Joel 3:19 · Bible study
Joel 3:19 Commentary: Egypt and Edom, Justice for the Innocent
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Joel 3:19's prophecy of desolation for Egypt and Edom.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God will make Egypt and Edom desolate for the violence they did to Judah, because they shed innocent blood.
- Key words: Desolation, wilderness, violence, innocent blood, these point to a permanent judgment for a specific crime.
- Main debate: Whether Egypt and Edom are literal nations judged historically, or types of all hostile powers faced by God’s people.
- Theological theme: Divine retributive justice: God protects His people and punishes those who harm the innocent.
- Best use: To teach that God sees every injustice and will bring about final accountability; to comfort those who suffer under oppression.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Egypt will become desolate, and Edom a desert wasteland, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Egypt will be a desolation and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
KJV King James Version 1769
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Egypt a desolation becometh, And Edom a desolation, a wilderness, becometh, For violence to sons of Judah, Whose innocent blood they shed in their land.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, in that they have shed innocent blood in their land.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom a wilderness destroyed: because they have done unjustly against the children of Juda, and have shed innocent blood in their land.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Egipto será destruído, y Edom será vuelto en asolado desierto, por la injuria hecha á los hijos de Judá: porque derramaron en su tierra la sangre inocente.
O Egito será uma assolação, e Edom se tornará um deserto assolado, por causa da violência que fizeram aos filhos de Judá, em cuja terra derramaram sangue inocente.
L’Égypte sera dévastée,
[4:19] Aber Ägypten soll wüst werden und Edom eine wüste Einöde um den Frevel, an den Kindern Juda begangen, daß sie unschuldig Blut in ihrem Lande vergossen haben.
Egypte zal tot verwoesting worden, en Edom zal worden tot een woeste wildernis, om het geweld, gedaan aan de kinderen van Juda, in welker land zij onschuldig bloed vergoten hebben.
L’Egitto diventerà una desolazione, e Edom diventerà un desolato deserto a motivo della violenza fatta ai figliuoli di Giuda, sulla terra de’ quali hanno sparso sangue innocente.
Egipt przyjdzie na spustoszenie, a ziemia Edomska w straszną się pustynię obróci dla gwałtu synom Judzkim uczynionego; bo wylewali krew niewinną w ziemi ich.
Египет сделается пустынею и Едом будет пустою степью - за то, что они притесняли сынов Иудиных и проливали невинную кровь в земле их.
埃及 必然 荒涼，以東 變 為悽涼 的曠野，都因向猶大 人 所行的強暴，又因 在本地 流 無辜人 的血。
Egypt will be a waste and Edom a land of destruction, because of the evil done to the children of Judah, because they have let blood be drained out in their land without cause.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Joel 3:19 announces a permanent judgment on Egypt and Edom for their violence against Judah. Barnes notes these two nations represent different classes of enemies: Egypt the powerful oppressor, Edom the hostile kin. Matthew Henry adds that God’s quarrel is specifically “for their violence against the children of Judah.” The crime is shedding innocent blood, which Cambridge Bible interprets as a massacre of Jews living peacefully in those lands, not simply warfare. Calvin, Gill, and Keil all emphasize the contrast between Judah’s future blessing (v.18) and the desolation of its enemies, a display of God’s protective justice. While some take the prophecy literally concerning these ancient nations, others (Gill, Keil) see Egypt and Edom as types of all world-powers hostile to God’s people. Yet all agree: God avenges innocent blood and vindicates His people.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal-historical: Egypt and Edom faced historical desolation as recorded in later history; the prophecy was fulfilled in the centuries after Joel.
- Typological/eschatological: Egypt and Edom represent all nations and powers hostile to God; judgment awaits them at the final day of the Lord.
- Mixed: Both a historical judgment on these specific nations and a pattern for God’s final justice; the literal fulfillment points forward to the spiritual.
