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Hahatulan ng Diyos ang mga Bansa

“Sapagkat, narito, sa mga araw na iyon, at sa panahong iyon, kapag aking ibinalik ang kayamanan ng Juda at Jerusalem,

aking titipunin ang lahat ng bansa at ibababa ko sila sa libis ni Jehoshafat; at hahatulan ko sila roon, dahil sa aking bayan at dahil sa aking manang Israel, sapagkat kanilang pinangalat sila sa mga bansa, at pinaghatian ang aking lupain,

at nagsapalaran para sa aking bayan, at kanilang ibinigay ang isang batang lalaki dahil sa isang babaing upahan, at ipinagbili ang isang batang babae dahil sa alak, at ininom iyon.

“Ano(A) (B) kayo sa akin, O Tiro at Sidon, at buong lupain ng Filistia? Binabayaran ba ninyo ako dahil sa isang bagay? Kung ako'y inyong binabayaran, mabilis at madali kong gagantihan ang inyong gawa sa inyong sariling ulo.

Sapagkat inyong kinuha ang aking pilak at ginto, at inyong dinala sa inyong mga templo ang aking mga kayamanan.

Inyong ipinagbili ang mga anak ng Juda at Jerusalem sa mga taga-Grecia, at inilayo sila sa kanilang sariling hangganan.

Ngunit ngayon ay gigisingin ko sila sa dako na inyong pinagbilhan sa kanila, at aking sisingilin ang inyong gawa sa inyong sariling ulo.

At aking ipagbibili ang inyong mga anak na lalaki at babae sa kamay ng mga anak ni Juda, at kanilang ipagbibili sila sa mga Sabeo, sa isang bansang malayo; sapagkat nagsalita ang Panginoon.”

Ipahayag ninyo ito sa mga bansa:
Maghanda kayo ng pakikidigma,
    pasiglahin ninyo ang malalakas na lalaki.
Magsilapit ang lahat ng lalaking mandirigma,
    sila'y magsiahon.
10 Gawin(C) ninyong mga tabak ang inyong mga sudsod,
    at mga sibat ang inyong mga karit;
    hayaang sabihin ng mahina, “Ako'y malakas.”

11 Magmadali kayo, at magsiparito
    kayong lahat ng bansa sa palibot,
    magtipun-tipon kayo roon.
Ibaba mo ang iyong mga malalakas, O Panginoon.
12 Pasiglahin ng mga bansa ang kanilang sarili,
    at sila'y umahon sa libis ni Jehoshafat;
sapagkat doo'y uupo ako upang hatulan
    ang lahat ng bansa sa palibot.

13 Gamitin(D) ninyo ang karit,
    sapagkat ang aanihin ay hinog na.
Pumasok kayo, at inyong yapakan,
    sapagkat ang pisaan ng alak ay puno.
Ang imbakan ng alak ay inaapawan,
    sapagkat ang kanilang kasamaan ay napakalaki.

14 Napakarami, napakarami,
    ang nasa libis ng pagpapasiya!
Sapagkat ang araw ng Panginoon ay malapit na
    sa libis ng pagpapasiya.
15 Ang araw at ang buwan ay nagdidilim,
    at pinipigil ng mga bituin ang kanilang pagningning.

Pagpapalain ng Diyos ang Kanyang Bayan

16 At(E) ang Panginoon ay sumisigaw mula sa Zion,
    at binibigkas ang kanyang tinig mula sa Jerusalem;
    at ang langit at ang lupa ay nayayanig.
Ngunit ang Panginoon ay kanlungan sa kanyang bayan,
    at muog sa mga anak ni Israel.

17 “At inyong malalaman na ako ang Panginoon ninyong Diyos,
    na naninirahan sa Zion, na aking banal na bundok.
Kung magkagayo'y magiging banal ang Jerusalem,
    at hindi na ito daraanan ng mga dayuhan.

18 “At sa araw na iyon,
ang mga bundok ay tutuluan ng matamis na alak,
    at ang mga burol ay dadaluyan ng gatas,
at ang lahat ng batis ng Juda ay dadaluyan ng tubig;
at isang bukal ay lalabas mula sa bahay ng Panginoon,
    at didiligin ang libis ng Shittim.

