Joel 2:24 — Word Study
WLCוּמָלְא֥וּ הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת בָּ֑ר וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ הַיְקָבִ֖ים תִּיר֥וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָֽר׃
BSAThe threshing floorsgôren [barnes, places of grain separation] will be full ofmâlêʼ■ [filled to capacity, abundant] grainbâr [wheat, corn, or other crops] and the vatsyeqeb [presses, wine containers] will overflowshûwq■ [run over, abound] with new winetîyrôwsh [freshly squeezed, fermented] and oilyitshâr [olive oil]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּמָלְא֥וּ | and they will be full | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person common plural |
| הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת | the threshing floors | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| בָּ֑ר | grain | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ | and they will overflow | Verb, Hiphil, sequential perfect third person common plural |
| הַיְקָבִ֖ים | the wine-vats | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| תִּיר֥וֹשׁ | new wine | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְיִצְהָֽר׃ | and fresh oil | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. |
| KJV | And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. |
| ASV | And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. |
| YLT | And full have been the floors [with] pure corn, And overflown have the presses [with] new wine and oil. |
| WEB | The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. |
| BBE | And the floors will be full of grain, and the crushing-places overflowing with wine and oil. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of וּמָלְא֥וּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, emphasizing both aspects of abundance.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָלֵא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Joel 2:24
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Promise of Abundancegenerated
Joel 2:24 speaks of a future time when God will bless His people with abundant harvests and overflowing supplies. This promise follows a call for rejoicing and acknowledges God's provision through the seasons. The imagery of grain and wine reflects the richness of God's blessings, which is a recurring theme in the prophetic literature, emphasizing restoration and divine favor.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel 3:13–18 | Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:10 | You will still be eating the old supply of grain when you need to clear it out to make room for the new. |
| 3 | Proverbs 3:9–10 | Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest; |
| 4 | Amos 9:13 | “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes, the sower of seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, with which all the hills will flow. |
| 5 | Malachi 3:10 | Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וּמָלְא֥וּ, u.mal.'Ugenerated
The verb מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full.' It conveys the idea of making something complete or abundant, whether in a literal sense, like filling containers, or in a figurative sense, such as fulfilling a promise. The parsing indicates a sequential perfect tense, showing that this fullness is a completed action with ongoing effects.
In this verse, it highlights the fullness of the threshing floors, indicating that the land will yield a rich harvest, reflecting God's blessing on His people. The term is used in various contexts, suggesting both physical abundance and spiritual fulfillment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses full for וּמָלְא֥וּ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs וּמָלְא֥וּ and וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ govern the two main clauses of the verse. The first clause describes the state of the threshing floors, while the second clause addresses the wine-vats. The structure emphasizes the abundance of both grain and wine, with the verbs indicating actions that result in fullness and overflow.
The word order places the subjects before the verbs, which is typical in Hebrew poetry, highlighting the blessings that are to come.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וּמָלְא֥וּ as πλησθήσονται, which also means 'they will be filled.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the concept of fullness.
The use of ὑπερεκξυθήσονται for וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ indicates an overflowing or abounding quality, reinforcing the theme of abundance present in the original text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joel 2:24 promises that the threshing floors will be full of grain and the wine-vats will overflow with new wine and oil. This verse reflects God's blessings on His people, indicating a time of abundance and restoration after hardship.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a bountiful harvest, indicating that the land will produce abundantly, reflecting God's favor and provision.
New wine represents freshness and vitality, symbolizing the blessings and joy that come from God's restoration.
Oil often symbolizes anointing and purity, and its abundance indicates blessings that go beyond mere physical needs, touching on spiritual richness.
This verse is part of a larger message of restoration and hope, where God promises to bless His people after a period of judgment and hardship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's abundance and provision?
- How can I cultivate a spirit of gratitude for the blessings I have received?
- What does the imagery of overflowing wine and oil mean for my understanding of God's blessings?
- How can I share the abundance of God's blessings with others in my community?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joel 2:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the floors shall be full of wheat,.... The churches of Christ, which will now be in Judea, and in the Gentile world, which are his "floors", Matthew 3:12; and which will be set up everywhere
Read John Gill on Joel 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And the floors shall be full of wheat - the effect of the seasonable rains shall be abundance of all articles of food.
