Yoel 3

1 (4:1) For, hinei, in those days, and in that time, when I shall restore the fortunes of Yehudah and Yerushalayim,

24 (4:2) I will also gather all Goyim, and will bring them down into the valley of Yehoshafat, and will enter into judgment against them there concerning My people and for My nachalah Yisroel, whom they have scattered among the Goyim, and My land they divided up.

34 (4:3) And they have cast lots for My people; and have traded the yeledim as barter for zonot, and sold the yaldah for yayin, that they might drink.

44 (4:4) Yea, and what have ye to do with Me, O Tzor, and Tzidon, and all the coasts of Peleshet? Will ye render Me a pay-back? And if ye recompense Me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own rosh;

54 (4:5) Because ye have taken My kesef and My zahav, and have carried into your temples My goodly pleasant things:

64 (4:6) Also the Bnei Yehudah and the Bnei Yerushalayim have ye sold unto the Yevanim (Greeks), that ye might remove them far from their territory.

74 (4:7) Hineni, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own rosh;

84 (4:8) And I will sell your banim and your banot into the hand of the Bnei Yehudah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a Goy far off; for Hashem hath spoken it.

94 (4:9) Proclaim ye this among the Goyim; Prepare milchamah, wake up the gibborim, let all the anshei hamilchamah draw near and attack;

104 (4:10) Beat your plowblades into charavot (swords) and your pruning knives into spears; let the weak say, I am strong.

114 (4:11) Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye Goyim, and gather yourselves together round about; Hashem, thither cause Thy gibborim to come down.

124 (4:12) Let the Goyim be wakened, and come up to the valley of Yehoshafat; for there will I sit to judge all the Goyim round about.

134 (4:13) Put ye in the sickle, for the katzir is ripe; go in, tread; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their ra’ah is great.

144 (4:14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the Yom Hashem is near in the valley of decision.

154 (4:15) The shemesh and the yarei’ach shall be darkened, and the kokhavim shall withdraw their shining.

164 (4:16) Hashem also shall roar out of Tziyon, and utter His voice from Yerushalayim; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but Hashem will be the machseh (refuge) of His people, and the maoz of the Bnei Yisroel.

174 (4:17) So shall ye have da’as that I am Hashem Eloheichem dwelling in Tziyon, My Har Kodesh; then shall Yerushalayim be kodesh, and there shall no zarim pass through her any more.

184 (4:18) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with cholov; and all the ravines of Yehudah shall flow with mayim, and a ma’ayon shall come forth out of the Beis Hashem, and shall water the valley of Sheetim.

194 (4:19) Mitzrayim shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate midbar, for the chamas against the Bnei Yehudah, because they have shed dahm naki (innocent blood) in their land.

204 (4:20) But Yehudah shall dwell for ever, and Yerushalayim from dor v’dor.

214 (4:21) For I will cleanse them of bloodguilt which I have not yet cleansed; for Hashem dwelleth in Tziyon.

Yoel 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.

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.