Joel 3

1 Behold, in those days and at that time, when I return the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem,

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

2 I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will judge them there, because of my people and my inheritance Israel, whom they scattered among the nations, and because they divided up my land.

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.

3 They cast lots for my people, traded a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine so they could drink.

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.

4 Now, why are you angry at me, Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? Even if you do repay me, I will immediately return your retribution on your own head.

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.

5 For you took my silver and my gold, and you brought my precious treasures into your temples.

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

6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, in order to remove them far from their territory.

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;

7 Look, I am about to stir them up, out of the place where you sold them, and will return payment on your own head.

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

8 I will sell your sons and your daughters, by the hand of the people of Judah. They will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far off, for Yahweh has spoken.”

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.

9 Proclaim this among the nations, “Prepare yourselves for war, rouse the mighty men, let them come near, let all the men of battle come up.

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.

10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning knives 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 Hurry and come, all you nearby nations, gather yourselves together there. Yahweh, bring down your mighty warriors.

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

12 Let the nations wake themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. For there will I sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

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.

13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, crush the grapes, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is enormous.”

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.

14 There is a tumult, a tumult in the Valley of Judgment. For the day of Yahweh is near in the Valley of Judgment.

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 become dark, the stars keep back their brightness.

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

16 Yahweh will roar from Zion, and raise his voice from Jerusalem. The heavens and earth will shake, but Yahweh will be a shelter for his people, and a fortress for the people of Israel.

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.

17 “So you will know that I am Yahweh your God who lives in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no army will march through her again.

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.

18 It will come about on that day that the mountains will drip with sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the brooks of Judah will flow with water, and a fountain will come from the house of Yahweh and water the Valley of Shittim.

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.

19 Egypt will become an abandoned devastation, and Edom will become an abandoned wilderness, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, because they shed innocent blood in their land.

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.

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

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

21 I will avenge their blood that I have not yet avenged, for Yahweh lives in Zion.”

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