Joel 3

1 For, in those days and in that time, when I bring back again 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 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.

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

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

4 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.

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 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.

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 Noisy multitudes, noisy multitudes in the valley of decision. For near is the Lord’s day 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 turned dark, and the stars withdrawn their shining.

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

16 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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,

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

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

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

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