Book of Joel Chapter 3 Vs. 7

 The Lord Judges the Nations

Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: Joel 3:7

Behold, I will... That is, bring them back to their own land, from their places whither they have been carried captive, and where they have dwelt in obscurity, and as if theft had been buried in graves, but now should be raised up and restored. And this, their restoration will be as life from the dead. This is to be understood, not of the same persons, but of their posterity, they being the same natural body. Kimchi interprets it of them and their children; them at the resurrection of the dead, their children at the time of salvation.

Some think this had its accomplishment in Alexander and his successors, by whom the Jews, who had been detained captives in other countries, were set free.

Particularly by Demetrius, as Josephus relates though it may be applied to the future restoration of the Jews, out of all countries, unto their own land. Or rather to the gathering together the spiritual Christian, or people of God, who have been persecuted from place to place by their antichristian enemies.

Behold...

הִנֵּה

hinnêh

hin-nay'

Prolonged for H2005; lo! - behold, lo, see.

I will raise...

עוּר

‛ut

oor

A primitive root (rather identical with H5783 through the idea of opening the eyes); to wake (literally or figuratively): - (a-) wake (-n, up), lift up (self), X master, raise (up), stir up (self).

them out of...

מִנֵּ מִנִּי מִן

min minnı̂y minnêy

min, min-nee', min-nay'

For H4482; properly a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses: - above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over, since X then, through, X whether, with.

the place...

מְקֹמָה מְקוֹמָה מָקֹם מָקוֹם

mâqôm mâqôm m^eqômâh m^eqômâh

(1,2) maw-kome', (3,4) mek-o-mah'

From H6965, properly a standing, that is, a spot; but used widely of a locality (generally or specifically); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind): - country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X whither [-soever].

Whither...

אֲשֶׁר

'ăsher

ash-er'

A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.: - X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how (-soever), X if, (so) that ([thing] which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither (-soever), who (-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

ye have sold...

מָכַר

mâkar

maw-kar'

A primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender): - X at all, sell (away, -er, self).

and will return... Do to them as they have done to others; pay them in their own coin; retaliate the wrongs done to his people (see Rev. 13:10).

them, and will return...

שׁוּב

shûb

shoob

A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

God will restore them to their land, and punish those who sold them.

your recompence...

גְּמוּל

g^emûl

ghem-ool'

From H1580, treatment, that is, an act (of good or ill); by implication service or requital: - + as hast served, benefit, desert, deserving, that which he hath given, recompence, reward.

upon your own head...

רֹאשׁ

rô'sh

roshe

From an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literally or figuratively (in many applications, of place, time, rank, etc.): - band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief (-est place, man, things), company, end, X every [man], excellent, first, forefront, ([be-]) head, height, (on) high (-est part, [priest]), X lead, X poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

For, behold, in those days and in that time, When I bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all the nations, And bring them down to the Vale of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there, For My people and for My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the heathen, And My land have they divided. And they have cast lots for My people: They have given a boy for a harlot and a girl have they sold for wine and drunk it. And again, what are ye to Me, Tyre and Sidon and all circuits of Philistia? Is it any deed of Mine ye are repaying? Or are ye doing anything to Me? Swiftly, speedily will I return your deed on your head, Who have taken My silver and My gold, And My goodly jewels ye have brought into your palaces.

In the context (cf. Joel 3:1) the passage also carries an eschatological significance which any historical fulfillment merely prefigures. From the eschatological perspective Philistia and Phoenicia represent all of Israel’s enemies much as do Moab in Isa. 25:10-12 and Edom in the Book of Oba. At that time God’s people will gain ascendancy over their enemies (cf. Isa. 41:11-12; Amos 9:12; Oba. 1:15-21; Mic. 7:16-17; Zeph. 2:6-7).