What is clear: God will hold accountable anyone who sheds innocent blood, especially in persecution of His people, and will vindicate the righteous.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Egypt and Edom | Both were historical enemies of Judah, Egypt the oppressor, Edom the hostile kin. | Some (e.g., Matthew Henry, Barnes) read them as literal nations who suffered decline; others (Gill, Keil) see them as types of all anti-Christian powers, including spiritual Babylon or Rome. |
| Location of the innocent bloodshed | The crime was violent and unjust, shedding blood of innocent people, likely Jews. | Calvin and Cambridge think the blood was shed in Judah itself; Barnes and Calvin also consider the possibility of bloodshed in Egypt and Edom, referring to Jews who sought refuge there. |
| Nature of the desolation | It is a decisive judgment that leaves the land barren, contrasting with Judah's fruitfulness. | Whether this desolation is permanent and historical (JFB notes Egypt and Edom declined for centuries) or eschatological and symbolic (Keil describes it as a type of the end-time defeat of world powers). |
| Timing of fulfillment | Connected to 'that day' in Joel 3, a day of judgment and blessing. | Some (Matthew Henry) see partial fulfillment in history and full fulfillment in the kingdom of glory; others (Keil) view it as entirely future and spiritual. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Egypt and Edom represented two archetypal foes of Israel in Joel’s day. Egypt, the ancient superpower, had enslaved Israel and later attacked Judah (1 Kings 14:25-26). Edom, descended from Esau, was a close relative that harbored bitter enmity, rejoicing at Jerusalem’s fall (Psalm 137:7; Obadiah 1:10-14). In the broader context of Joel 3, God gathers all nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat for judgment (v.2). After this, verses 18-21 depict a restored Jerusalem overflowing with wine, milk, and water, a stark reversal of the famine earlier in Joel. Against this scene of abundance, Egypt and Edom become a “desolate wilderness.” Historically, both nations declined: Edom was conquered by the Maccabees, and Egypt fell to Babylon and later Persia. The phrase “innocent blood” suggests not military casualties but premeditated murder of defenseless people, possibly Jewish refugees who fled to these countries during crises (Barnes, Calvin). Thus the judgment is not arbitrary; it answers a specific, violent injustice.
Textual Notes
The text of Joel 3:19 is stable across the ancient versions. The supplied commentaries and translations show no significant manuscript variants. The main interpretive question concerns the referent of “their land” (Judah’s land or the enemies’ land), but this is a grammatical ambiguity, not a textual one.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Joel 3:19 has been read as a promise that God will judge those who harm His people. Early Christian writers often saw Egypt and Edom as types of the persecuting Roman Empire. In the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible used it to comfort the persecuted church. Matthew Henry applied it to both the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory, while Gill and others linked it to the downfall of antichristian powers (drawing on Revelation 11:8). Luther and Wesley interpreted the passage as assurance that God's justice will ultimately prevail. Modern scholarship tends to focus on the historical fulfillment in the decline of these nations, while still affirming the theological principle of divine retribution for the innocent.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Charge: Violence against God’s people. Egypt and Edom shed innocent blood in their land (or in Judah). God sees every injustice done to His own.
- The Verdict: Desolation. From fruitful to barren, a complete reversal. God’s judgment undoes what they relied on.
- The Hope: Judah dwells forever while enemies vanish. God’s people are secure; His justice is certain.
Five-Point Outline
- God’s case against the nations (v.19a)
- The specific crime: violence and innocent blood (v.19b)
- The sentencing: permanent desolation (v.19c)
- Contrast with Judah’s blessing (v.18, 20)
- Why it matters: God dwells in Zion and will not leave injustice unaddressed (v.21)
Illustration Hooks
- A courtroom: the Judge hears every case. Egypt and Edom stand accused; the evidence is the blood of the innocent. The verdict is final.
- The contrast of landscapes: a lush garden next to a desert. The garden is Judah under God’s blessing; the desert is every power that opposes Him.
- An unresolved crime: a family waits years for justice. Joel 3:19 says God has not forgotten. The day of reckoning comes.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does God really punish nations today? How does this apply to modern oppressors?
