Joel 3:15 — Word Study
WLCשֶׁ֥מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֖חַ קָדָ֑רוּ וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽם׃
BSAsunShe.mesh and moonve.ya.Re.ach they have become darkka.Da.ru■ ◂and [the] starsve.kho.kha.Vim they have withdrawn'a.se.Fu■ brightness theirna.ge.Ham
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ | sun | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| וְיָרֵ֖חַ | and moon | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| קָדָ֑רוּ | they have become dark | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים | and [the] stars | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| אָסְפ֥וּ | they have withdrawn | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| נָגְהָֽם׃ | brightness their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine. |
| KJV | The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. |
| ASV | The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. |
| YLT | Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining. |
| WEB | The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. |
| BBE | The sun and the moon have become dark, and the stars keep back their shining. |
Where they part company is קָדָרוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a conjunction phrase and a verb phrase, illustrating a clear progression of thought.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectH3556
verbH6937
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Joel 3:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Day of the LORDgenerated
Joel 3:15 speaks of a time when the sun and moon will darken, and the stars will cease to shine, marking a moment of divine intervention. This imagery connects to other prophetic texts, such as Joel 2:10 and Isaiah 13:10, which also depict cosmic signs accompanying the LORD's judgment. The passage serves to remind the people of the seriousness of the Day of the LORD and the need for repentance.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel 2:10–31 | Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness. |
| 2 | Isaiah 13:10 | For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. |
| 3 | Matthew 24:29 | Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ’ |
| 4 | Luke 21:25–26 | There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves. |
| 5 | Revelation 6:12–13 | And when I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ, She.meshgenerated
The word שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (shemesh) means 'sun' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be brilliant.' It encompasses various meanings, including directions like east and west, and can refer to the sun as an object of worship. In this verse, it indicates the celestial body that will experience darkness.
The sun's darkening is a significant sign in prophetic literature, indicating a shift in the natural order and the presence of divine judgment. The use of שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ here emphasizes the importance of the sun in the cosmic hierarchy.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb קָדָרוּ governs the main clause, indicating the action of becoming dark, while the subject כוֹכָבִ֖ים (the stars) and the following verb אָסְפ֥וּ (they have withdrawn) create a compound structure. Hebrew prose often presents ideas in a straightforward manner, emphasizing the actions of celestial bodies.
The structure highlights the cosmic upheaval, with the darkness of the sun and moon and the withdrawal of the stars forming a cohesive image of divine judgment.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
ἥλιος — sun — is the term used in the Septuagint to translate שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ. This choice aligns with the common Greek understanding of celestial bodies, emphasizing their role in the created order.
σελήνη — moon — similarly reflects the natural satellite's role, while the choice of ἀστέρας for כוֹכָבִ֖ים shows a consistent understanding of stars as significant entities in the heavens.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joel 3:15 describes a time when the sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine. This verse speaks of a significant cosmic event that indicates the Day of the LORD, a time of divine judgment and intervention in the world.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This imagery signifies a cosmic disturbance that accompanies the Day of the LORD, indicating a time of judgment and divine intervention.
Celestial bodies often symbolize power and authority in the created order, and their darkening signifies a shift in that order during moments of divine action.
Similar imagery appears in other prophetic writings, such as Isaiah 13:10 and Matthew 24:29, emphasizing the theme of cosmic signs during the Day of the LORD.
The withdrawal of the stars' brightness indicates a complete cosmic upheaval, reinforcing the seriousness of the situation and the need for repentance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do you think the darkening of the sun and moon signifies about God's judgment?
- How can we prepare ourselves for the Day of the LORD as described in this verse?
- In what ways do you see the themes of light and darkness reflected in your own life?
- How does understanding the prophetic imagery of this verse impact your view of God's sovereignty?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joel 3:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe sun and moon shall be darkened,.... Both the politic and ecclesiastic state of antichrist shall be ruined and destroyed; it shall "fare" with Rome Papal as it did with Rome Pagan, at the time of
Read John Gill on Joel 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The sun and the moon shall be darkened - (notes, Joe 2:10; Joe 2:31).
