I will pardon my people’s crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the Lord, will make my home in Jerusalem with my people.”
Parallel translations
- WEB I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed: for Yahweh dwells in Zion.”
- KJV For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.
- BSB For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged.” For the LORD dwells in Zion.
- NKJV For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted; For the Lord dwells in Zion.”
- NASB And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, For the Lord dwells in Zion.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God promises to cleanse the bloodguilt that had remained unavenged, because He dwells in Zion among His people. The book ends on the assurance of God's purifying presence with the redeemed.
Overview
Joel closes with the Lord pledging to cleanse the bloodguilt not yet atoned for, the climactic ground being that Yahweh dwells in Zion. His abiding presence both purifies His people and guarantees justice against their oppressors. This cleansing finds its deepest answer in the blood of Christ, who removes the guilt no other sacrifice could, and in God's promise to dwell forever with His people (Revelation 21:3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Rev 21:3I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
- Isa 4:4when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from within it, by the spirit of justice, and by the spirit of burning.
- Ezek 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
- Ezek 36:29I will save you from all your uncleanness: and I will call for the grain, and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
- Ezek 48:35It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahweh is there.
- Joel 3:17“So you will know that I am Yahweh, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will pass through her any more.
- Matt 27:25All the people answered, “May his blood be on us, and on our children!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promised outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh and the call to 'everyone who calls on the name of the LORD' are fulfilled at Pentecost in the name of Jesus.
How Joel 3:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.