Add parallel Print Page Options

Yahweh’s Judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat

Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war![a]
        Stir up the mighty warriors;
let them approach and come up;
    let all the men of war approach.
10 Beat your cutting tools of iron into swords
    and your pruning hooks into spears;
        let the weakling say, ‘I am a mighty warrior!’
11 Hurry and come,
    all the nations, from all around,
        and gather yourselves there.
Bring down your mighty warriors, O Yahweh!
12 Let the nations be roused and let them come up
    to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit to judge
    all the nations from all around.
13 Send forth the sickle,
    for the harvest is ripe!
        Go tread,
for the winepress is full!
    The vats overflow,
        because their evil is great!
14 Commotion, commotion
    in the valley of decision!
For the day of Yahweh is near
    in the valley of decision!
15 The sun and the moon grow dark,
    and the stars have withheld[b] their splendor.
16 And Yahweh roars from Zion;
    from Jerusalem he utters his voice,
and the heavens and the earth shake.
But Yahweh is a refuge for his people,
    and a protection for the children of Israel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:9 Literally “Sanctify a battle”
  2. Joel 3:15 Literally “gathered”

Proclaim this among the nations:(A)
Prepare for holy war;(B)
rouse the warriors;(C)
let all the men of war advance and attack!
10 Beat your plows into swords
and your pruning knives into spears.(D)
Let even the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”
11 Come quickly,[a] all you surrounding nations;
gather yourselves.(E)
Bring down Your warriors there, Lord.(F)

12 Let the nations be roused
and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit down
to judge all the surrounding nations.(G)
13 Swing the sickle
because the harvest is ripe.(H)
Come and trample the grapes
because the winepress is full;(I)
the wine vats overflow
because the wickedness of the nations is great.(J)

14 Multitudes, multitudes(K)
in the valley of decision!
For the Day of the Lord is near(L)
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and moon will grow dark,
and the stars will cease their shining.(M)
16 The Lord will roar from Zion(N)
and raise His voice from Jerusalem;(O)
heaven and earth will shake.(P)
But the Lord will be a refuge for His people,(Q)
a stronghold for the Israelites.(R)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joel 3:11 LXX, Syr, Tg read Gather yourselves and come; Hb obscure