19 “Ang Ehipto ay masisira,
    at ang Edom ay magiging ilang na sira,
dahil sa karahasang ginawa sa mga anak ni Juda,
    sapagkat sila'y nagpadanak ng dugong walang sala sa kanilang lupain.
20 Ngunit ang Juda'y tatahanan magpakailanman,
    at ang Jerusalem sa lahat ng salinlahi.
21 Ipaghihiganti ko ang kanilang dugo
    at hindi ko pawawalang-sala ang nagkasala,
    sapagkat ang Panginoon ay naninirahan sa Zion.”

Parurusahan ang mga Bansa

Sinabi ng Panginoon, “Sa panahong iyon na ibabalik ko ang mabuting kalagayan ng Juda at Jerusalem,[a] titipunin ko ang mga bansa at dadalhin ko sila sa Lambak ni Jehoshafat.[b] Doon ko sila hahatulan dahil sa kanilang ginawa sa mga Israelita na aking mamamayan na pag-aari ko. Pinangalat nila ang mga Israelita sa ibaʼt ibang bansa at pinaghati-hatian ang aking lupain. Nagpalabunutan sila para paghati-hatian ang aking mga mamamayan, at ipinagbili nila bilang alipin ang mga batang lalaki at babae, upang ibili ng alak at ibayad sa babaeng bayaran.

“Kayong mga taga-Tyre, taga-Sidon, at ang lahat ng lugar ng Filistia, ano ba itong ginagawa ninyo laban sa akin? Ginagantihan ba ninyo ako sa mga bagay na aking ginawa? Kung ganoon, gagantihan ko agad kayo sa inyong ginagawa.[c] Sapagkat kinuha ninyo ang aking mga ginto at pilak at iba pang mamahaling bagay at dinala ninyo ito roon sa inyong mga templo. Ipinagbili ninyo sa mga Griego ang mga mamamayan ng Juda at Jerusalem bilang mga alipin, upang mailayo ninyo sila sa sarili nilang bayan. Pero tutulungan ko silang makaalis sa mga bayang sa mga bayang pinagbilhan ninyo sa kanila, at gagawin ko sa inyo ang inyong ginawa sa kanila. Ipagbibili ko ang inyong mga anak sa mga taga-Juda, at ipagbibili naman nila ang mga ito sa mga taga-Sabea[d] na nakatira sa malayong lugar.” Mangyayari nga ito, dahil ako, ang Panginoon, ang nagsasabi nito.

Ipaalam ito sa mga bansa: Humanda kayo sa pakikipagdigma. Tawagin ninyo ang inyong mga sundalo upang sumalakay. 10 Gawin ninyong mga espada ang sudsod ng inyong mga araro at gawin ninyong mga sibat ang inyong mga panggapas. Kahit ang mahihina ay kailangang makipaglaban. 11 Pumarito kayo, lahat kayong mga bansang nasa paligid, at magtipon kayo doon sa Lambak ni Jehoshafat. Panginoon, papuntahin nʼyo na po roon ang inyong hukbo.[e]

12 Sinabi ng Panginoon, “Kailangang hikayatin ang mga bansa sa paligid na pumunta sa Lambak ni Jehoshafat, dahil doon ko sila hahatulan. 13 Para silang mga aanihin na kailangan nang gapasin dahil hinog na, o parang ubas na kailangan nang pisain dahil puno na ng ubas ang pisaan. Ubod sila ng sama; ang kanilang kasalanan ay parang katas ng ubas na umaapaw sa sisidlan nito.”

14 Napakaraming tao ang naroon sa Lambak ng Paghatol, dahil malapit nang dumating ang araw ng pagpaparusa ng Panginoon. 15 Magdidilim ang araw at ang buwan, at hindi na magliliwanag ang mga bituin. 16 Aatungal na parang leon ang Panginoon mula sa Zion;[f] dadagundong ang kanyang tinig mula sa Jerusalem. Kaya mayayanig ang lupa at langit. Pero ang Panginoon ang matibay na kanlungan para sa mga Israelita na kanyang mamamayan.