Read Robert Jamieson on Joel 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSee . When God doth in the valley of decision punish any of the kingdoms which persecuted and oppressed his church, the punishment shall be so great as to darken the glory of such kingdoms, it shall be to the utter overthrow of those kingdoms and governments; and so it was effected on Babylon by the Mede and Persian; so on this by the Grecians, and on them by their intestine wars, and by the Romans at last on these and on the murderers of Messiah.
Read Matthew Poole on Joel 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJoe 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.Ver. 15. The sun and the moon shall be darkened] he sets this note, "Signs which shall go before the last judgment," Matthew 24:29 Luke 21:25. The prophets, by such forms of speech, use to decipher greatest calamities when all things look dark; as it fareth also with them that are under spiritual desertion, Isaiah 50:10, who yet are exhorted there to "trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon their God"; to cast the anchor of hope, as Paul and his company did in the shipwreck, Acts 27:20, when they saw neither sun nor moon for many days together, and no small tempest lay upon them; all hope that…
Read John Trapp on Joel 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. The sun and the moon shall be darkened] High and mighty states shall be eclipsed, and brought to ruin, and the stars - petty states, princes, and governors-shall withdraw their shining; withhold their influence and tribute from the kingdoms to which they have belonged, and set up themselves as independent governors.
Read AdamClarke on Joel 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. The sun and the moon are black; and the stars withdraw their shining] Preternatural signs of the approaching ‘day.’ The words are repeated verbatim from Joe 2:10 b.
Read Cambridge on Joel 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe sun and the moon shall be darkened - This may be, either that they shall be outshone by the brightness of the glory of Christ, or that they themselves shall undergo a change, whereof the darkness
Read Albert Barnes on Joel 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible9-16. After this condemnation of the bitterest enemies of the chosen people the prophet returns to the announcement broken off in Joe 3:3.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joel 3 →The verse in English, compared — 8 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine.
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
Tyndale line
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
The sunne and moone shalbe darkened, and the starres shall withdrawe their light.
Simplified
The sun and the moon have become dark, and the stars keep back their shining.
The sun and moon will become dark, and the stars will stop shining.
Strictly literal
Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.
T4T (Translation for Translators) is not shown above. It restates the passage rather than the verse, so there is no line of English to set beside the others — which is a fact about that translation, not a fault in it.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֖חַ קָדָ֑רוּ וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽם׃
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Joel 3:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (shemesh) means 'sun' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be brilliant.' It encompasses various meanings, including directions like east and west, and can refer to the sun as an object of worship. Additionally, it can denote shining pinnacles or battlements.
שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ 133 n.f. et m. sun
sun
of direction: toward sun-rise, = East
obj. of worship
other phr.
pinnacle, as glittering, shining
base
H8121 שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ sun
8121 shemesh sheh'-mesh
from an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by
implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (arch.) a
notched battlement:--+ east side(-ward), sun ((rising)), +
west(-ward), window. See also 1053.
see HEBREW for 01053
שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (she.mesh) — sun.
1) sun
1a) sun
1b) sunrise, sun-rising, east, sun-setting, west (of direction)
1c) sun (as object of illicit worship)
1d) openly, publicly (in other phrases)
1e) pinnacles, battlements, shields (as glittering or shining)
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
Sun
(Heb. shemesh), first mentioned along with the moon as the two great luminaries of heaven (Gen. 1:14-18). By their motions and influence they were intended to mark and divide times and seasons. The worship of the sun was one of the oldest forms of false religion (Job 31:26,27), and was common among the Egyptians and Chaldeans and other pagan nations. The Jews were warned against this form of idolatry (Deut. 4:19; 17:3; comp. 2 Kings 23:11; Jer. 19:13).
