Joel 2:28

And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks in first person, addressing all people of Israel after the judgment of the day of the LORD (Joel 2:1–11). The promise follows immediately on the assurance that Israel will know God's presence and never again be shamed (Joel 2:27).

The words — אֶשְׁפֹּךְ ('eshpokh, H8210) is a liquid verb: "I will pour out," the same word used for water or blood, applied here to the Spirit. The direct-object marker אֶת before רוּחִי makes the Spirit the definite, specific thing being poured, not a vague influence.

The thread — Peter identifies this verse as the scriptural basis for what happened at Pentecost (Acts 2:16). The "pouring out" language recurs in Ezekiel 39:29 and Isaiah 32:15, both linking the Spirit's outpouring to a future turning of conditions.

Why it lands — The verse names sons, daughters, old men, and young men without exception; the gift is not earned by age, status, or office. A reader is asked to drop any assumption that spiritual activity belongs to a select few.

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

וְהָיָ֣הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be אַֽחֲרֵי־'a.cha.rei-after כֵ֗ןKhenthus אֶשְׁפּ֤וֹךְ'esh.PokhI will pour out אֶת־'et-<obj.>רוּחִי֙ru.Ch/ispirit/ my עַל־'al-on כָּל־kol-all בָּשָׂ֔רba.Sarflesh וְנִבְּא֖וּve./ni.be.'Uand/ they will prophesy בְּנֵיכֶ֣םbe.nei./Khemsons/ your וּבְנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑םu./ve.no.tei./Khemand/ daughters/ your זִקְנֵיכֶם֙zik.nei./Khemold [men]/ your חֲלֹמ֣וֹתcha.lo.Motdreams יַחֲלֹמ֔וּןya.cha.lo.Mu/nthey will dream/ !בַּח֣וּרֵיכֶ֔םba.Chu.rei./Khemyoung men/ your חֶזְיֹנ֖וֹתchez.yo.Notvisions יִרְאֽוּ׃yir.'Uthey will see

King James Version

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Cross-references

Acts 2:16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
Ezekiel 39:29 And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
Isaiah 32:15 until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.
Acts 2:39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Acts 2:2 Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
Zechariah 12:10 Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Acts 11:15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
Proverbs 1:23 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
John 7:39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.