Joel 3

New International Version

The Nations Judged

3 ^[a]“In those days and at that time,
    when I restore the fortunes^(A) of Judah^(B) and Jerusalem,
²I will gather^(C) all nations
    and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.^[b]^(D)
There I will put them on trial^(E)
    for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered^(F) my people among the nations
    and divided up my land.
³They cast lots^(G) for my people
    and traded boys for prostitutes;
    they sold girls for wine^(H) to drink.

⁴“Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon^(I) and all you regions of Philistia?^(J) Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.^(K) ⁵For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.^[c]^(L) ⁶You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,^(M) that you might send them far from their homeland.

⁷“See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them,^(N) and I will return^(O) on your own heads what you have done. ⁸I will sell your sons^(P) and daughters to the people of Judah,^(Q) and they will sell them to the Sabeans,^(R) a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.^(S)

⁹Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war!^(T)
Rouse the warriors!^(U)
    Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
¹⁰Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks^(V) into spears.^(W)
Let the weakling^(X) say,
    “I am strong!”^(Y)
¹¹Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
    and assemble^(Z) there.

Bring down your warriors,^(AA) Lord!

¹²“Let the nations be roused;
    let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,^(AB)
for there I will sit
    to judge^(AC) all the nations on every side.
¹³Swing the sickle,^(AD)
    for the harvest^(AE) is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,^(AF)
    for the winepress^(AG) is full
    and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”

¹⁴Multitudes,^(AH) multitudes
    in the valley^(AI) of decision!
For the day of the Lord^(AJ) is near
    in the valley of decision.^(AK)
¹⁵The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.^(AL)
¹⁶The Lord will roar^(AM) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;^(AN)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.^(AO)
But the Lord will be a refuge^(AP) for his people,
    a stronghold^(AQ) for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

¹⁷“Then you will know^(AR) that I, the Lord your God,^(AS)
dwell in Zion,^(AT) my holy hill.^(AU)
Jerusalem will be holy;^(AV)
never again will foreigners invade her.^(AW)

¹⁸“In that day the mountains will drip new wine,^(AX)
    and the hills will flow with milk;^(AY)
    all the ravines of Judah will run with water.^(AZ)
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house^(BA)
    and will water the valley of acacias.^[d]^(BB)
¹⁹But Egypt^(BC) will be desolate,
    Edom^(BD) a desert waste,
because of violence^(BE) done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they shed innocent blood.
²⁰Judah will be inhabited forever^(BF)
    and Jerusalem through all generations.
²¹Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?^(BG)
    No, I will not.^(BH)”