Joel 3

1For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

2I 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.

3And 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.

4Yea, 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;

5Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:footnote a

6The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.footnote b

7Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

8And 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.

9Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:footnote c

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

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

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

13Put 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.

14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.footnote f

15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

16The 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.footnote g

17So 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.footnote h

18And 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 of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.footnote i

19Egypt 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.

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

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

The LORD Judges the Nations

1“Yes, in those days and at that time,when I restore Judah and Jerusalem from captivity,footnote a 2I will gather all the nationsand bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.footnote bThere I will enter into judgment against themconcerning My people, My inheritance, Israel,whom they have scattered among the nationsas they divided up My land. 3They cast lots for My people;they bartered a boy for a prostituteand sold a girl for wine to drink.

4Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads. 5For you took My silver and gold and carried off My finest treasures to your temples.footnote c 6You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,footnote d to send them far from their homeland.

7Behold, I will rouse them from the places to which you sold them; I will return your recompense upon your heads. 8I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans—to a distant nation.”
Indeed, the LORD has spoken.

9Proclaim this among the nations:“Prepare for war;rouse the mighty men;let all the men of waradvance and attack! 10Beat your plowshares into swordsand your pruning hooks into spears.Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’ 11Come quickly, all you surrounding nations,and gather yourselves.Bring down Your mighty ones,O LORD.

12Let the nations be rousedand advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,for there I will sit downto judge all the nations on every side. 13Swing the sickle,for the harvest is ripe.footnote eCome, trample the grapes,for the winepress is full;the wine vats overflowbecause their wickedness is great.

14Multitudes, multitudesin the valley of decision!For the Day of the LORD is nearin the valley of decision. 15The sun and moon will grow dark,and the stars will no longer shine. 16The LORD will roar from Zionand raise His voice from Jerusalem;heaven and earth will tremble.But the LORD will be a refuge for His people,a stronghold for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

17Then you will know that I am the LORD your God,who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain.Jerusalem will be holy,never again to be overrun by foreigners.

18And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine,and the hills will flow with milk.All the streams of Judah will run with water,and a spring will flow from the house of the LORDto water the Valley of Acacias.footnote f 19Egypt will become desolate,and Edom a desert wasteland,because of the violence done to the people of Judah,in whose land they shed innocent blood. 20But Judah will be inhabited forever,and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21For I will avenge their blood,which I have not yet avenged.footnote g”For the LORD dwells in Zion.