Read Robert Jamieson on Joel 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe floors, where they thrashed their corn, shall be full of wheat, the best and most useful grain, the bread corn for man’ s life and support. The fats, the vessels into which the liquor ran out of the press, shall overflow with wine and oil; there shall be of the grape and olive enough to fill the vessels, nay, to make them run over, though the care of good husbands will save it; for what was said, , is here fulfilled, the vine doth yield its strength.
Read Matthew Poole on Joel 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJoe 2:24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.Ver. 24. And the floors shall be full of wheat] Such fatness shall God’ s footsteps drop, that your houses shall be full of all "precious and pleasant riches," Proverbs 24:4; so that you shall, as rich men love to do, de pleno tollere acervo. Only take heed you have not, as that rich fool, animam triticeam, a wheaten soul, that your abundance get not within you, Tαενοντα, as the Pharisees’ did, Luke 11:41 (so that they did not more possess than were possessed of what they had), that ye set not your hearts upon your riches, Psalms 62:11. - “ difficile est opibus non tradere mentem. ” (Martial.) And…
Read John Trapp on Joel 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. The reversal of Joe 1:10-12. the floors] i.e. the threshing-floors—which, however, were not like our threshing-floors: see the description in the footnote on p. 227. fats] i.e. (as we should say) vats, fat being an old form of vat, A.S. fœt, Germ. Fass: so constantly in A.V., as Joe 3:13; Haggai 2:16. Both the gath, in which the grapes were trodden (Nehemiah 13:15; Isaiah 63:2, where winefat is wrong), and the yeḳ ?eb (lit. a place hollowed out), in which the expressed juice was received (cf. on Amos 9:13), were commonly excavated in the rock (cf. Isaiah 5:2, “and also hewed out in it a yeḳ ?eb,” or winefat [R.V. marg.]): and remains of those dug in ancient times are still to be seen in…
Read Cambridge on Joel 2 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible24-27. The heavens are open once more, the drought will come to an end, the locusts will disappear, the harvest and vintage will be plentiful, so that the presence of Jehovah will indeed be realized. 24.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joel 2 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
The threshing floors are full of grain; the vats overflow with fresh wine and olive oil.
Tyndale line
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And the barnes shalbe full of wheate, and the presses shall abound with wine and oyle.
Strictly literal
And the floors shall be full of corn, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
And full have been the floors [with] pure corn, And overflown have the presses [with] new wine and oil.
And the floors have been full [with] pure grain, || And the presses have overflown [with] new wine and oil.
And the threshing-floors are full of corn, and the vats overflow with young wine and oil.
The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
From the Latin
And the floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with wine and oil.
Simplified
The threshing floors will be full of grain, the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
And the floors will be full of grain, and the crushing-places overflowing with wine and oil.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all seven words matched. This consistency highlights the reliability of the text across different ancient witnesses.
וּמָלְא֥וּ הַגֳּרָנ֖וֹת בָּ֑ר וְהֵשִׁ֥יקוּ הַיְקָבִ֖ים תִּיר֥וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָֽר׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Joel 2:24
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full,' with applications ranging from literal filling to figurative uses like accomplishing or completing something. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances such as being satisfied or confirming. Notably, it can also refer to massing against someone.
מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill
Qal 99
be full, usu. c. acc. material
trans. fill
Niph.
be filled
be accomplished, ended
Pi.
fill
special uses are:
fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day
Pu. filled
Hithp. mass themselves against me
base
H4390 מָלֵא be full, fill .. be full, usu. c. acc. material
. trans. fill
. . be filled
. be accomplished, ended
. . fill
. special uses are:
. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day
. filled
. mass themselves against me
4390 male' maw-lay'
or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or
(intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally
and figuratively):--accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at
an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X
draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow,
fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume,
replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have
wholly.
מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.
1) to fill, be full
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be full
1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)
1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended
1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied
1b2) to be accomplished, be ended
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to fill
1c2) to satisfy
1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete
1c4) to confirm
1d) (Pual) to be filled
1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against
Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common pluralHc/Vqq3cp
גֹּ֫רֶן (goren) refers to a threshing-floor, a smooth, open area used for separating grain from chaff. It can also denote a barn or void place. The word is derived from an unused root meaning to smooth, highlighting its association with flat, even surfaces.