In the history of "greater light," of the creation the sun is described as "greater light," in contradistinction to the moon, the "lesser light," in conjunction with which it was to serve "for signs and for seasons, and for days, and for years," while its special office was "to rule the day." (Genesis 1:14-16) The "signs" referred to were probably such extraordinary phenomena as eclipses, which were regarded as conveying premonitions of coming events. (Jeremiah 10:2; Matthew 24:29) with Luke 21:25 The joint influence assigned to the sun and moon in deciding the "seasons," both for agricultural operations and for religious festivals, and also in regulating the length and…
→ Created Ge 1:14-18; Ps 74:16; 136:7; Jer 31:35
→ Rising and setting of Ec 1:5
→ Diurnal motion of Ps 19:4,6
→ Worship of, forbidden De 4:19; 17:3
→ Worshiped Job 31:26-28; Jer 8:2; Eze 6:4,6; 8:16
→ Kings of Judah dedicate horses to 2Ki 23:11
→ Miracles concerning
יָרֵחַ (yareach) means 'moon,' particularly in a poetic context. It is derived from a root related to another word, but the entries do not elaborate on its usage in specific verses.
יָרֵחַ n.m. moon, esp. poet.
base
H3394 יָרֵחַ moon, esp. poet.
3394 yareach yaw-ray'-akh
from the same as 3391; the moon:--moon. Yrechow. See
3405.
see HEBREW for 03391
see HEBREW for 03405
יָרֵחַ (ya.re.ach) — moon.
moon
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
moon (yareach; meaning obscure--probably "wanderer"; by some given as "paleness"; selene): The moon was very early worshipped by the nations of the Far East as a divinity or the representative of one or more deities. These deities were both masculine and feminine. In Assyria and Babylonia the most common name for the moon-god was Sin or Sen. In Babylonia he was also called Aku and Nannara. In Egypt the moon was representative of several deities, all masculine. The chief of these was Thoth the god of knowledge, so called because the moon was the measurer of time. Babylonia has, also, Aa, the goddess of the moon, as the consort of the sun, while her equivalent was known in Phoenicia as Ashtaroth-karnaim. This personification and worship of the moon among the nations who were neighbors to Palestine was but part of an elaborate Nature-worship found among these people. Nor was this worship…
Moon
Heb. yareah, from its paleness (Ezra 6:15), and lebanah, the “white” (Cant. 6:10; Isa. 24:23), was appointed by the Creator to be with the sun “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen. 1:14-16). A lunation was among the Jews the period of a month, and several of their festivals were held on the day of the new moon. It is frequently referred to along with the sun (Josh. 10:12; Ps. 72:5, 7, 17; 89:36, 37; Eccl. 12:2; Isa. 24:23, etc.), and…
The moon held an important place in the kingdom of nature, as known to the Hebrews. Conjointly with the sun, it was appointed "for signs and for seasons, and for days and years;" though in this respect it exercised a more important influence, if by the "seasons" we understand the great religious festivals of the Jews, as is particularly stated in (Psalms 104:19) and more at length in Ecclus 43:6,7. The worship of the moon prevailed extensively among the nations of the East, and under a variety of aspects. It was one of the only two deities which commanded the reverence of all the Egyptians. The worship of the heavenly bodies is referred to in (Job 31:26,27) and Moses directly warns the Jews against it. (4:19) In the figurative language of Scripture, the moon is frequently…
This beautiful and stately ruler of the night, Ge 1:16, is one of the chief witnesses to mankind of the goodness, wisdom, and power of the Creator, Ps 8:3; and as receiving all its light from the sun, and reflecting it on all around, it is a striking image of the church of Christ. In the clear sky of the East, the moon shines with peculiar brilliancy; and it was worshipped by most nations of antiquity, either directly, or as an idol-goddess under the name of Ashtoreth, Artemis, Diana, Hecate, Meni, Mylitta, Maja, etc. The Hebrews were specially cautioned against this form of idolatry, De 4:19 17:3; and yet fell into it; 2Ki 21:3
קָדַר (qadar) is a Hebrew root meaning to be dark or ashy, often associated with mourning. It covers various forms, including the act of darkening or causing to mourn. The entries indicate uses in different stems, such as Qal for being dark and Hiphil for causing mourning. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
קָדַר vb. be dark (dull-coloured, cf. Ar. Arabic be dirty)
Qal be dark
Hiph.
darken
cause to mourn
Hithp. and the heavens grew dark with clouds.
base
H6937 קָדַר
6937 qadar kaw-dar'
a primitive root; to be ashy, i.e. dark-colored; by
implication, to mourn (in sackcloth or sordid garments):--be
black(-ish), be (make) dark(-en), X heavily, (cause to) mourn.
