Joel 3 – read and compare multiple versions
Joel 3
[1] “For, behold, in those days,
and in that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
[2] I will gather all nations,
and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat;
and I will execute judgment on them there for my people,
and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations.
They have 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. [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.
[5] Because you have taken my silver and my gold,
and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,
[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.
[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;
[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 Yahweh has spoken it.” [9] Proclaim this among the nations:
“Prepare for war!
Stir up the mighty men.
Let all the warriors draw near.
Let them come up. [10] Beat your plowshares into swords,
and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
[11] Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves together.”
Cause your mighty ones to come down there, Yahweh.
[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.
[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.”
[14] Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision.
[15] The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
[16] Yahweh will roar from Zion,
and thunder from Jerusalem;
and the heavens and the earth will shake;
but Yahweh will be a refuge to his people,
and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
[17] “So you will know that I am Yahweh, your God,
dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.
Then Jerusalem will be holy,
and no strangers will 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 Yahweh’s house,
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.
[20] But Judah will be inhabited forever,
and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
[21] I will cleanse their blood
that I have not cleansed,
for Yahweh dwells in Zion.”
and in that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
[2] I will gather all nations,
and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat;
and I will execute judgment on them there for my people,
and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations.
They have 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. [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.
[5] Because you have taken my silver and my gold,
and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,
[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.
[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;
[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 Yahweh has spoken it.” [9] Proclaim this among the nations:
“Prepare for war!
Stir up the mighty men.
Let all the warriors draw near.
Let them come up. [10] Beat your plowshares into swords,
and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
[11] Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves together.”
Cause your mighty ones to come down there, Yahweh.
[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.
[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.”
[14] Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision.
[15] The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
[16] Yahweh will roar from Zion,
and thunder from Jerusalem;
and the heavens and the earth will shake;
but Yahweh will be a refuge to his people,
and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
[17] “So you will know that I am Yahweh, your God,
dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.
Then Jerusalem will be holy,
and no strangers will 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 Yahweh’s house,
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.
[20] But Judah will be inhabited forever,
and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
[21] I will cleanse their blood
that I have not cleansed,
for Yahweh dwells in Zion.”