Ang mga Pagpapalang para sa mga Mamamayan ng Dios

17 Sinabi ng Panginoon, “Malalaman ninyong mga taga-Juda na ako, ang Panginoon na inyong Dios, ay nakatira sa Zion, ang aking banal na bundok. Magiging banal muli ang Jerusalem; hindi na ito muling lulusubin ng ibang bansa. 18 Sa panahong iyon, pagpapalain ko kayo. Magiging sagana ang inyong bagong katas ng ubas na mula sa maraming ubas sa mga bundok. Magiging sagana rin ang inyong gatas mula sa maraming baka at kambing na nanginginain sa mga burol. At hindi na matutuyuan ang inyong mga sapa at ilog. At may bukal mula sa templo ng Panginoon na dadaloy sa lambak na may mga punong akasya.[g]

19 “Ang Egipto ay magiging malungkot na lugar at ang Edom ay magiging ilang, dahil pinagmalupitan nila ang mga taga-Juda; pinatay nila ang mga taong walang kasalanan. 20 Pero ang Juda at ang Jerusalem ay titirhan magpakailanman. 21 Ipaghihiganti ko ang mga pinatay sa aking mga mamamayan. Parurusahan ko ang mga gumawa nito sa kanila.[h] Ako, ang Panginoon na nakatira sa Zion.”

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 ibabalik … Jerusalem: o, pababalikin ko ang mga mamamayan ng Juda at Jerusalem sa kanilang lupain mula sa pagkabihag.
  2. 3:2 Jehoshafat: Ang ibig sabihin, naghahatol ang Panginoon.
  3. 3:4 Ang ginagawa ng mga bansang ito laban sa Israel ay para na rin nilang ginagawa laban sa Panginoon.
  4. 3:8 Sabea: Isang lugar sa timog-kanluran ng Arabia.
  5. 3:11 Panginoon … hukbo: Sa Syriac, At doon ay lilipulin ng Panginoon ang inyong mga kawal.
  6. 3:16 Zion: Isa sa mga tawag sa Jerusalem.
  7. 3:18 na may mga punong akasya: o, ng Shitim.
  8. 3:21 Ipaghihiganti … sa kanila: Ito ang nasa Septuagint at Syriac. Sa Hebreo, Ituturing ko na walang kasalanan ang mga pinatay sa kanila na hindi ko pa naituring na walang kasalanan. O, Patatawarin ko ang mga pagpatay nila na hindi ko pa napapatawad.

The Lord Plans to Judge the Nations

(4:1)[a] For look! In those[b] days and at that time
I will return the exiles[c] to Judah and Jerusalem.
Then I will gather all the nations,
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.[d]
I will enter into judgment[e] against them there
concerning my people Israel who are my inheritance,[f]
whom they scattered among the nations.
They partitioned my land,
and they cast lots for my people.
They traded[g] a boy for a prostitute;
they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink.[h]
Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon?[i]
Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia?[j]
If you are, I will very quickly repay you for what you have done![k]
For you took my silver and my gold
and brought my precious valuables to your own palaces.[l]
You sold Judeans and Jerusalemites to the Greeks,
removing them far from their own country.[m]
Look! I am rousing them from that place to which you sold them.
I will repay you for what you have done![n]
I will sell your sons and daughters to[o] the people of Judah.[p]
They will sell them to the Sabeans,[q] a nation far away.
Indeed, the Lord has spoken.

Judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat

Proclaim this among the nations:
“Prepare for a holy war!
Call out the warriors!
Let all these fighting men approach and attack![r]
10 Beat your plowshares[s] into swords,
and your pruning hooks[t] into spears.[u]
Let the weak say, ‘I too am a warrior!’[v]
11 Lend your aid[w] and come,
all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves[x] to that place.”
Bring down, O Lord, your warriors![y]
12 “Let the nations be roused and let them go up
to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations.
13 Rush forth with[z] the sickle, for the harvest is ripe!
Come, stomp the grapes,[aa] for the winepress is full!
The vats overflow.
Indeed, their evil is great!”[ab]
14 Crowds, great crowds are in the Valley of Decision,

for the day of the Lord is near in the Valley of Decision![ac]
15 The sun and moon are darkened;
the stars withhold[ad] their brightness.
16 The Lord roars from Zion;
from Jerusalem his voice bellows out.[ae]
The heavens[af] and the earth shake.
But the Lord is a refuge for his people;
he is a stronghold for the citizens[ag] of Israel.