גֹּ֫רֶן n.m. threshing-floor
base
H1637 גֹּ֫רֶן threshing-floor
1637 goren go'-ren
from an unused root meaning to smooth; a threshing- floor (as
made even); by analogy, any open area:--(barn, corn,
threshing- )floor, (threshing-, void) place.
גֹּ֫רֶן (go.ren) — threshing floor.
1) threshing-floor
2) (TWOT) barn, barn floor, corn floor, void place
Art | N-cp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa
בַּר (bar) primarily means 'grain' or 'corn,' and can also refer to a 'field.' It is derived from the sense of winnowing, indicating its agricultural context. The term appears in various forms, including its Aramaic equivalent, which also means 'field.' There is a specific reference to its use in Job 39:4.
ref
H1250a בַּר grain, corn H1250b בָּר field
1250 bar bawr
or bar {bar}; from 1305 (in the sense of winnowing); grain of
any kind (even while standing in the field); by extens. the
open country:--corn, wheat.
see HEBREW for 01305
בַּר (bar) — grain.
corn, grain
בָּר (bar) — field.
field (Aram. usage)
Aramaic equivalent: bar (בַּר "field" H1251)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gran.
See AGRICULTURE; GARNER.
Grain
Used, in Amos 9:9, of a small stone or kernel; in Matt. 13:31, of an individual seed of mustard; in John 12:24, 1 Cor. 15:37, of wheat. The Hebrews sowed only wheat, barley, and spelt; rye and oats are not mentioned in Scripture.
See CORN.
שׁוּק (shuwq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to overflow or to be abundant. It is described as a primitive root and covers the idea of running after or over, particularly in the context of abundance, as seen in the Hiphil form where it indicates that something overflows. The entries suggest a focus on the concept of abundance, particularly in relation to water.
[שׁוּק] vb. prob. be abundant
Pō‛l. thou hast visited the earth and given it abundance
Hiph. the vats overflow with must
base
H7783 שׁוּק
7783 shuwq shook
a primitive root; to run after or over, i.e.
overflow:--overflow, water.
שׁוּק (shuq) — to overflow.
1) to be abundant (meaning probable)
1a) (Polel) to give abundance to
1b) (Hiphil) to overflow
Conj | V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect third person common pluralHc/Vhq3cp
יֶ֫קֶב (yeqeb) refers to a wine-vat or wine-press, derived from a root meaning to excavate. It describes a trough used for winemaking, either for crushing grapes or collecting juice. The term appears in contexts related to viticulture.
יֶ֫קֶב n.m. wine-vat, sometimes also wine-press
base
H3342 יֶ֫קֶב wine-vat, sometimes also wine-press
3342 yeqeb yeh'-keb
from an unused root meaning to excavate; a trough (as dug
out); specifically, a wine-vat (whether the lower one, into
which the juice drains; or the upper, in which the grapes are
crushed):--fats, presses, press-fat, wine(-press).
יֶ֫קֶב (ye.qev) — wine.
wine vat, wine-press
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
תִּירוֹשׁ (tiyrowsh) refers to must or fresh grape juice, indicating wine that is newly pressed. The term can imply fermented wine but primarily denotes new or sweet wine. It is derived from a root meaning expulsion, suggesting the process of pressing grapes.
תִּירוֹשׁ n.m. must, fresh or new wine
base
H8492 תִּירוֹשׁ must, fresh or new wine
8492 tiyrowsh tee-roshe'
or tiyrosh {tee-roshe'}; from 3423 in the sense of expulsion;
must or fresh grape-juice (as just squeezed out); by
implication (rarely) fermented wine:--(new, sweet) wine.
see HEBREW for 03423
תִּירוֹשׁ (ti.rosh) — new wine.
wine, fresh or new wine, must, freshly pressed wine
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Wine
The common Hebrew word for wine is yayin, from a root meaning “to boil up,” “to be in a ferment.” Others derive it from a root meaning “to tread out,” and hence the juice of the grape trodden out. The Greek word for wine is oinos_, and the Latin _vinun. But besides this common Hebrew word, there are several others which are thus rendered.
(1.) Ashishah (2 Sam. 6:19; 1 Chr. 16:3; Cant. 2:5; Hos. 3:1), which, however, rather denotes a solid cake of pressed grapes, or, as in the Revised Version, a cake of raisins.
