Joel 3

1 “For behold, in those days, and in that time, When I turn back [to] the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

For behold, in those days and at that time, When I shall bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,

2 Then I have gathered all the nations, And caused them to go down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, And I have been in judgment with them there, Concerning My people and My inheritance—Israel, Whom they scattered among nations, And My land they have apportioned.

I will assemble all the nations, And will bring them down it to the valley of Jehoshaphat, And there will I contend with them for my people and inheritance, Israel; Because they scattered them among the nations, And divided my land among themselves.

3 And for My people they cast a lot, And they give the young man for a harlot, And have sold the young woman for wine, That they may drink.

Yea, they cast lots for my people, And gave a boy for a harlot, And sold a damsel for wine to drink.

4 And also, what [are] you to Me, O Tyre and Sidon, And all circuits of Philistia? Are you rendering repayment to Me? And if you are giving repayment to Me, Swiftly, quickly, I return your repayment on your head.

What have ye to do with me, O Tyre and Sidon, And all the borders of Philistia? Will ye retaliate on me? Or will ye do anything against me? Swiftly and speedily will I bring back your doings upon your own head.

5 In that My silver and My gold you took, And My desirable things that are good, You have brought into your temples.

Ye have taken my silver and my gold, And have carried into your palaces my precious, goodly things;

6 And sons of Judah, and sons of Jerusalem, You have sold to the sons of Javan, To put them far off from their border.

The sons also of Judah, and the sons of Jerusalem, Ye have sold to the Grecians, That ye might remove them far from their border.

7 Behold, I am stirring them up out of the place To where you have sold them, And I have turned back your repayment on your head,

Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, And I will return your injury upon your own head;

8 And have sold your sons and your daughters Into the hand of the sons of Judah, And they have sold them to Sabeans, To a nation far off, for YHWH has spoken.”

I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, And they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation afar off; For Jehovah hath spoken it.

9 Proclaim this among nations, Sanctify a war, stir up the mighty ones, Come near, come up, let all the men of war.

Proclaim ye this among the nations: “Prepare war! Stir up the mighty ones! Let all the warriors draw near; let them come up!”

10 Beat your plowshares to swords, And your pruning-hooks to javelins, Let the weak say, “I [am] mighty.”

Beat your ploughshares into swords, And your pruning-hooks into spears; Let the weak say, I am strong!

11 Hurry, and come in, all you nations around, And be gathered together, There cause to come down, O YHWH, Your mighty ones.

Assemble yourselves and come, all ye nations round about; Gather yourselves together! Thither, O Jehovah, bring down thy mighty ones!

12 “Let the nations wake and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, For there I sit to judge all the nations around.

Let the nations rise and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat! For there will I sit to judge all the nations around.

13 Send forth a sickle, For harvest has ripened, Come in, come down, for the press has been filled, Winepresses have overflowed, For great [is] their wickedness.”

Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; Come and tread, for the wine-press is full; The vats overflow; For their wickedness is great!

14 Multitudes, multitudes [are] in the Valley of Decision, For near [is] the Day of YHWH in the Valley of Decision.

The multitudes, the multitudes in the valley of judgment! For the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of judgment.

15 Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.

The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw their shining.

16 And YHWH roars from Zion, And gives forth His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens and earth have shaken, And YHWH [is] a refuge to His people, And a stronghold to sons of Israel.

Jehovah also will roar from Zion, And utter his voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and the earth shall shake. But Jehovah will be a refuge to his people! A strong-hold to the sons of Israel.

17 “And you have known that I [am] your God YHWH, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain, And Jerusalem has been holy, And strangers do not pass over into it again.”

Then shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, Dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain; And Jerusalem shall be holy; Strangers shall pass through her no more.

18 And it has come to pass in that day, The mountains drop down juice, And the hills flow [with] milk, And all streams of Judah go [with] water, And a fountain from the house of YHWH goes forth, And has watered the Valley of Shittim.

In that day shall the mountains drop down new wine, And the hills shall flow with milk. And all the streams of Judah shall flow with water. A fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, That shall water the valley of Shittim.

19 “Egypt becomes a desolation, And Edom becomes a desolation, a wilderness, For violence [to] sons of Judah, Whose innocent blood they shed in their land.

Egypt shall be a waste, And Edom a desolate wilderness, For their violence against the sons of Judah; For they shed innocent blood in their land.

20 And Judah dwells for all time, And Jerusalem to generation and generation.

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

21 And I have declared their blood innocent, [That] I did not declare innocent, And YHWH is dwelling in Zion!”

And I will avenge their blood, which I have not avenged, And Jehovah will dwell upon Zion.