Joel 3

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

“Yes, in those days and at that time, when I restore Judah and Jerusalem from captivity,

2 I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land.

I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations as they divided up My land.

3 And they have cast lots for My people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, and have drunk.

They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.

4 And also what are ye to Me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the regions of Philistia? will ye render retribution on My behalf? and if ye render retribution on My behalf, swiftly, speedily will I return your retribution upon your own head.

Now 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.

5 Forasmuch as ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My goodly treasures;

For you took My silver and gold and carried off My finest treasures to your temples.

6 the children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of Jevanim, that ye might remove them far from their border;

You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland.

7 behold, I will stir them up out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your retribution upon your own head;

Behold, I will rouse them from the places to which you sold them; I will return your recompense upon your heads.

8 and I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the men of Sheba, to a nation far off; for the LORD hath spoken.

I 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.

9 Proclaim ye this among the nations, prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.

Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war; rouse the mighty men; let all the men of war advance and attack!

10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say: 'I am strong.'

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’

11 Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together; thither cause Thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD!

Come quickly, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves. Bring down Your mighty ones, O LORD.

12 Let the nations be stirred up, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.

Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side.

13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, tread ye, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

15 The sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining.

The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine.

16 And the LORD shall roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the LORD will be a refuge unto His people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.

The LORD will roar from Zion and 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.

17 So 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.

Then 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.

18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks 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.

And 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 LORD to water the Valley of Acacias.

19 Egypt 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.

Egypt 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.

20 But Judah shall be inhabited for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21 And I will hold as innocent their blood that I have not held as innocent; and the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged.”