Proclaim this among the nations:(A)
Prepare for holy war;(B)
rouse the warriors;(C)
let all the men of war advance and attack!
10 Beat your plows into swords
and your pruning knives into spears.(D)
Let even the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”
11 Come quickly,[a] all you surrounding nations;
gather yourselves.(E)
Bring down your warriors there, Lord.(F)

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.(G)
13 Swing the sickle
because the harvest is ripe.(H)
Come and trample the grapes
because the winepress is full;(I)
the wine vats overflow
because the wickedness of the nations is extreme.(J)

14 Multitudes, multitudes(K)
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near(L)
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and moon will grow dark,
and the stars will cease their shining.(M)
16 The Lord will roar from Zion(N)
and make his voice heard from Jerusalem;(O)
heaven and earth will shake.(P)
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,(Q)
a stronghold for the Israelites.(R)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 3:11 LXX, Syr, Tg read Gather yourselves and come; Hb obscure

The Lord’s Call to Judgment

“Declare this among the nations:
    ‘Prepare for war!
Wake up your elite forces!
    Let all the soldiers draw near!
        Call them up!
10 Beat your plow blades into swords,
    and your pruning knives into spears!
        Let the frail say, “I am strong!”
11 Hurry and come, all you gentiles!
    Gather yourselves together!’”
        Lord, cause your mighty army[a] to come down.

12 “Let the nations be awakened
    and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
        because I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Put in the sickle,
    because the harvest is ripe.
Come and go down,
    because the winepress is full.
The wine vats are overflowing,
    because their evil is great!

14 “Multitudes, multitudes
    in the Valley of Judgment!
For the Day of the Lord is near
    in the Valley of Judgment!
15 The sun and moon will grow dark,
    and the stars will stop shining.

16 “The Lord will roar from Zion,
    and shout from Jerusalem.
The heavens and the earth will shake,
    but the Lord will be the refuge of his people,
        and the strength of the people of Israel.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:11 Lit. mighty ones

Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war!(A)
Rouse the warriors!(B)
    Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks(C) into spears.(D)
Let the weakling(E) say,
    “I am strong!”(F)
11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
    and assemble(G) there.

Bring down your warriors,(H) Lord!

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

14 Multitudes,(O) multitudes
    in the valley(P) of decision!
For the day of the Lord(Q) is near
    in the valley of decision.(R)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.(S)
16 The Lord will roar(T) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;(U)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.(V)
But the Lord will be a refuge(W) for his people,
    a stronghold(X) for the people of Israel.

Read full chapter