Joel 3

1 “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,

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

2 I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgement on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered amongst the nations. They have divided my land,

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

3 and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.

They have cast lots for my people. They have traded boys for prostitutes, and sold girls for wine, and drunk it.

4 “Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.

What are you to me, Tyre and Sidon and all the districts of Philistia? Were you repaying any deed of mine, or were you doing something for me? Quickly will I return your deed upon your heads.

5 Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,

You who have taken my silver and my gold, and you have brought my goodly jewels into your palaces,

6 and have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their border.

you have sold the people of Judah and of Jerusalem to the Greeks, so that you might remove them far from their own borders.

7 Behold, I will stir them up out of the place where you have sold them, and will return your repayment on your own head;

I am about to stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will turn your deeds upon your own head.

8 and I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, and they will sell them to the men of Sheba, to a faraway nation, for the LORD has spoken it.”

I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far off, for the Lord has spoken.

9 Proclaim this amongst the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up.

Proclaim this among the nations, sanctify war. Arouse the warriors, let all the fighting men muster and go up.

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

Beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into lances; let the weak say, I, indeed, am strong.

11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together.” Cause your mighty ones to come down there, LORD.

Bestir yourselves and come, all you nations round about. Quickly gather yourselves together, ask the Lord to bring his warriors.

12 “Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

Let the nations rouse themselves and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

13 Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”

Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; go in, tread, for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, for great is their wickedness.

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

Noisy multitudes, noisy multitudes in the valley of decision. For near is the Lord’s day in the valley of decision!

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

Sun and moon have turned dark, and the stars withdrawn their shining.

16 The LORD will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but the LORD will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.

Whenever the Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem, earth and sky quake; but the Lord is a refuge to his people, and a fortress to the people of Israel.

17 “So you will know that I am the LORD, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will pass through her any more.

And you will know that I am the Lord your God, I who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain, and Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will not pass through her any more.

18 It will happen in that day, that the mountains will drop down sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the brooks of Judah will flow with waters; and a fountain will flow out from the LORD’s house, and will water the valley of Shittim.

In that day, the mountains will drop sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the channels of Judah will flow with water, a fountain will spring from the house of Judah, and will water the Valley of Shittim.

19 Egypt will be a desolation and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

Egypt will become a desolation, and Edom a wilderness, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, because they shed innocent blood in their land,

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

Judah will remain inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21 I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.”

I will avenge their blood which I have not yet avenged. The Lord lives in Zion!