Joel 3:14

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:14 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision
The same with the valley of Jehoshaphat before mentioned; which shows that not any valley of that name is intended, but a certain place so called from the judgments of God in it; and here named "the valley of decision", because here their judgment will be determined, as Kimchi and Jarchi; and at this time the controversy between God, and his people's enemies, will be decided, and at an end: or "the valley of concision", as the Vulgate Latin version; because in this place, and at this time, the nations gathered together in it will be cut to pieces: or, as others, "the valley of threshing" F16; because, as, in Jehoshaphat's time, the Moabites and Ammonites were threshed by the Jews in the valley of Berachah, to which the allusion is; so at this time the antichristian kings and their armies will be threshed and beaten, and destroyed by the men of Judah, God's professing people; see ( Micah 4:13 ) ; these seem to be the words of the prophet, breaking out into this pathetic exclamation, upon a sight of the vast multitudes gathered together in this valley, and slain in it; and the doubling of the word serves to express the prodigious number of them: and this shows that this prophecy refers either to the vast army of the Turks, under the name of Gog, and the great slaughter that will be made of them; and that this valley may be the same with the valley of Hamongog, that is, the valley of the multitude of Gog, where their multitude of slain shall be buried, ( Ezekiel 39:11 ) ; or to that vast carnage of the antichristian kings and their armies at Armageddon, ( Revelation 16:14 Revelation 16:16 ) ( 19:18-21 ) ; the Targum is,

``armies, armies, in the valley of the division of judgment:''
for the day of the Lord [is] near in the valley of decision;
that is, the great and terrible day of the Lord, to take vengeance on all the antichristian powers, both eastern and western, is nigh at hand, which will be done in this valley.
FOOTNOTES:

F16 (Uwrxh qmeb) "in valle triturationis", Piscatsr.

Joel 3:14 In-Context

12 Let the nations be roused and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Swing the sickle because the harvest is ripe. Come and trample [the grapes] because the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because the wickedness of the nations 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 moon will grow dark, and the stars will cease their shining.
16 The Lord will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the Israelites.
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