Joel 3

1 “Yes, in those days [at that future time, when I bring restoration] and at that time [of redemption], when I restore [bring back, revive] Judah [the southern kingdom, God’s chosen people] and Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Judah] from captivity [exile, bondage, to be in a state of oppression], word study 2 I will gather [collect, assemble] all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat [the valley of judgment]. There I will enter into judgment [execute justice, plead my case] against them concerning My people [My chosen ones, My faithful], My inheritance [My treasured possession], Israel, whom they have scattered [dispersed, driven out] among the nations as they divided up [partitioned, apportioned] My land [My earthly territory, My promised ground]. word study 3 They cast lots [threw marked stones, determined by chance] for My people [the chosen nation, Israel]; they bartered [traded, exchanged] a boy [a young man, a youth] for a prostitute [a harlot, an immoral woman] and sold [exchanged, gave away] a girl [a young woman, a daughter] for wine [a drink, an intoxicating beverage] to drink [for the purpose of intoxication, in excess]. word study 4 Now what do you have against Me, O [cities of] Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions [coastlines, territories] of Philistia? Are you rendering [giving, paying] against Me a recompense [payment, revenge]? If you retaliate [recompense, get back] against Me, I will swiftly [quickly, hastily] and speedily return your recompense [payment, punishment] upon your [own] heads. word study 5 For you took [stole, carried away] My silver [precious treasures] and gold [valuable riches] and carried off [removed, took away] My finest [most beautiful, goodly] treasures [pleasant things, desirable possessions] to your temples [houses of worship, places of idolatry]. word study 6 You sold the people [children, sons] of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks [Grecians, sons of the Greeks], to send them far [away, off] from their homeland [border, land]. word study 7 Behold, I will rouse [stir, raise] them from the places [locations, regions] to which you sold [traded, delivered] them; I will return [repay, bring back] your recompense [payment, reward] upon your heads [own head, behalf]. word study 8 I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands [power, control] of the people [children] of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans [men of Sheba]—to a distant [far off, remote] nation.” Indeed, the LORD [Yehovah] has spoken [declared, said]. word study 9 Proclaim this among the nations [peoples, Gentiles]: “Prepare for war [battle, conflict]; rouse [stir up, awaken] the mighty men [warriors, strong men]; let all the men of war [soldiers, fighters] advance [draw near, come up] and attack [engage, fight]! word study 10 Beat your plowshares [ploughshares, farming tools] into swords [weapons, instruments of war] and your pruning hooks [pruning knives, vine-knives] into spears [javelins, weapons]. Let the weak [feeble, powerless] say, ‘I am strong [mighty, a strong fighter]!’ word study 11 Come quickly, all you surrounding [neighboring, nearby] nations, and gather yourselves [assemble, unite]. Bring down Your mighty ones [warriors, strong ones], O LORD. word study 12 Let the nations [peoples, Gentiles] be roused [awakened, stirred] and advance [come up, gather] to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down [be seated, take my place] to judge [decide, rule over] all the nations [peoples, Gentiles] on every side [round about, surrounding]. word study 13 Swing the sickle [blade, scythe], for the harvest is ripe [ready, matured]. Come, trample [tread, crush] the grapes, for the winepress is full [filled, overflowing]; the wine vats [vessels, containers] overflow because their wickedness [evil-doing, iniquity] is great [immense, significant]. word study 14 Multitudes, multitudes [masses, crowds] in the valley of decision [verdict, choice]! For the Day [time, period] of the LORD [Yehovah] is near [approaching, imminent] in the valley of decision [verdict, choice]. word study 15 The sun [luminary, celestial body] and moon [satellite, orb] will grow dark [be darkened, become dark], and the stars [heavenly bodies, celestial lights] will no longer shine [withdraw their shining, stop shining]. word study 16 The LORD will roar [thunder, shout] from Zion and raise [utter, give forth] His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble [shake, quake]. But the LORD will be a refuge [shelter, hope] for His people, a stronghold [strong place, fortress] for the people of Israel. word study 17 Then you will know [recognize, understand] that I am the LORD [Yehovah] your God, who dwells [lives, resides] in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy [set apart, consecrated], never again [no longer, evermore] to be overrun [invaded, trampled] by foreigners [strangers, outsiders]. word study 18 And in that day [time, season] the mountains will drip [drop, pour] with sweet wine [new wine, juice], and the hills will flow [run, abound] with milk. All the streams [brooks, rivers] of Judah will run [flow, go] with water, and a spring [fountain, source] will flow from the house of the LORD [Yehovah] to water [irrigate, nourish] the Valley of Acacias [Shittim, acacia-trees]. word study 19 Egypt will become desolate [a waste, a desolation], and Edom [a land of] a desert wasteland [a desolate wilderness], because of the violence [evil, wrong] done to the people [children] of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood [without cause, unjustly]. word study 20 But Judah will be inhabited [dwell, abide] forever [for all time, eternally], and Jerusalem from generation [age, lineage] to generation. word study 21 For I will avenge [punish, take vengeance for] their blood, which I have not yet [previously, at this time] avenged. ” For the LORD [Yehovah, God] dwells [lives, resides] in Zion. word study