Joel 3:5

Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

Because ye have taken {H3947} my silver {H3701} and my gold {H2091}, and have carried {H935} into your temples {H1964} my goodly {H2896} pleasant things {H4261}:

You took my silver and gold. You brought my good treasures into your temples.

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

Forasmuch as ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly precious things,

Commentary

Joel 3:5 is part of a prophetic declaration by the prophet Joel concerning God's judgment upon the nations who have mistreated His people, Israel. This verse specifically highlights a grave offense committed by these nations, leading to divine retribution.

Context

Following a vivid description of the "Day of the Lord" and its implications for Judah, Joel shifts focus in chapter 3 to the nations surrounding Israel. God gathers these nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (meaning "The Lord judges") to bring judgment upon them. Verses Joel 3:4-8 specify the charges against Tyre, Zidon, and the Philistine coasts, which include selling the people of Judah and Jerusalem into slavery and plundering their resources. Verse 5 zeroes in on the blatant disrespect shown to God by taking what was His and dedicating it to pagan deities.

Key Themes

  • Divine Ownership and Sovereignty: The phrase "my silver and my gold" emphatically declares God's ownership over these treasures, whether they were actual temple artifacts, the general wealth of His people, or even the very resources of the earth itself. This underscores the theological principle that all silver and gold belong to the Lord.
  • Blatant Desecration and Idolatry: The act of carrying God's "goodly pleasant things" (valuable, desirable items) into "your temples" of pagan gods was a profound act of sacrilege. It was not merely theft but a deliberate defiance of Yahweh, attributing His blessings or His people's wealth to false deities. This challenged God's supremacy and was a direct affront to His holiness.
  • Justification for Judgment: This verse provides a clear reason for the severe judgment that God is about to unleash upon these nations. Their actions were not just against Israel but directly against God Himself, provoking His righteous anger and ensuring their just recompense.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "goodly pleasant things" (ื—ึฒืžึปื“ื•ึนืช ืžึฐืึนื“ึดื™ื - chamudot me'odim) conveys items that are highly desirable, precious, or beautiful. It emphasizes the value and significance of what was stolen, making the act of taking them and dedicating them to idols even more egregious in God's eyes.

Practical Application

Joel 3:5 serves as a powerful reminder of God's unwavering justice and His defense of His people. It teaches us that:

  • God sees and will hold accountable those who oppress the vulnerable and disrespect His sovereignty.
  • There are severe consequences for those who plunder what belongs to God or His people, especially when done in defiance of His name or to glorify false gods.
  • This verse reaffirms God's ultimate authority over all wealth and resources, and His ultimate victory over all opposing forces. It points to a day when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.
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Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 21:16 (4 votes)

    Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that [were] near the Ethiopians:

  • 2 Chronicles 21:17 (4 votes)

    And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

  • 2 Kings 12:18 (3 votes)

    And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold [that was] found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent [it] to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

  • 2 Kings 24:13 (3 votes)

    And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

  • 2 Kings 18:15 (3 votes)

    And Hezekiah gave [him] all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.

  • 2 Kings 18:16 (3 votes)

    At that time did Hezekiah cut off [the gold from] the doors of the temple of the LORD, and [from] the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

  • 2 Kings 16:8 (3 votes)

    And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent [it for] a present to the king of Assyria.