Joel 3

Judgment of the Nations

1 Yes, in those days and at that time,

when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  * 3:1 Jr 32:44; 33:7,11; Ezk 39:25

2 I will gather all the nations  * 3:2 Is 66:18; Mc 4:12

and take them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.  * 3:2 = The Lord Will Judge,* 3:2 Jl 3:12,14

I will enter into judgment with them there  * 3:2 Is 66:16; Jr 25:31

because of my people, my inheritance Israel.

The nations have scattered the Israelites

in foreign countries  * 3:2 Jr 50:17; Ezk 34:6

and divided up my land.  * 3:2 Ezk 35:10; 36:1–5

3 They cast lots for my people;  * 3:3 Ob 11; Nah 3:10

they bartered a boy for a prostitute

and sold a girl for wine to drink.  * 3:3 Am 2:6

4 And also: Tyre,  * 3:4 Am 1:9; Zch 9:2–4 Sidon, and all the territories of Philistia  * 3:4 Am 1:6–8; Zch 9:5–7  — what are you to me? Are you paying me back or trying to get even with me? I will quickly bring retribution on your heads.  * 3:4 Ps 28:45 For you took my silver and gold and carried my finest treasures  * 3:5 1Kg 20:6; 2Ch 36:19; Lm 1:10–11 to your temples. 6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks  * 3:6 Is 66:19; Ezk 27:13 to remove them far from their own territory. 7 Look, I am about to rouse them up from the place where you sold them;  * 3:7 Zch 9:13 I will bring retribution on your heads. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah,  * 3:8 Is 14:2; 60:14 and they will sell them to the Sabeans,  * 3:8 Probably the south Arabian kingdom of Sheba (modern Yemen),* 3:8 Jb 1:15; Ps 72:10; Ezk 38:13 to a distant nation, for the Lord has spoken.

9 Proclaim this among the nations:  * 3:9 Jr 51:27–28

Prepare for holy war;  * 3:9 Jr 6:4; Mc 3:5

rouse the warriors;  * 3:9 Is 8:9–10; Jr 46:3–4; Zch 14:2–3

let all the men of war advance and attack!

10 Beat your plows into swords

and your pruning knives into spears.  * 3:10 Is 2:4; Mc 4:3

Let even the weakling say, "I am a warrior."

11 Come quickly,  * 3:11 LXX, Syr, Tg read Gather yourselves and come; Hb obscure all you surrounding nations;

gather yourselves.  * 3:11 Ezk 38:15–16

Bring down your warriors there,  Lord.  * 3:11 Is 13:3

12 Let the nations be roused

and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,

for there I will sit down

to judge all the surrounding nations.  * 3:12 Ps 7:6; 98:9; Is 3:13

13 Swing the sickle

because the harvest is ripe.  * 3:13 Jr 51:33; Hs 6:11

Come and trample the grapes

because the winepress is full;  * 3:13 Is 63:3; Lm 1:15

the wine vats overflow

because the wickedness of the nations is extreme.  * 3:13 Gn 18:20; Rv 19:14–16

14 Multitudes, multitudes  * 3:14 Is 34:2–8

in the valley of decision!

For the day of the  Lord is near  * 3:14 Jl 1:15; 2:1,11

in the valley of decision.

15 The sun and moon will grow dark,

and the stars will cease their shining.  * 3:15 Jl 2:10,31

16 The Lord will roar from Zion  * 3:16 Hs 11:10; Am 1:2

and make his voice heard from Jerusalem;  * 3:16 Jr 25:30; Am 1:2

heaven and earth will shake.  * 3:16 Ezk 38:19; Jl 2:10; Hg 2:6

But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,  * 3:16 Ps 46:1; 62:8; Pr 14:26

a stronghold for the Israelites.  * 3:16 Jr 16:19; Nah 1:7

Israel Blessed

17 Then you will know

that I am the Lord your God,  * 3:17 Ex 6:7; 29:46; Ezk 20:20

who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.  * 3:17 Is 11:9; 56:7; Ezk 20:40

Jerusalem will be holy,  * 3:17 Is 4:3; Ob 17

and foreigners will never overrun it again.  * 3:17 Is 52:1; Nah 1:15

18 In that day

the mountains will drip with sweet wine,  * 3:18 Am 9:13

and the hills will flow with milk.  * 3:18 Ex 3:8

All the streams of Judah will flow with water,  * 3:18 Is 30:25; 35:6

and a spring will issue from the  Lord’s house,  * 3:18 Ezk 47:1–12

watering the Valley of Acacias.  * 3:18 Or Shittim,* 3:18 Nm 25:1; Ezk 47:8

19 Egypt will become desolate,

and Edom a desert wasteland,

because of the violence done to the people of Judah  * 3:19 Ob 10

in whose land they shed innocent blood.

20 But Judah will be inhabited forever,  * 3:20 Ezk 37:25; Am 9:15

and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21 I will pardon their bloodguilt,  * 3:21 LXX, Syr read I will avenge their blood,* 3:21 Is 4:4

which I have not pardoned,

for the Lord dwells in Zion.