1[1] ‘In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,2I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.[2] There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.3They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink.4‘Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.5For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.[3]6You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.7‘See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done.8I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.’ The Lord has spoken.9Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.10Beat your ploughshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong!’11Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord!12‘Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.13Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow – so great is their wickedness!’14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.15The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.16The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
Blessings for God’s people
17‘Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.18‘In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.[4]19But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.20Judah will be inhabited for ever and Jerusalem through all generations.21Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged? No, I will not.’ The Lord dwells in Zion!
Joel 3
English Standard Version
The Lord Judges the Nations
1[1] “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, (Jer 30:3)2I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, (Isa 66:16; Jer 25:31; Zep 3:8; Zec 14:2)3and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. (Ob 1:11; Na 3:10)4“What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. (Isa 23:1; Jer 47:4; Eze 25:15; Am 1:9; Ob 1:15)5For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples.[2] (2Ch 21:16)6You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their own border. (Joe 3:3)7Behold, I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own head. (Joe 3:4)8I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the Lord has spoken.” (1Ki 10:1)9Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war;[3] stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. (Mic 3:5)10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” (Isa 2:4)11Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord. (Isa 54:15; Zec 14:5)12Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. (Ps 96:13; Ps 98:9; Ps 110:6; Isa 2:4; Isa 3:13; Joe 3:2; Mic 4:3)13Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. (Isa 63:2; Jer 51:33; Ho 6:11; Mt 13:30; Mt 13:39; Mr 4:29; Joh 4:35; Re 14:15; Re 14:18; Re 14:20)14Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. (Joe 1:15)15The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. (Joe 2:10)16The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. (Isa 4:6; Isa 25:4; Jer 25:30; Joe 2:10; Joe 2:11; Am 1:2)
The Glorious Future of Judah
17“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it. (Ps 48:1; Isa 52:1; Isa 65:11; Jer 31:23; Eze 6:7; Eze 43:7; Joe 2:1; Joe 2:27; Joe 3:21; Na 1:15; Zec 14:21; Re 21:27; Re 22:15)18“And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim. (Nu 25:1; Isa 30:25; Jer 31:12; Eze 47:1; Am 9:13)19“Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the people of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. (Isa 19:1; Isa 34:5; Ob 1:10)20But Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations. (Ps 125:1; Eze 37:25)21I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged,[4] for the Lord dwells in Zion.” (Isa 4:4; Eze 36:25; Eze 36:29; Joe 3:17)