(2.) ‘Asis, “sweet wine,” or “new wine,” the product of the same year (Cant. 8:2;
The manufacture of wine is carried back in the Bible to the age of Noah, (Genesis 9:20,21) to whom the discovery of the process is apparently, though not explicitly, attributed. The natural history and culture of the vine are described under a separate head. [VINE] The only other plant whose fruit is noticed as having been converted into wine was the pomegranate. (Solomon 8:2) In Palestine the vintage takes place in September, and is celebrated with great rejoicing. The ripe fruit was gathered in baskets, (Jeremiah 6:9) as represented in Egyptian paintings, and was carried to the wine-press. It was then placed in the upper one of the two vats or receptacles of which the winepress was formed, and was subjected to the process of "treading," which has prevailed in all ages in Oriental…
The vine being natural to the soil of Canaan and its vicinity, wine was much used as a beverage, especially at festivals, Es 1:7 5:6 Da 5:1-4 Joh 2:3. As one of the staple products of the Holy Land, it was employed for drink-offerings in the temple service, Ex 20:26 Nu 15:4-10; it was included among the "first-fruits," De 18:4, and was used in the celebration of the Passover, and subsequently of the Lord’s supper, Mt 26:27-29. Together with corn and oil it denoted all temporal supplies,
יִצְהָר (yits-hawr) refers to fresh or newly appeared oil, often associated with producing light. It can also imply anointing oil, indicating its use in ceremonial contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning to shine or produce light, emphasizing its purity and brightness.
יִצְהָר n.[m.] fresh oil (newly appeared)
base
H3323 יִצְהָר fresh oil (newly appeared)
3323 yitshar yits-hawr'
from 6671; oil (as producing light); figuratively,
anointing:--+ anointed oil.
see HEBREW for 06671
יִצְהָר (yits.har) — oil.
fresh oil, shining (pure) oil
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
oil (shemen; elaion):
1. Terms
2. Production and Storage
3. Uses
(1) As a Commodity of Exchange
(2) As a Cosmetic
(3) As a Medicine
(4) As a Food
(5) As an Illuminant
(6) In Religious Rites
(a) Consecration
(b) Offerings
(c) Burials
4. Figurative Uses
Shemen, literally, "fat," corresponds to the common Arabic senin of similar meaning, although now applied to boiled butter fat.
1. Terms:
Another Hebrew word, zayith (zeth), "olive," occurs with shemen in several passages (Ex 27:20; 30:24; Le 24:2). The corresponding Arabic zeit, a contraction of zeitun, which is the name for the olive tree as well as the fruit, is now applied to oils in general, to distinguish them from solid fats. Zeit usually means olive oil, unless some qualifying name indicates another oil. A corresponding use was made of…
Oil
Only olive oil seems to have been used among the Hebrews. It was used for many purposes: for anointing the body or the hair (Ex. 29:7; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 23:5; 92:10; 104:15; Luke 7:46); in some of the offerings (Ex. 29:40; Lev. 7:12; Num. 6:15; 15:4), but was excluded from the sin-offering (Lev. 5:11) and the jealousy-offering (Num. 5:15); for burning in lamps (
Of the numerous substances, animal and vegetable, which were known to the ancients as yielding oil, the olive berry is the one of which most frequent mention is made in the Scriptures. Gathering , --The olive berry was either gathered by hand or shaken off carefully with a light reed or stick. Pressing . --In order to make oil the fruit, was either bruised in a mortar crushed in a press loaded with wood or stones, ground in a mill, or trodden with the feet. The "beaten" oil of (Exodus 27:20; 29:40; Leviticus 24:2; Numbers 28:6) was probably made by bruising in a mortar, It was used-- (1) As food. Dried wheat, boiled with either butter or oil, but generally the former, is a common dish for all classes in Syria. (
Was employed from the earliest periods in the east, not only for the purpose of consecration, but to anoint the head, the beard, and the whole person in daily life, Ge 28:18. See ANOINTING. It was also universally used for food, Eze 16:13. Fresh and sweet olive oil was greatly preferred to butter and animal fat as a seasoning for food, and to this day in Syria almost every kind of food is cooked with oil. It had a place also among the meat-offerings in the temple, being usually mixed with the meal of the oblation, Le 5:11 6:21. For lamps, also, pure olive oil was regarded as the best, and was used in illuminating the tabernacle. These many uses for oil made the culture of the olive-tree an extensive and lucrative business,