that creation...may be removed | Shaking for permanence of His kingdom |
| 2 Pet 3:10-12 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar...and the earth...be burned up | End of current cosmos |
| Jude 1:13 | wild waves of the sea...wandering stars for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever | Apostates doomed to darkness |
| Nah 1:5-6 | The mountains quake before him...who can stand before his indignation? | God's overwhelming power |
| Gen 1:14-18 | God said, "Let there be lights...to give light on the earth..." | God established cosmic order at creation |
| Psa 19:1-6 | The heavens declare the glory of God...the sun...goes forth | Heavens show God's glory when shining |
| Job 9:7 | who commands the sun not to shine and sets a seal upon the stars | God's absolute control over cosmos |
| Isa 60:19-20 | The sun shall be no more your light by day...but the LORD will be your everlasting light | God is the ultimate light for His people |
| Rev 21:23-25 | The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb | No need for sun/moon in New Jerusalem |
Joel 3 verses
Joel 3 15 Meaning
Joel 3:15 describes a dramatic cessation of light from the most prominent celestial bodies—the sun, moon, and stars. This divine act of cosmic disturbance signifies a profound disruption of the natural order and serves as a universal sign of the imminent "Day of the Lord," a period characterized by unparalleled divine judgment against nations and the ultimate vindication and establishment of God's people. It symbolizes the removal of all earthly sources of light and false hopes, paving the way for God's unique manifestation and light.
Joel 3 15 Context
Joel 3 provides a stark depiction of the "Day of the Lord," specifically focusing on God's judgment upon the nations gathered in the "Valley of Jehoshaphat," a symbolic location for divine judgment. These nations are judged for their past oppression and exploitation of Judah and Jerusalem. Amidst the calls for nations to prepare for battle and the vivid imagery of a divine harvest of judgment, verse 15 presents a profound cosmic disruption. This marks an escalation in the signs of divine intervention, moving beyond earthly upheavals to an unprecedented failure of the celestial order. For the original audience, who lived in a world where many cultures worshipped the sun, moon, and stars as deities or relied on them for astrological omens, this prophetic imagery serves as a powerful polemic. It demonstrates YHWH's absolute sovereignty, asserting that even these revered cosmic bodies are entirely subservient to Him and can be extinguished at His command, proving the impotence of false gods and the absolute power of Israel's God. The cosmic chaos signals the collapse of the existing world order before the establishment of God's righteous rule and the full blessing upon Zion.
Joel 3 15 Word analysis
The sun (הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, haš-še-meš): The Hebrew word shemesh refers to the sun, the primary source of light and warmth. Its inclusion signifies the disruption of the natural order that governs day. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the sun was often deified (e.g., Egyptian Ra, Mesopotamian Shamash), making its darkening a direct polemical statement about God's supremacy over all supposed gods and their limited power.
and moon (וְהַיָּרֵחַ, wə-hay-yā-rê-aḥ): The Hebrew word yareach refers to the moon, governing the night and cycles. Its obscuring alongside the sun underscores a comprehensive, total absence of light, affecting both day and night. The moon also held religious significance in various pagan cults, reinforcing God's unrivaled power.
will be darkened (קָדְרוּ, qāḏ-rū): From the Hebrew root qadar, meaning to be dark, gloomy, to mourn, or to be obscured. This is more than a natural eclipse; it signifies a supernatural, divine act of blotting out their radiance, consistent with a time of great judgment and distress. The verbal form suggests a definite, divinely orchestrated cessation.
and the stars (וְהַכּוֹכָבִים, wə-hak-kō-wḵā-ḇîm): The Hebrew word kochav refers to stars, the multitude of smaller celestial lights. Their inclusion completes the picture of a universal and complete darkness. Stars were also significant in ancient astrology and often linked to lesser deities, making their withdrawal of light a final demonstration of YHWH's absolute dominion over all heavenly bodies and all forces.
will no longer give their light (אָסְפוּ נָגְהָם, ’ā-sə-fū nā-ḡə-hā): This phrase, literally "they will withdraw their brightness" or "they will gather in their light," further emphasizes the deliberate and active cessation of light by divine decree. The verb asaph (to gather, withdraw) highlights that the light is not merely diminished but actively taken away or withdrawn by these bodies at God's command. This clarifies that it is not a temporary dimming, but a complete removal of their inherent illumination.
Words-group Analysis:
"The sun and moon will be darkened": This pair represents the two major, consistent sources of light and cosmic order in God's creation, one for day and one for night (Gen 1:16). Their simultaneous darkening signifies a fundamental, supernatural reversal of creation's order, indicative of God's profound intervention, bringing chaos upon the old system.
"and the stars will no longer give their light": The inclusion of the stars makes the celestial disruption complete. It points to a total, all-encompassing darkness across the cosmos, leaving no source of natural illumination. This comprehensive loss of light underscores the terrifying and absolute nature of divine judgment and the helplessness of any power outside of God.
Joel 3 15 Bonus section
The motif of cosmic signs on the Day of the Lord is a recurring theme across Old Testament prophets and finds strong echoes in the New Testament, notably in Jesus' eschatological discourse and the book of Revelation. This consistent portrayal of celestial disturbances indicates its significance as a definitive sign of divine intervention and a global, unmistakable herald of the end of one age and the ushering in of another. This overwhelming display of God's power over the very elements of creation assures His ultimate control and the fulfillment of His purposes. The cessation of all natural light ultimately points to God Himself being the light of His new creation, where earthly sources are no longer needed, for His glory illuminates all things (Rev 21:23-25).
Joel 3 15 Commentary
Joel 3:15 uses vivid, apocalyptic imagery to portray the magnitude of the "Day of the Lord." The cessation of light from the sun, moon, and stars is not merely a metaphor for despair but a depiction of a literal, divine intervention that alters the fabric of creation. This supernatural phenomenon underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, effectively dethroning any cosmic entities or forces worshipped by pagan nations. It signals a universal judgment, affecting both nature and nations, leading to unprecedented darkness for the unrighteous. Yet, for God's people, this profound darkness also anticipates a glorious new dawn, where God Himself will become the eternal light, signifying that judgment is always a precursor to a restored and perfected order for His chosen.