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12 Let the nations rouse themselves,
    and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit to judge
    all the neighbouring nations.

13 Put in the sickle,
    for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
    for the wine press is full.
The vats overflow,
    for their wickedness is great.

14 Multitudes, multitudes,
    in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
    in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
    and the stars withdraw their shining.

16 The Lord roars from Zion,
    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
    and the heavens and the earth shake.
But the Lord is a refuge for his people,
    a stronghold for the people of Israel.

The Glorious Future of Judah

17 So you shall know that I, the Lord your God,
    dwell in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
    and strangers shall never again pass through it.

18 On that day
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
    the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the stream beds of Judah
    shall flow with water;
a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord
    and water the Wadi Shittim.

19 Egypt shall become a desolation
    and Edom a desolate wilderness,
because of the violence done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they have shed innocent blood.
20 But Judah shall be inhabited for ever,
    and Jerusalem to all generations.
21 I will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty,[a]
    for the Lord dwells in Zion.

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:21 Gk Syr: Heb I will hold innocent their blood that I have not held innocent

12 “Let the nations be roused;
    let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,(A)
for there I will sit
    to judge(B) all the nations on every side.
13 Swing the sickle,(C)
    for the harvest(D) is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,(E)
    for the winepress(F) is full
    and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”

14 Multitudes,(G) multitudes
    in the valley(H) of decision!
For the day of the Lord(I) is near
    in the valley of decision.(J)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.(K)
16 The Lord will roar(L) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;(M)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.(N)
But the Lord will be a refuge(O) for his people,
    a stronghold(P) for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

17 “Then you will know(Q) that I, the Lord your God,(R)
    dwell in Zion,(S) my holy hill.(T)
Jerusalem will be holy;(U)
    never again will foreigners invade her.(V)

18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine,(W)
    and the hills will flow with milk;(X)
    all the ravines of Judah will run with water.(Y)
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house(Z)
    and will water the valley of acacias.[a](AA)
19 But Egypt(AB) will be desolate,
    Edom(AC) a desert waste,
because of violence(AD) done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they shed innocent blood.
20 Judah will be inhabited forever(AE)
    and Jerusalem through all generations.
21 Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?(AF)
    No, I will not.(AG)

The Lord dwells in Zion!(AH)

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:18 Or Valley of Shittim

True Blessedness

27 While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’ 28 But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’

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27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”(A)

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God(B) and obey it.”(C)

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