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The Prophet Joel

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 3 -

1
“For behold, in those days, and in that time, || When I turn back [to] the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2
Then I have gathered all the nations, || And caused them to go down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, || And I have been in judgment with them there, || Concerning My people and My inheritance—Israel, || Whom they scattered among nations, || And My land they have apportioned.
3
And for My people they cast a lot, || And they give the young man for a harlot, || And have sold the young woman for wine, || That they may drink.
4
And also, what [are] you to Me, O Tyre and Sidon, || And all circuits of Philistia? Are you rendering repayment to Me? And if you are giving repayment to Me, || Swiftly, quickly, I return your repayment on your head.
5
In that My silver and My gold you took, || And My desirable things that are good, || You have brought into your temples.
6
And sons of Judah, and sons of Jerusalem, || You have sold to the sons of Javan, || To put them far off from their border.
7
Behold, I am stirring them up out of the place || To where you have sold them, || And I have turned back your repayment on your head,
8
And have sold your sons and your daughters || Into the hand of the sons of Judah, || And they have sold them to Sabeans, || To a nation far off, for YHWH has spoken.”
9
Proclaim this among nations, || Sanctify a war, stir up the mighty ones, || Come near, come up, let all the men of war.
10
Beat your plowshares to swords, || And your pruning-hooks to javelins, || Let the weak say, “I [am] mighty.”
11
Hurry, and come in, all you nations around, || And be gathered together, || There cause to come down, O YHWH, || Your mighty ones.
12
“Let the nations wake and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, || For there I sit to judge all the nations around.
13
Send forth a sickle, || For harvest has ripened, || Come in, come down, for the press has been filled, || Winepresses have overflowed, || For great [is] their wickedness.”
14
Multitudes, multitudes [are] in the Valley of Decision, || For near [is] the Day of YHWH in the Valley of Decision.
15
Sun and moon have been black, || And stars have gathered up their shining.
16
And YHWH roars from Zion, || And gives forth His voice from Jerusalem, || And the heavens and earth have shaken, || And YHWH [is] a refuge to His people, || And a stronghold to sons of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

17
“And you have known that I [am] your God YHWH, || Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain, || And Jerusalem has been holy, || And strangers do not pass over into it again.”
18
And it has come to pass in that day, || The mountains drop down juice, || And the hills flow [with] milk, || And all streams of Judah go [with] water, || And a fountain from the house of YHWH goes forth, || And has watered the Valley of Shittim.
19
“Egypt becomes a desolation, || And Edom becomes a desolation, a wilderness, || For violence [to] sons of Judah, || Whose innocent blood they shed in their land.
20
And Judah dwells for all time, || And Jerusalem to generation and generation.
21
And I have declared their blood innocent, || [That] I did not declare innocent, || And YHWH is dwelling in Zion!”
Copyright © 2020 Covenant Press and the CCC - licensed under CC BY-SA
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 the LORD 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, LORD.
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 the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw 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.

Blessings for God’s People

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.
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.
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 the LORD dwells in Zion.”
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