The Lord’s Presence in Zion

17 “You will be convinced[ah] that I the Lord am your God,
dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain.
Jerusalem will be holy—
conquering armies[ai] will no longer pass through it.
18 “On that day[aj] the mountains will drip with sweet wine,[ak]
and the hills will flow with milk.[al]
All the dry stream beds[am] of Judah will flow with water.
A spring will flow out from the temple[an] of the Lord,
watering the Valley of Acacia Trees.[ao]
19 Egypt will be desolate
and Edom will be a desolate wilderness,
because of the violence they did to the people of Judah,[ap]
in whose land they shed innocent blood.
20 But Judah will reside securely forever,
and Jerusalem will be secure[aq] from one generation to the next.
21 I will avenge[ar] their blood that I had not previously acquitted.
It is the Lord who dwells in Zion!

Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:1 sn Joel 3:1 in the English Bible is 4:1 in the Hebrew text (BHS). See also the note at 2:28.
  2. Joel 3:1 tc The MT and LXX read, “in those days,” while MurXII reads, “in that day.”
  3. Joel 3:1 tc The Kethib has אָשִׁיב (ʾashiv, “I will return the captivity [captives]”), while the Qere is אָשׁוּב (ʾashuv, “I will restore the fortunes”). Many modern English versions follow the Qere reading. Either reading seems to fit the context. Joel refers to an exile of the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem in 3:2-6 and their return from exile in 3:7. On the other hand, 2:25-26 describes the reversal of judgment and restoration of the covenant blessings. However, the former seems to be the concern of the immediate context.
  4. Joel 3:2 sn There is a play on words here. Jehoshaphat in Hebrew means “the Lord has judged,” and the next line in v. 2 further explicates this thought. The location of this valley is uncertain (cf. v. 12). Many interpreters identified the Valley of Jehoshaphat as the Kidron Valley, located between old Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. They supposed it was the “Valley of Berachah [“blessing”],” where King Jehoshaphat defeated his enemies (2 Chr 20:26). Since this is described as a scene of future messianic activity and judgment, many Jews and Muslims have desired to be buried in the Kidron vicinity, and there are many graves in the area. A variation of this view, mentioned by Eusebius (Onomasticon 1:10), is the Hinnom Valley, on the south side of the old city, perhaps as a “valley of slaughter” (Jer 7:31-32; 19:5-6). Many modern scholars think Joel’s valley is part of an idealized and nonliteral scene of judgment. Another theory is that there is no reference to the ancient king but to the eschatalogical judgment to occur in the Valley of Esdraelon (Armageddon: Ezek 39:11; Rev 16:16-17; cf. Joel 3:12-21).
  5. Joel 3:2 tn Heb “I will execute judgment.”
  6. Joel 3:2 tn Heb “concerning my people and my inheritance Israel.”
  7. Joel 3:3 tn Heb “gave.”
  8. Joel 3:3 sn Heb “and they drank.” Joel vividly refers to a situation where innocent human life has little value; its only worth is its use in somehow satisfying selfish appetites of wicked people who have control over others (cf. Amos 2:6 and 8:6).
  9. Joel 3:4 tn Heb “What [are] you [doing] to me, O Tyre and Sidon?”
  10. Joel 3:4 tn Or “districts.”
  11. Joel 3:4 tn Heb “quickly, speedily, I will return your recompense on your head.” This is an idiom for retributive justice and an equitable reversal of situation.
  12. Joel 3:5 tn Or perhaps, “temples.”
  13. Joel 3:6 tn Heb “border.”
  14. Joel 3:7 tn Heb “I will return your recompense on your head.”
  15. Joel 3:8 tn Heb “into the hand of.”
  16. Joel 3:8 tn Heb “the sons of Judah.”
  17. Joel 3:8 sn The Sabeans were Arabian merchants who were influential along the ancient caravan routes that traveled through Arabia. See also Job 1:15; Isa 43:3; 45:14; Ps 72:10.
  18. Joel 3:9 tn Heb “draw near and go up.”
  19. Joel 3:10 sn Instead of referring to the large plow as a whole, the plowshare is simply the metal tip which actually breaks the earth and cuts the furrow.
  20. Joel 3:10 sn This implement was used to prune the vines, i.e., to cut off extra leaves and young shoots (M. Klingbeil, NIDOTTE 1:1117-18). It was a short knife with a curved hook at the end sharpened on the inside like a sickle.
  21. Joel 3:10 sn This conversion of farming instruments to instruments of war is the reverse of Isa 2:4 (cf. Mic 4:3), where military weapons are transformed into tools for farming. Isaiah describes a time of kingdom blessing and prosperity, whereas Joel describes a time of eschatological conflict and judgment.
