Bible Strands
Joel 2:10
Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Joel describes cosmic disturbances occurring before the advancing army of the Lord, addressing Judah regarding the imminent Day of the Lord.
The words — רָגְזָה (Ra.ge.zah) = it trembles and קָדָרוּ (ka.Da.ru) = they become dark.
The thread — The darkening of celestial bodies recurs in Joel 3:15, Isaiah 13:10, and Matthew 24:29 to mark divine judgment.
Why it lands — The text states the earth quakes, heavens tremble, and celestial lights fail, demanding recognition of the cosmic scale of divine judgment and preparation for the unendurable Day of the Lord.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
Cross-references
- 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.’
- 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.
- Joel 3:15 The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine.
- Psalms 18:7 Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.
- Acts 2:20 The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.
- Ezekiel 32:7 When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.
- Mark 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
- Jeremiah 4:23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
- Revelation 6:12 And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red,
- Isaiah 34:4 All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The skies will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig tree.