Font Size
Joel 3
Modern English Version
Joel 3
Modern English Version
Judging the Nations
3 In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all the nations,
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
I will enter into judgment with them there
regarding My people and My heritage Israel,
whom they have scattered among the nations;
they have also divided up My land.
3 They have cast lots for My people,
and have traded a boy for a prostitute;
they have sold a girl for wine,
that they might drink.
4 Also, what are you to Me, Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you repaying Me for something? If you are repaying Me, I will return your payment swiftly and speedily on your head. 5 For you have taken My silver and My gold, and you have carried off My finest treasures to your temples. 6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their border.
7 I am about to rouse them from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your head. 8 I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans—to a distant nation, for the Lord has spoken.
9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Consecrate a war!
Stir up the mighty men!
Let all the men of war draw near and rise.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weakling say,
“I am a warrior!”
11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,
and gather there.
Bring down Your warriors, O Lord.
12 Let the nations be roused,
and go up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit
to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Swing the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Come and tread,
for the winepress is full.
The wine vats overflow,
because their evil is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of the decision.
15 The sun and moon darken,
and the stars withdraw their radiance.
16 The Lord roars from Zion,
and sounds His voice from Jerusalem,
and heaven and earth quake.
But the Lord is a refuge for His people,
and a stronghold for the children of Israel.
The Lord Dwells in Zion
17 Then you will know that I am the Lord your God,
who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain.
And Jerusalem will be holy,
and invaders will never again pass through her.
18 And it will be that in that day the mountains will drip sweet wine,
and the hills will flow with milk,
and all the streambeds of Judah will flow with water;
a spring will proceed from the house of the Lord
and will water the Valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt will become a desolation,
and Edom a desolate wasteland,
because of the violence done to the people of Judah—
they shed innocent blood in their land.
20 But Judah will be inhabited forever,
and Jerusalem for generations and generations.
21 I will avenge their blood,
which I have not yet avenged.
The Lord dwells in Zion!
Joel 3
New International Version
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,
2 I 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.
3 They 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) 5 For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.[c](L) 6 You 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. 8 I 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)
9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for war!(T)
Rouse the warriors!(U)
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks(V) into spears.(W)
Let the weakling(X) say,
“I am strong!”(Y)
11 Come 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.
13 Swing 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!”
14 Multitudes,(AH) multitudes
in the valley(AI) of decision!
For the day of the Lord(AJ) is near
in the valley of decision.(AK)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.(AL)
16 The 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)
19 But 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.
20 Judah will be inhabited forever(BF)
and Jerusalem through all generations.
21 Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?(BG)
No, I will not.(BH)”
The Lord dwells in Zion!(BI)
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.