Joel 3:19

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet addresses the gathered nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat immediately after describing Judah's agricultural restoration and before guaranteeing Jerusalem's permanent habitation. The declaration functions as a judicial sentence within a broader courtroom sequence.

The words — The phrase מִדְבַּר שְׁמָמָה (midbar shemamah) literally means "wilderness of desolation," describing Edom's future condition. The noun חֲמָס (chamas) translates to "violence" or "oppression," identifying the specific cause of the judgment.

The thread — This pattern of national judgment for violence against Zion appears in Jeremiah 51:35, which ties Babylon's fate to bloodshed against Israel. Isaiah 19:1 and Zechariah 14:18 also record divine judgment against Egypt, though the former addresses idolatry and the latter addresses failure to attend the Feast of Tabernacles.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to acknowledge that national destiny is directly linked to how they treat Judah and Jerusalem. It demands acceptance that ethical conduct toward God's people determines whether a nation faces ruin or restoration.

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

מִצְרַ֙יִם֙mitz.Ra.yimEgypt לִשְׁמָמָ֣הli/sh.ma.Mah<into>/ a desolation תִֽהְיֶ֔הtih.Yehit will become וֶאֱד֕וֹםve./'e.Domand/ Edom לְמִדְבַּ֥רle./mid.Bar<into>/ a wilderness of שְׁמָמָ֖הshe.ma.Mahdesolation תִּֽהְיֶ֑הtih.Yehit will become מֵֽחֲמַס֙me./cha.Masfrom/ [the] violence of בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people of יְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahJudah אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-whom שָׁפְכ֥וּsha.fe.Khuthey shed דָם־dom-blood נָקִ֖יאna.Ki'innocent בְּאַרְצָֽם׃be./'ar.Tza/min/ land/ their

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Isaiah 19:1 This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.
Jeremiah 51:35 May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,” says the dweller of Zion. “May my blood be on the dwellers of Chaldea,” says Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14:18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter in, then the rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Psalms 137:7 Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”
Isaiah 11:15 The LORD will devote to destruction the gulf of the Sea of Egypt; with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates. He will split it into seven streams for men to cross with dry sandals.
Isaiah 34:1 Come near, O nations, to listen; pay attention, O peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it, the world and all that springs from it.
Isaiah 63:1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”
Jeremiah 49:17 “Edom will become an object of horror. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.
Lamentations 4:21 So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.
Ezekiel 25:1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,