Joel 3:1-8
New Living Translation
Judgment against Enemy Nations
3 [a]“At the time of those events,” says the Lord,
“when I restore the prosperity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather the armies of the world
into the valley of Jehoshaphat.[b]
There I will judge them
for harming my people, my special possession,
for scattering my people among the nations,
and for dividing up my land.
3 They threw dice[c] to decide which of my people
would be their slaves.
They traded boys to obtain prostitutes
and sold girls for enough wine to get drunk.
4 “What do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and you cities of Philistia? Are you trying to take revenge on me? If you are, then watch out! I will strike swiftly and pay you back for everything you have done. 5 You have taken my silver and gold and all my precious treasures, and have carried them off to your pagan temples. 6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,[d] so they could take them far from their homeland.
7 “But I will bring them back from all the places to which you sold them, and I will pay you back for everything you have done. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the people of Arabia,[e] a nation far away. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
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Joel 3:1-8
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.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
