The Meaning of Joel 3:7 Explained

Joel 3:7

KJV: Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

YLT: Lo, I am stirring them up out of the place Whither ye have sold them, And I have turned back your recompence on your head,

Darby: Behold, I will raise them up out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will bring your recompence upon your own head.

ASV: behold, I will stir them up out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, I will raise  them out of the place  whither ye have sold  them, and will return  your recompence  upon your own head: 

What does Joel 3:7 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 3:7 mean?

Behold I will raise them Out of the place to which you have sold them there them and will return your retaliation upon your own head
הִנְנִ֣י מְעִירָ֔ם מִן־ הַ֨מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁר־ מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם שָׁ֑מָּה וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י גְמֻלְכֶ֖ם בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם

הִנְנִ֣י  Behold 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
מְעִירָ֔ם  I  will  raise  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
מִן־  Out 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַ֨מָּק֔וֹם  of  the  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁר־  to  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם  you  have  sold 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
שָׁ֑מָּה  there  them 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י  and  will  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
גְמֻלְכֶ֖ם  your  retaliation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: גְּמוּל  
Sense: dealing, recompense, benefit.
בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם  upon  your  own  head 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.