Joel 3:1-11

1 "For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.
3 They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.
4 "Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, Swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head;
5 Because you have taken My silver and My gold, And have carried into your temples My prized possessions.
6 Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem You have sold to the Greeks, That you may remove them far from their borders.
7 "Behold, I will raise them Out of the place to which you have sold them, And will return your retaliation upon your own head.
8 I will sell your sons and your daughters Into the hand of the people of Judah, And they will sell them to the Sabeans, To a people far off; For the Lord has spoken."
9 Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war 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 Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord.

Joel 3:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally Shebaites (compare Isaiah 60:6 and Ezekiel 27:22)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.