  22. Joel 3:10 sn The “weak” individual mentioned here is apparently the farmer who has little or no military prowess or prior fighting experience. Under ordinary circumstances such a person would be ill-prepared for assuming the role of a soldier. However, in the scene that Joel is describing here even the most unlikely candidate will become a participant to be reckoned with in this final conflict.
  23. Joel 3:11 tn This Hebrew verb is found only here in the OT; its meaning is uncertain. Some scholars prefer to read here עוּרוּ (ʿuru, “arouse”) or חוּשׁוּ (khushu, “hasten”).
  24. Joel 3:11 tc The present translation follows the reading of the imperative הִקָּבְצוּ (hiqqavetsu) rather than the perfect with vav (ו) consecutive וְנִקְבָּצוּ (veniqbatsu) of the MT.
  25. Joel 3:11 tc Some commentators prefer to delete the line, “Bring down, O Lord, your warriors,” understanding it to be a later addition. But this is unnecessary. Contrary to what some have suggested, a prayer for the Lord’s intervention is not out of place here.
  26. Joel 3:13 tn Heb “send.”
  27. Joel 3:13 tn Heb “go down” or “tread.” The Hebrew term רְדוּ (redu) may be from יָרַד (yarad, “to go down”) or from רָדָה (radah, “have dominion,” here in the sense of “to tread”). If it means “go down,” the reference would be to entering the vat to squash the grapes. If it means “tread,” the verb would refer specifically to the action of those who walk over the grapes to press out their juice. The phrase “the grapes” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
  28. Joel 3:13 sn The immediacy of judgment upon wickedness is likened to the urgency required for a harvest that has reached its pinnacle of development. When the harvest is completely ripe, there can be no delay by the reapers in gathering the harvest. In a similar way, Joel envisions a time when human wickedness will reach such a heightened degree that there can be no further stay of divine judgment (cf. the “fullness of time” language in Gal 4:4).
  29. Joel 3:14 sn The decision referred to here is not a response on the part of the crowd but the verdict handed out by the divine judge.
  30. Joel 3:15 tn Heb “gather in.”
  31. Joel 3:16 tn Heb “he sounds forth his voice.”
  32. Joel 3:16 tn Or “the sky.” See the note on “sky” in 2:30.
  33. Joel 3:16 tn Heb “sons.”
  34. Joel 3:17 tn Heb “know.”
  35. Joel 3:17 tn Heb “strangers” or “foreigners.” In context, this refers to invasions by conquering armies.
  36. Joel 3:18 tn Heb “and it will come about in that day.”
  37. Joel 3:18 tn Many English translations read “new wine” or “sweet wine,” meaning unfermented wine, i.e., grape juice.
  38. Joel 3:18 sn The language used here is a hyperbolic way of describing both a bountiful grape harvest (“the mountains will drip with juice”) and an abundance of cattle (“the hills will flow with milk”). In addition to being hyperbolic, the language is also metonymical (effect for cause).
  39. Joel 3:18 tn Or “seasonal streams.”
  40. Joel 3:18 tn Heb “house.”
  41. Joel 3:18 tn Heb “Valley of Shittim.” The exact location of the Valley of Acacia Trees is uncertain. The Hebrew word שִׁטִּים (shittim) refers to a place where the acacia trees grow, which would be a very arid and dry place. The acacia tree can survive in such locations, whereas most other trees require more advantageous conditions. Joel’s point is that the stream that has been mentioned will proceed to the most dry and barren of locations in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
  42. Joel 3:19 tn Heb “violence of the sons of Judah.” The phrase “of the sons of Judah” is an objective genitive (cf. KJV “the violence against the children of Judah,” NAB, NIV, NRSV “violence done to the people of Judah”). It refers to injustices committed against the Judeans, not violence that the Judeans themselves had committed against others.
  43. Joel 3:20 tn The phrase “will be secure” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.
  44. Joel 3:21 tc The present translation follows the reading וְנִקַּמְתִּי (veniqqamti, “I will avenge”) rather than וְנִקֵּתִי (veniqqeti, “I will acquit”) of the MT.

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;

Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it.

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord.

12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats 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 shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

17 So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion.