Joel 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 [a]For then, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,(A) 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations. They have divided my land(B) 3 and cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes and sold girls for wine and drunk it down.(C)
4 What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will turn your deeds back upon your own heads swiftly and speedily.(D) 5 For you have taken my silver and my gold and have carried my rich treasures into your temples.[b] 6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, removing them far from their own border. 7 But now I will rouse them to leave the places to which you have sold them, and I will turn your deeds back upon your own heads.(E) 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 nation far away, for the Lord has spoken.(F)
Judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat
9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Consecrate yourselves for war;
stir up the warriors.
Let all the soldiers draw near;
let them come up.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”(G)
11 Come quickly,[c]
all you nations all around;
gather yourselves there.
Bring down your warriors, O Lord.(H)
12 Let the nations rouse themselves
and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit to judge
all the neighboring nations.(I)
13 Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
for their wickedness is great.(J)
14 Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.(K)
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.(L)
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.(M)
18 In that day
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the streambeds of Judah
shall flow with water;
a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord
and water the Wadi Shittim.(N)
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.(O)
20 But Judah shall be inhabited forever
and Jerusalem to all generations.(P)
21 I will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty,[d]
for the Lord dwells in Zion.(Q)
Joel 3
International Standard Version
The Coming Judgment of Nations
3 [a]“Look, now! In those very days and at that time,
when I restore prosperity to[b] Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all nations,
bringing them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
I will set out my case against[c] them there,
on behalf of my people, my heritage Israel,
whom they scattered among the nations,
apportioning my land among themselves.[d]
3 They cast lots for my people—
they sold a young boy in exchange for a prostitute,
and a girl for wine,
so they could drink.”
The Lord’s Judgment upon Philistia
4 “Furthermore, what have you to do with me,
Tyre, Sidon, and all the sea coasts of Philistia?
Are you taking revenge on me?
If you are taking revenge on me,
I’ll send it back on you[e] swiftly and promptly,
5 since you took my silver and gold,
carried my precious treasures into your temples,
6 and sold Judah’s and Jerusalem’s descendants to the Greeks,[f]
so you can remove them far from their homeland!
7 “Look, I will bring them up from where you sold them,
I will turn your revenge back upon you,[g]
8 and I will sell your sons and daughters into the control of the people of Judah.
And they will sell them to the people of Sheba, a country far away.”
Indeed, the Lord has spoken.”
The Lord’s Call to Judgment
9 “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[h] 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.”
God’s Blessings on His People
17 “And truly you will know that I am the Lord your God,
dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.
Then Jerusalem will be holy,
and no foreigners will invade her again.
18 It will come about at that time
that the mountains will drip with newly pressed wine,
the hills will flow with milk,
and the streams of Judah will flow abundantly.
A fountain will spring from the Temple of the Lord,
to water the Valley of the Acacias.
19 Egypt will be desolate,
and Edom will be a desert,
because of violence against the people of Judah
since they shed innocent blood in their land.
20 But Judah will live forever,
and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 I will acquit their bloodguilt that has not yet been acquitted.
For the Lord lives in Zion!”
Footnotes
- Joel 3:1 This verse is 4:1 in MT, and so through the end of the chapter.
- Joel 3:1 Or bring back the captivity of
- Joel 3:2 Or will judge
- Joel 3:2 The Heb. lacks among themselves
- Joel 3:4 Lit. your head
- Joel 3:6 Lit. Jevanites; i.e. descendants of Javan
- Joel 3:7 Lit. turn back your reward
- Joel 3:11 Lit. mighty ones
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