And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

JOEL 2:32KJV
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Joel 2:32 (KJV)

What does Joel 2:32 mean?

Joel 2:32 promises that anyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be rescued, with special mention that deliverance will be found in Mount Zion and Jerusalem among those whom the LORD calls. This verse highlights that salvation is open to all who sincerely seek God, not just a select group.

The prophet Joel is speaking to the people of Judah during a time of crisis, warning of coming judgment but also offering hope. The verse comes at the end of a section describing both disaster and restoration, making it clear that God’s mercy is available even in the midst of trouble. Joel points to Jerusalem (Mount Zion) as a place of rescue, but he also widens the invitation to “whosoever” calls on God, signaling an open offer of deliverance.

The Hebrew behind Joel 2:32

  • "Call" (קָרָא, qara): This word means to cry out or appeal, often with urgency. Here, it suggests an earnest turning to God for help, not just a casual mention.
  • "Name" (שֵׁם, shem): In Hebrew thought, calling on God's "name" means more than saying a word; it means appealing to God’s character and authority.
  • "Delivered" (מָלַט, malat): This word means to escape or be rescued from danger. Joel uses it to stress real, tangible rescue, not just a spiritual idea.
  • "Remnant" (שְׁאֵרִית, she’erit): This term refers to those who survive or remain after disaster. Joel points out that God’s deliverance is especially for this group, showing God’s faithfulness to preserve a people for Himself.

Why Joel 2:32 matters

  • Joel 2:32 clarifies that God’s offer of rescue is not limited by ancestry or location; anyone who truly seeks Him can find help.
  • The verse connects to a larger biblical theme of God preserving a “remnant” even in times of judgment, showing both justice and mercy.
  • By mentioning Mount Zion and Jerusalem, Joel ties the promise of deliverance to God’s ongoing relationship with His people and His chosen place, while also hinting at a wider invitation beyond Israel.

Where else these words appear

“deliverance” Hebrew H6413 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
  • Isaiah 15:9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.

“remnant” Hebrew H8300 · used in 28 verses

  • Numbers 21:35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
  • Joshua 10:37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
  • Job 27:15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

“delivered” Hebrew H4422 · used in 85 verses

  • Genesis 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
  • 2 Chronicles 16:7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
  • Isaiah 37:38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.