- What about Egyptians and Edomites who lived later? Is this fair to them?
- How can I trust God’s justice when I see innocent suffering?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in a passage of both judgment and hope. After describing the abundance that will flow from God’s house, the prophet turns to the fate of those who harmed Judah. Read Joel 3:18-21 together to see the full contrast.
Discussion Questions
- What do Egypt and Edom represent in the Bible? Why might Joel mention them specifically?
- The crime is “shedding innocent blood.” Where else in Scripture do we see God’s concern for innocent blood? (e.g., Genesis 4:10, Psalm 106:38)
- Some commentators take these nations literally; others see them as types of all enemies of God. Which view helps you understand the passage best, and why?
- How does the promise of Judah’s permanent dwelling (v.20) comfort believers today?
- Does this verse challenge your view of God? Does it make you more aware of His justice, or do you struggle with the idea of nations being permanently desolated?
- In what ways does the Church today need to trust that God will avenge wrongs, without taking revenge ourselves (Romans 12:19)?
- How does the hope of a future where God “dwells in Zion” shape how you live now?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 137:7 | Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!” |
| Isaiah 11:15 | Yahweh will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind he will wave his hand over the River, and will split it into seven streams, and cause men to march over in sandals. |
| Isaiah 19:1 | The burden of Egypt. “Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt within it. |
| Isaiah 19:15 | Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which head or tail, palm branch or rush, may do. |
| Isaiah 34:1 | Come near, you nations, to hear! Listen, you peoples. Let the earth and all it contains hear, the world, and everything that comes from it. |
| Isaiah 34:17 | He has cast the lot for them, and his hand has divided it to them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever. From generation to generation they will dwell in it. |
| Isaiah 63:1 | Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? Who is this who is glorious in his clothing, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” |
| Isaiah 63:6 | I trod down the peoples in my anger and made them drunk in my wrath. I poured their lifeblood out on the earth.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that those who oppress God’s people will face God’s judgment. They will suffer as a wasteland while God’s faithful enjoy peace and prosperity. Your hope rests in Christ and the resurrection.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Joel's words foretell a permanent desolation for Egypt, not just a passing judgment. This lasting condition is directly contrasted with Judah's enduring blessing. Given Egypt's long-standing prosperity
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees the barrenness of Egypt and Idumea as punishment for their killing of people in Judea. He believes God allows them to suffer because they committed this crime in that land.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold this view point to Joel 3:19, while others understand it as pointing to deeper spiritual realities. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that Egypt and Edom face desolation as direct punishment for their violence against Judah. Their crime is specifically the shedding of innocent blood in Judah's land, and the judgment matches the offense: the places they harmed become waste.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees Egypt and Edom as symbols for future enemies of the church (Pagan Rome and Islamic powers) who will be destroyed. These nations will drink blood as punishment for killing many innocent Christians.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that history shows Edom and Egypt harmed Judah repeatedly (2 Chronicles 21:8-10; Daniel 11:40-43; Josephus). These nations were eventually made desolate, proving the prophecy true.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch read these promises and judgments not as literal predictions about the physical land of Israel and its neighbours, but as spiritual types. Judah and Jerusalem represent the kingdom of God, while Egypt and Edom represent world-powers hostile to God. The overflowing wine, milk and water from the temple point to the river of life in the New Jerusalem, not to a future earthly paradise restricted to Palestine.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the reason deliverance can only be found in Zion is that the day of the Lord will bring judgment on all nations. This judgment serves as a means to restore God’s people to their homeland.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Egypt and Edom will become completely ruined places because they harmed the people of Judah. He believes God will cleanse their blood and that Jerusalem will remain forever.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads Egypt, Edom, and Judah as types rather than literal nations. Egypt stands for every enemy of the church that treats it harshly, just as Egypt treated Israel. Edom represents the bitter, relentless foes who attack God's people in their worst distress, and Judah represents the faithful.