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Proclaim this among the nations:
    “Prepare for war!
    Stir up the mighty men.
Let all the warriors draw near.
Let them come up. 10     Beat your plowshares into swords,
    and your pruning hooks into spears.
    Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,
    and gather yourselves together.”
Cause your mighty ones to come down there, Yahweh.
12 “Let the nations arouse themselves,
    and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat;
    for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Put in the sickle;
    for the harvest is ripe.
    Come, tread, for the wine press is full,
    the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
    For the day of Yahweh is near, in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
    and the stars withdraw their shining.
16 Yahweh will roar from Zion,
    and thunder from Jerusalem;
    and the heavens and the earth will shake;
    but Yahweh will be a refuge to his people,
    and a stronghold to the children of Israel.

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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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:11 Lit. mighty ones