Lexical Summary ush: To hasten, to be eager, to be swift Original Word: עוּשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance assemble self A primitive root; to hasten -- assemble self. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to lend aid, come to help NASB Translation hasten (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עוּשׁ] verb si vera lectio, lend aid, come to help (Arabic  IV. aid, succour; Sabean עֿותֿ noun help, SabDenkm91; Nabataean, Sinaitic עות in proper name Lzb337 Cook90); — Qal Imperative masculine plural עוּשׁוּ וָבֹאוּ Joel 4:11 but dubious; Gr Dr, plausibly, חוּשׁוּ; CheExpos., Nov. 1897,365 גְּשׁוּ (√ נגשׁ); עוּרוּ We Now. Topical Lexicon Usage in the Canon The form עוּשׁ occurs once, in Joel 3:11, as an imperative calling the surrounding nations to “Hurry and come”. This unique occurrence heightens its rhetorical force: the prophet summons hostile armies to assemble swiftly for judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, underscoring the sure and imminent nature of the Day of the LORD. Historical Setting in Joel Joel addresses Judah during a time of national distress, whether an early-monarchy locust plague or a post-exilic economic crisis. In either dating, the oracle looks beyond Judah’s immediate calamity to a climactic confrontation between the covenant-keeping God and the rebellious nations. By commanding them to “hurry,” Joel dramatizes their helplessness; they rush headlong at God’s bidding to the very place where He will vindicate His people (Joel 3:12–16). Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty: Even hostile armies move according to God’s timetable. The imperative עוּשׁ exposes the myth of autonomous human power. Prophetic and Eschatological Implications • Prefigures the end-time gathering of nations for the final battle (Revelation 16:14–16). Practical Ministry Applications • Urgency in Evangelism: If God commands the nations to hasten to judgment, the church must hasten with the gospel (Matthew 24:14). Related Biblical Concepts Hastening in obedience (Psalm 119:60), hastening in prayer for deliverance (Psalm 70:1), and the church’s longing that can “hasten the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12) all echo Joel’s sense of urgency. In each case, human action aligns with divine initiative rather than forcing God’s hand. Further Reflection The lone appearance of עוּשׁ acts as a theological spotlight. It reminds the reader that every moment of apparent geopolitical chaos is, in fact, ordered by the LORD of hosts. For the faithful, this single command in Joel transforms panic into praise: the Judge of all the earth is neither late nor idle but summons history to its appointed climax—swiftly, surely, and at His word. Forms and Transliterations ע֣וּשׁוּ עושו ‘ū·šū ‘ūšū UshuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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