Joel 3:18
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
Original Language Analysis
וְהָיָה֩
H1961
וְהָיָה֩
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 22
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
בַיּ֨וֹם
And it shall come to pass in that day
H3117
בַיּ֨וֹם
And it shall come to pass in that day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 22
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הַה֜וּא
H1931
הַה֜וּא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
3 of 22
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
יִטְּפ֧וּ
shall drop down
H5197
יִטְּפ֧וּ
shall drop down
Strong's:
H5197
Word #:
4 of 22
to ooze, i.e., distil gradually; by implication, to fall in drops; figuratively, to speak by inspiration
הֶהָרִ֣ים
that the mountains
H2022
הֶהָרִ֣ים
that the mountains
Strong's:
H2022
Word #:
5 of 22
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
תֵּלַ֣כְנָה
H1980
תֵּלַ֣כְנָה
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
8 of 22
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
וְכָל
H3605
וְכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
10 of 22
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲפִיקֵ֥י
and all the rivers
H650
אֲפִיקֵ֥י
and all the rivers
Strong's:
H650
Word #:
11 of 22
properly, containing, i.e., a tube; also a bed or valley of a stream; also a strong thing or a hero
יְהוּדָ֖ה
of Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָ֖ה
of Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
12 of 22
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
יֵ֣לְכוּ
H1980
יֵ֣לְכוּ
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
13 of 22
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
מָ֑יִם
with waters
H4325
מָ֑יִם
with waters
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
14 of 22
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
וּמַעְיָ֗ן
and a fountain
H4599
וּמַעְיָ֗ן
and a fountain
Strong's:
H4599
Word #:
15 of 22
a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction)
מִבֵּ֤ית
of the house
H1004
מִבֵּ֤ית
of the house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
16 of 22
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
יְהוָה֙
of the LORD
H3068
יְהוָה֙
of the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
17 of 22
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
יֵצֵ֔א
shall come forth
H3318
יֵצֵ֔א
shall come forth
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
18 of 22
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה
and shall water
H8248
וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה
and shall water
Strong's:
H8248
Word #:
19 of 22
to quaff, i.e., (causatively) to irrigate or furnish a potion to
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
20 of 22
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
Cross References
Isaiah 35:6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.Zechariah 14:8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.Isaiah 30:25And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.Numbers 25:1And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.Psalms 46:4There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Historical Context
Shittim (Abel-Shittim) in the Jordan Valley was Israel's last camp before entering Canaan (Numbers 25:1, Joshua 2:1). It was associated with Baal-Peor's idolatry (Numbers 25). The promise to 'water Shittim' symbolizes redeeming even places of past disgrace. Zechariah 14:8 contains a similar promise of living waters flowing from Jerusalem.
Questions for Reflection
- How do these abundance images (wine, milk, water) reverse the specific judgments described in Joel 1?
- What does the 'fountain from the house of the LORD' teach about worship as the source of spiritual life and blessing?
- How is Jesus the ultimate fulfillment of this fountain (John 4:14, 7:37-39), and how does the church experience this water?
Analysis & Commentary
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine (ve-hayah va-yom ha-hu yitfefu he-harim asis)—'Drop down' (yitfefu) suggests abundant flow, as if mountains themselves produce wine. 'New wine' (asis) is fresh grape juice, symbolizing blessing. This reverses the drought of Joel 1:10.
And the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters (ve-ha-geva'ot telakhnah chalav ve-chol afiqei Yehudah yelechu mayim)—This is the classic prophetic image of abundance (Exodus 3:8, Amos 9:13). Milk represents pastoral prosperity, water represents the reversal of drought. And a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim (u'ma'yan mibeit YHWH yetse ve-hishqah et-nachal ha-Shittim)—This anticipates Ezekiel 47:1-12's temple river and Revelation 22:1-2's river of life. Shittim (Acacia Valley) was notoriously dry (Numbers 25:1), making this miracle especially dramatic.