Joel 3

1 The Lord says, "At that time I will restore the prosperity of Judah and Jerusalem.

2 I will gather all the nations and bring them to the Valley of Judgment. There I will judge them for all they have done to my people. They have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided Israel, my land.

3 They threw dice to decide who would get the captives. They sold boys and girls into slavery to pay for prostitutes and wine.

4 "What are you trying to do to me, Tyre, Sidon, and all of Philistia? Are you trying to pay me back for something? If you are, I will quickly pay you back! ¹

5 You have taken my silver and gold and carried my rich treasures into your temples.

6 You have taken the people of Judah and Jerusalem far from their own country and sold them to the Greeks.

7 Now I am going to bring them out of the places to which you have sold them. I will do to you what you have done to them.

8 I will let your sons and daughters be sold to the people of Judah; they will sell them to the far-off Sabeans. I, the Lord, have spoken.

9 "Make this announcement among the nations: "Prepare for war; call your warriors; gather all your soldiers and march!

10 Hammer the points of your plows into swords ² and your pruning knives into spears. Even the weak must fight.

11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather in the valley.' " Send down, O Lord, your army to attack them!

12 "The nations must get ready and come to the Valley of Judgment. There I, the Lord, will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

13 They are very wicked; ³ cut them down like grain at harvest time; crush them as grapes are crushed in a full wine press until the wine runs over."

14 Thousands and thousands are in the Valley of Judgment. It is there that the day of the Lord will soon come.

15 The sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine.

16 The Lord roars from Mount Zion; ⁴ his voice thunders from Jerusalem; earth and sky tremble. But he will defend his people.

17 "Then, Israel, you will know that I am the Lord your God. I live on Zion, my sacred hill. Jerusalem will be a sacred city; foreigners will never conquer it again.

18 At that time the mountains will be covered with vineyards, and cattle will be found on every hill; there will be plenty of water for all of Judah. A stream will flow from the Temple of the Lord, and it will water Acacia Valley.

19 "Egypt will become a desert, and Edom a ruined waste, because they attacked the land of Judah and killed its innocent people.

20 I will avenge those who were killed; I will not spare the guilty. But Judah and Jerusalem will be inhabited forever, and I, the Lord, will live on Mount Zion."

Joel 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

God's judgments in the latter days. (1-8) The extent of these judgments. (9-17) The blessings the church shall enjoy. (18-21)

Verses 1-8 The restoration of the Jews, and the final victory of true religion over all opposers, appear to be here foretold. The contempt and scorn with which the Jews have often been treated as a people, and the little value set upon them, are noticed. None ever hardened his heart against God or his church, and prospered long.

Verses 9-17 Here is a challenge to all the enemies of God's people. There is no escaping God's judgments; hardened sinners, in that day of wrath, shall be cut off from all comfort and joy. Most of the prophets foretell the same final victory of the church of God over all that oppose it. To the wicked it will be a terrible day, but to the righteous it will be a joyful day. What cause have those who possess an interest in Christ, to glory in their Strength and their Redeemer! The acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, will be a day of remarkable vengeance to others: let every one that is out of Christ awake, and flee from the wrath to come.

Verses 18-21 There shall be abundant Divine influences, and the gospel will spread speedily into the remotest corners of the earth. These events are predicted under significant emblems; there is a day coming, when every thing amiss shall be amended. The fountain of this plenty is in the house of God, whence the streams take rise. Christ is this Fountain; his sufferings, merit, and grace, cleanse, refresh, and make fruitful. Gospel grace, flowing from Christ, shall reach to the Gentile world, to the most remote regions, and make them abound in fruits of righteousness; and from the house of the Lord above, from his heavenly temple, flows all the good we daily taste, and hope to enjoy eternally.

Cross References

• 1. 3.4-8Isaiah 23.1-18;Ezekiel 26.1--28.26;Amos 1.9, 10;Zechariah 9.1-4;Matthew 11.21, 22;Luke 10.13, 14.+O+N3.4-8Isaiah 14.29-31;Jeremiah 47.1-7;Ezekiel 25.15-17;Amos 1.6-8;Zephaniah 2.4-7;Zechariah 9.5-7.
• 2. 3.10Isaiah 2.4;Micah 4.3.
• 3. 3.13 aRevelation 14.14-16; bRevelation 14.19, 20; 19.15.
• 4. 3.16Amos 1.2.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Probable text] Hurry; [Hebrew] Help.
• [b]. [Some ancient translations] avenge; [Hebrew] declare innocent.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOEL 3

This chapter, which some make the fourth, contains a prophecy of God's judgments on all the antichristian nations at the time of the Jews' conversion, and the reasons of them, Joe 3:1-3; a threatening of Tyre and Zidon, by way of retaliation, for carrying the riches of the Jews into their temples, and selling their persons to the Greeks, Joe 3:4-8; an alarm to prepare for the battle of Armageddon, or the destruction that shall be made in the valley of Jehoshaphat, Joe 3:9-15; and after that an account of the happy state of the church of Christ, their safety and security, plenty, prosperity, and purity, to the end of the world, Joe 3:16-21.