Joel 3 3

Joel 3:3 kjv

And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Joel 3:3 nkjv

They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.

Joel 3:3 niv

They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink.

Joel 3:3 esv

and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

Joel 3:3 nlt

They threw dice to decide which of my people
would be their slaves.
They traded boys to obtain prostitutes
and sold girls for enough wine to get drunk.

Joel 3 verses

Joel 3 3 Meaning

Joel 3:3 graphically describes the profound contempt and extreme dehumanization shown by nations toward God's people, Israel. They subjected the Israelites to the arbitrary, undignified fate of a gambling game, akin to property. The verse highlights two specific heinous acts: exchanging a male child for the services of a harlot, and selling a female child for mere wine. These actions represent the ultimate devaluation of human life, treating God's covenant people as less than property, used solely for fleeting gratification and debauchery, rather than for economic gain or a means of production. It emphasizes the profound offense this caused God, provoking His righteous judgment upon these nations.

Joel 3 3 Context

Joel chapter 3 (or 4 in Hebrew Bibles) shifts the focus from Israel's repentance and restoration to God's judgment upon the nations. Following pronouncements of the Day of the Lord against Judah (ch. 1-2), the prophet Joel now describes God gathering all nations into the Valley of Jehoshaphat (meaning "The LORD judges") to execute judgment upon them. This judgment is specifically "for My heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations" (v. 2). Verse 3 details the specific egregious actions of these nations that provoked God's wrath: the contemptuous enslavement and exploitation of His people. The preceding verses (v. 1-2) set the stage for this divine reckoning, promising restoration for Israel concurrent with the severe punishment of those who harmed them.

Joel 3 3 Word Analysis

• And they have cast lots: Hebrew: וְעַל־עַמִּי יָד וּ יַשְׁלִיכ וּ (wəʿal-ʿammî yādû yashlîkû).
  • cast lots (yādû / yashlîkû): Signifies an arbitrary, dehumanizing act, reducing individuals to mere commodities subject to chance or whim. It suggests total disregard for their inherent dignity and identity as God's people. This was not about strategic slavery for labor, but sheer, debased objectification.
• for my people: Hebrew: עַל־עַמִּי (ʿal-ʿammî).
  • My people: This possessive pronoun is crucial. It asserts God's special claim over Israel. The nations' actions are not merely crimes against humanity but a direct offense against God Himself, provoking His divine jealousy and wrath (Exod 19:5, Deut 7:6).
• and have given a boy: Hebrew: וְנָתְנוּ הַיֶּלֶד (wənaṯnû hayyeleḏ).
  • boy (hayyeleḏ): A young male, typically highly valued in ancient patriarchal societies. His sacrifice for fleeting pleasure emphasizes the extreme depravity.
  • given: Literally "handed over," implying transaction.
• for an harlot: Hebrew: בַּזּוֹנָה (bazzônâ).
  • harlot/prostitute (zōnâ): A symbol of debauchery and immorality. The trade of a child, a life, for sexual gratification, highlights the absolute contempt for purity, innocence, and life itself.
• and sold a girl: Hebrew: וְהַנַּעֲרָה מָכְרוּ (wəhannaʿărâ māḵrû).
  • girl (hannaʿărâ): A young female, equally vulnerable.
  • sold (māḵrû): Explicitly indicating commercial transaction, further underscoring the commodification.
• for wine: Hebrew: בַּיַּיִן (bayyayin).
  • wine (bayyayin): A symbol of indulgence and fleeting pleasure, often associated with revelry. Exchanging a life for an intoxicating drink epitomizes the profound disrespect and moral degradation of the nations.
• that they might drink: Hebrew: וְיִשְׁתּוּ (wəyištû).
  • that they might drink: Explicitly states the trivial purpose for such an abhorrent act. It was not out of necessity, but for hedonistic indulgence, making the sin even more reprehensible.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "cast lots for My people": This phrase paints a picture of extreme dehumanization. "Casting lots" reduces human beings to mere pawns, subject to the arbitrary will of others, like an object in a lottery. This isn't forced labor, but ultimate degradation and objectification, stripping away any dignity and identity as belonging to God.
• "given a boy for a harlot": This exemplifies moral bankruptcy. The value of an innocent young life, especially a male heir, is equated with the price of sexual gratification. It indicates the nations' depraved priorities and their complete disregard for the sacredness of human life.
• "sold a girl for wine": This further emphasizes the casual cruelty and ultimate trivialization of human existence. A young female's life is bartered for a mere beverage, for temporary pleasure. This acts as a severe indictment of the nations' insensitivity, self-indulgence, and utter contempt for the people of God. The pairing of "harlot" and "wine" highlights a pattern of licentiousness and revelry at the cost of unimaginable suffering.

Joel 3 3 Bonus Section

• The atrocities described in this verse serve as a key justification for the severe "Day of the Lord" judgment against the nations later in Joel 3. God's retribution will be commensurate with their acts.
• This verse provides a powerful example of lex talionis (law of retaliation), as later verses show God "turning back their recompense upon their own head" (Joel 3:4, 7). The nations treated God's people as commodities for pleasure, and God will deal with them according to His sovereign judgment.
• While slavery existed in the ancient world, the particular acts described (selling children for debauched consumption rather than labor or strategic gain) demonstrate a heightened level of cruelty and utter disdain for human worth, emphasizing the unique depravity of these particular enemies of Israel.
• The linking of children to prostitutes and wine highlights a specific form of sexual and hedonistic exploitation that profoundly offended God's moral order.

Joel 3 3 Commentary

Joel 3:3 is a poignant indictment of the nations' moral depravity and their contemptuous treatment of God's chosen people, Israel. It graphically portrays the depth of their sin by detailing acts that represent the extreme commodification and dehumanization of human life. The casting of lots for "My people" emphasizes God's direct ownership and how actions against Israel are seen as affronts to Him. The trading of a young boy for a prostitute and a young girl for wine are not merely acts of economic slavery; they signify an utterly depraved society that values fleeting sensual pleasure over the sanctity of human life, even that of children. This profound disrespect and debasement of God's heritage became the direct provocation for the severe judgment Joel predicts will be poured out upon these nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. This verse underscores that divine justice is not arbitrary but a righteous response to specific, abhorrent wickedness. It teaches the enduring truth that God defends His own and will repay those who harm the innocent, especially His covenant people, in measure with their cruelty.