Joel 3:15
What does Joel 3:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Joel 3:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Joel 3:15 means
Creation itself registers the day: “The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.” Such language signals a divine visitation that interrupts the ordinary order. Lights that ruled day and night fade before the Lord’s appearing, as if creation turns down its brightness to highlight its Maker. These signs also speak of judgment—human lights go out, false securities fail, and history’s clock pauses before God’s court. The verse warns against trusting the stable patterns of life; when the Lord acts in finality, even the heavens yield, and earthly powers that seemed fixed will be shown fragile.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The sun and the moon have become dark, and the stars keep back their shining.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
Context
After the valley fills with multitudes awaiting God’s decision, the next movement is cosmic. Verse 15 introduces apocalyptic signs that often accompany the Day of the Lord in prophetic literature. These prepare the way for verse 16, where the Lord’s voice roars from Zion. The darkening sky frames the contrast: universal shaking for the nations, yet refuge for God’s people.
v.14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision.
v.15This passage
v.16And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Jehovah will be a refuge unto his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Joel 2:31
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh.
- Revelation 6:12
And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood;
- Matthew 24:29
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
- Luke 21:25
And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows;
- Isaiah 13:10
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine.
- Joel 2:10
The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
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