The Meaning of Joel 3:5 Explained

Joel 3:5

KJV: Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

YLT: In that My silver and My gold ye took, And My desirable things that are good, Ye have brought in to your temples.

Darby: because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my beautiful pleasant things,

ASV: Forasmuch as ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly precious things,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because ye have taken  my silver  and my gold,  and have carried  into your temples  my goodly  pleasant things: 

What does Joel 3:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Joel 3:1-21 - "the Valley Of Decision"
Having stated the outward blessings that would follow repentance, Joel unveils the extraordinary spiritual blessings that were in store. The outpouring of the Spirit, described in Acts 2:16-17, does not exhaust these glorious words. This blessing is for all whom the Lord our God shall call to Himself, and as one to whom His call has come, you have a perfect right to claim your share in Pentecost. The promise is to all that are "afar off" in space and time. The very slaves, the most degraded and despised of men, become free when they yield themselves to Jesus and have an equal right to the same Spirit.
Joel 3:1-21 refers to the last desperate effort made by the powers of the world against Christ and His people. This will be the closing scene of man's apostasy. But the Lord will vindicate and deliver His oppressed from the hand of their oppressors; and the same judgment will bring them blessing. Having cleansed His people from their stains, Messiah will tabernacle among them, Revelation 21:3 [source]

Chapter Summary: Joel 3

1  God's judgments against the enemies of his people
9  God will be known in his judgment
18  His blessing upon the church

What do the individual words in Joel 3:5 mean?

because My silver and My gold you have taken and My possessions prized have carried into your temples
אֲשֶׁר־ כַּסְפִּ֥י וּזְהָבִ֖י לְקַחְתֶּ֑ם וּמַֽחֲמַדַּי֙ הַטֹּבִ֔ים הֲבֵאתֶ֖ם לְהֵיכְלֵיכֶֽם

אֲשֶׁר־  because 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
כַּסְפִּ֥י  My  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
וּזְהָבִ֖י  and  My  gold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
לְקַחְתֶּ֑ם  you  have  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וּמַֽחֲמַדַּי֙  and  My  possessions 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מַחְמָד  
Sense: desire, desirable thing, pleasant thing.
הַטֹּבִ֔ים  prized 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
הֲבֵאתֶ֖ם  have  carried 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לְהֵיכְלֵיכֶֽם  into  your  temples 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.