קָדַר (qa.dar) — be dark.
1) to mourn, be dark
1a) (Qal) to be dark
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to darken
1b2) to cause to mourn
1c) (Hithpael) to grow dark
HVqp3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
כּוֹכָב (kowkab) means 'star' and is likely derived from a root related to rolling or blazing. It can refer to a literal star or figuratively to a prince or significant figure, including associations with the Messiah and God's omniscience.
כּוֹכָב n.m. star
base
H3556 כּוֹכָב star
3556 kowkab ko-kawb'
probably from the same as 3522 (in the sense of rolling) or
3554 (in the sense of blazing); a star (as round or as
shining); figuratively, a prince:--star((-gazer)).
see HEBREW for 03522
see HEBREW for 03554
כּוֹכָב (ko.khav) — star.
1) star
1a) of Messiah, brothers, youth, numerous progeny, personification, God's omniscience (fig.)
HC/Ncmpa — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Ncmpa
Stars
The eleven stars (Gen. 37:9); the seven (Amos 5:8); wandering (Jude 1:13); seen in the east at the birth of Christ, probably some luminous meteors miraculously formed for this specific purpose (Matt. 2:2-10); stars worshipped (Deut. 4:19; 2 Kings 17:16; 21:3; Jer. 19:13); spoken of symbolically (Num. 24:17; Rev. 1:16, 20; 12:1). (See ASTROLOGERS.)
אָסַף (acaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gather or remove. It encompasses a range of actions including collecting, assembling, and withdrawing. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like gathering individuals or being gathered. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
אָסַף 209 vb. gather, remove
Qal
gather, collect
gather an individual into company of others
bring up the rear of
gather and take away, remove, withdraw
Niph.
assemble, be gathered, reflex.
pass. of Qal 2
Pass. of Qal 4; be taken away, removed, perish
Pi.
gather harvest
take in, receive into
as subst. rearguard, rearward
Pu. be gathered, of men
Hithp. gather themselves
base
H622 אָסַף gather, remove
622 'acaph aw-saf'
a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to
receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put
up, restore, etc.):--assemble, bring, consume, destroy,
felch, gather (in, together, up again), X generally, get
(him), lose, put all together, receive, recover (another from
leprosy), (be) rereward, X surely, take (away, into, up), X
utterly, withdraw.
אָסַף (a.saph) — to gather.
1) to gather, receive, remove, gather in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to gather, collect
1a2) to gather (an individual into company of others)
1a3) to bring up the rear
1a4) to gather and take away, remove, withdraw
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to assemble, be gathered
1b2) (pass of Qal 1a2)
1b2a) to be gathered to one's fathers
1b2b) to be brought in or into (association with others)
1b3) (pass of Qal 1a4)
1b3a) to be taken away, removed, perish
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to gather (harvest)
1c2) to take in, receive into
1c3) rearguard, rearward (subst)
1d) (Pual) to be gathered
1e) (Hithpael) to gather oneself or themselves
HVqp3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
נֹ֫גַהּ (nogahh) means brightness and is derived from a related term indicating brilliancy. It covers both literal and figurative senses of light and shining. The word is noted in the context of brightness in various texts, including an Aramaic equivalent that refers to daylight.
נֹ֫גַהּ n.f. brightness
base
H5051 נֹ֫גַהּ brightness
5051 nogahh no'-gah
from 5050; brilliancy (literally or
figuratively):--bright(-ness), light, (clear) shining.
see HEBREW for 05050
נֹ֫גַהּ (no.gah) — brightness.
brightness
Aramaic equivalent: no.gah (נֹ֫גַהּ "daylight" H5053)
HNcfsc/Sp3mp — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp