Joel 3 · Verse 6

Joel 3:6

The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.
Joel 3:6, King James Version

Joel 3:6 in other translations

BSBYou sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland.
WEBand have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their border.
ASVand have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem unto the sons of the Grecians, that ye may remove them far from their border;
YLTAnd sons of Judah, and sons of Jerusalem, Ye have sold to the sons of Javan, To put them far off from their border.
DARBYand the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the children of the Greeks, that ye might remove them far from their border.
BBEAnd the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem you have given for a price to the sons of the Greeks, to send them far away from their land:
WebsterThe children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold to the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

What does Joel 3:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. Grecians--literally, "Javanites," that is, the Ionians, a Greek colony on the coast of Asia Minor who were the first Greeks known to the Jews. The Greeks themselves, however, in their original descent came from Javan (Ge 10:2, 4). Probably the germ of Greek civilization in part came through the Jewish slaves imported into Greece from Phoenicia by traffickers. Eze 27:13 mentions Javan and Tyre as trading in the persons of men. far from their border--far from Judea; so that the captive Jews were cut off from all hope of return.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Sold unto the Grecians - These were the descendants of Javan, Gen 10:2-5. And with them the Tyrians trafficked, Eze 27:19. That ye might remove them far from their border - Intending to send them as far off as possible, that it might be impossible for them to get back to reclaim the land of which you had dispossessed them.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joel 3:1-8

God's judgments in the latter days. (Joel 3:1-8) The extent of these judgments. (Joel 3:9-17) The blessings the church shall enjoy. (Joel 3:18-21) Verses 1-8 The restoration of the Jews, and the final victory of true religion over all opposers, appear to be here foretold. The contempt and scorn with which the Jews have often been treated as a people, and the little value set upon them, are noticed. None ever…

Read the full comment on Joel 3:1-8 →

Joel 3:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּבְנֵ֤יu.ve.Neiand [the] people ofH1121
יְהוּדָה֙ye.hu.DahJudahH3063
וּבְנֵ֣יu.ve.Neiand [the] people ofH1121
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םye.ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389
מְכַרְתֶּ֖םme.khar.Temyou soldH4376
לִבְנֵ֣יliv.Neito [the] people ofH1121
הַיְּוָנִ֑יםhai.ye.va.Nimthe GreeksH3125
לְמַ֥עַןle.Ma.'anso asH4616
הַרְחִיקָ֖םhar.chi.Kamto remove far away themH7368
מֵעַ֥לme.'Alfrom onH5921
גְּבוּלָֽם\׃ge.vu.Lamown territory theirH1366

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joel 3:6

  • Ezekiel 27:13

    Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.

  • Joel 3:3

    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 3:8

    And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it.

  • Deuteronomy 28:68

    And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

  • Deuteronomy 28:32

    Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
have ye.
3,8; De 28:32,68; Eze 27:13
Grecians. Heb. sons of the Grecians.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joel 3:5

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

  • Joel 3:6

    The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

  • Joel 3:7

    Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

Read all of Joel 3

Joel 3:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y vendisteis los hijos de Judá y los hijos de Jerusalem á los hijos de los Griegos, por alejarlos de sus términos.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und die Kinder Judas und die Kinder Jerusalems den Kindern der Griechen verkauft habt, um sie weit von ihrer Grenze zu entfernen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et filios Juda et filios Jerusalem vendidistis filiis Græcorum, ut longe faceretis eos de finibus suis.