Joel 3

King James Version

Full text for Joel Chapter 3

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

2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and [for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

3And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

4Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly [and] speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;

5Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

6The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

7Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

8And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken [it].

9¶ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I [am] strong.

11Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.

12Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness [is] great.

14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.

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

16The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

17So 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¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers 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.

19Egypt 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.

20But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21For I will cleanse their blood [that] I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Joel 3 prophesies the Lord's judgment upon all nations gathered in the Valley of Jehoshaphat for their mistreatment of Israel. God vows to restore Judah's captivity and return the nations' recompense upon their own heads. The chapter culminates in the Day of the Lord, marked by cosmic signs and divine judgment, followed by the perpetual blessing and dwelling of God in Zion for His people.

Medium Summary

In Joel 3, the Lord declares His intention to restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, gathering all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat for judgment. These nations, particularly Tyre, Zidon, and Palestine, are condemned for scattering Israel, dividing God's land, and selling His people into slavery. The Lord promises swift and severe recompense, returning their actions upon their own heads and selling their children into distant servitude. A call to war is issued to the Gentiles, urging them to prepare for the impending judgment in the 'valley of decision,' where the 'harvest is ripe' for their wickedness. The chapter describes cosmic disturbances preceding the Day of the Lord, when God will roar from Zion, shaking the heavens and earth, yet serving as the strength and hope for Israel. Ultimately, Jerusalem will be holy, prosperous, and eternally inhabited, while enemy nations like Egypt and Edom face desolation for their violence against Judah.

Long Summary

Joel 3 commences with a divine promise to restore the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, followed by a declaration of judgment upon all nations. The Lord states He will gather these nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to contend with them for their actions against His heritage, Israel. Specific charges include scattering His people, dividing His land, casting lots for individuals, and selling Judean children into slavery, particularly to the Grecians, to remove them far from their border. God vows to swiftly return their recompense upon their own heads, promising to sell their sons and daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, who will then sell them to the distant Sabeans. Subsequently, a prophetic proclamation is issued to the Gentiles, urging them to prepare for war by transforming agricultural tools into weapons and for even the weak to declare themselves strong. All heathen nations are summoned to assemble in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where the Lord will sit to judge them. The imagery of a ripe harvest and overflowing winepress signifies the fullness of their wickedness and the impending divine judgment. The 'valley of decision' is highlighted as the place where the Day of the Lord is near, accompanied by dramatic cosmic signs: the darkening of the sun and moon, and the withdrawal of the stars' shining. Amidst this judgment, the Lord will roar from Zion, causing the heavens and earth to shake, yet He will remain the hope and strength of His people, Israel. The chapter concludes with a vision of Israel's future blessedness, where nations will recognize the Lord dwelling in His holy mountain, Zion. Jerusalem will be holy, free from strangers, and experience abundant prosperity, with mountains dropping new wine and hills flowing with milk. Conversely, Egypt and Edom will face desolation for their violence against Judah, while Judah and Jerusalem will dwell forever, as the Lord cleanses their blood and dwells among them in Zion.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Judgment of NationsThe Lord gathers all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to judge them for their mistreatment of Israel, including scattering His people, dividing His land, and selling them into slavery.
  • Recompense and RetributionGod promises swift and direct recompense upon the nations, stating that their wicked deeds against Judah and Jerusalem will be returned upon their own heads, including the selling of their own children into servitude.
  • The Day of the LORDThis refers to a specific time of divine intervention and judgment, characterized by cosmic disturbances, the Lord's roar from Zion, and the gathering of multitudes in the 'valley of decision'.
  • Valley of Jehoshaphat/DecisionThis location is designated as the primary site where God will gather and judge all nations for their actions against Israel, symbolizing a place of ultimate divine reckoning.
  • Israel's Restoration and ProsperityDespite the judgment on other nations, the chapter assures Israel's perpetual dwelling, holiness, and abundant blessings, with Jerusalem becoming a holy place where the Lord dwells.
  • Cosmic SignsThe approach of the Day of the LORD is heralded by dramatic astronomical phenomena, such as the darkening of the sun and moon and the stars withdrawing their shining, signifying a cataclysmic shift.
  • God's Dwelling in ZionThe Lord's permanent presence in Zion is affirmed, establishing Jerusalem as a holy mountain and the source of strength and hope for His people, ensuring its eternal security and sanctity.