The Meaning of Joel 3:15 Explained

Joel 3:15

KJV: The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

YLT: Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.

Darby: The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

ASV: The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The sun  and the moon  shall be darkened,  and the stars  shall withdraw  their shining. 

What does Joel 3:15 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 3:15 mean?

The sun and moon will grow dark and the stars will diminish their brightness
שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֖חַ קָדָ֑רוּ וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽם

שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ  The  sun 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
וְיָרֵ֖חַ  and  moon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵחַ  
Sense: moon.
קָדָ֑רוּ  will  grow  dark 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָדַר  
Sense: to mourn, be dark.
וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים  and  the  stars 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּוכָב  
Sense: star.
אָסְפ֥וּ  will  diminish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
נָגְהָֽם  their  brightness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נׄגַהּ  
Sense: brightness.