Joel 3:2

2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.[a]There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

Joel 3:2 in Other Translations

KJV
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
ESV
2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land,
NLT
2 I will gather the armies of the world into the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for harming my people, my special possession, for scattering my people among the nations, and for dividing up my land.
MSG
2 I'll assemble all the godless nations. I'll lead them down into Judgment Valley And put them all on trial, and judge them one and all because of their treatment of my own people Israel. They scattered my people all over the pagan world and grabbed my land for themselves.
CSB
2 I will gather all the nations and take them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with them there because of My people, My inheritance Israel. The nations have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided up My land.

Joel 3:2 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 3:2

I will also gather all nations
Or cause or suffer them to be gathered together against his people; not the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, in the times of Jehoshaphat, as Aben Ezra; but either the Turks, prophesied of under the name of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel, ( Ezekiel 38:1-39:21 ) ; and a multitude of other nations with them, who shall be gathered together against the Jews, to regain the land of Judea from them, they will upon their conversion inhabit; or else all the antichristian kings and nations, which shall be gathered to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, ( Revelation 16:14 ) ; and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat:
Kimchi thinks this was some valley near to Jerusalem, in which Jehoshaphat built or wrought some works, and so was called by his name: Joseph Ben Gorion


FOOTNOTES:

F24 speaks of a valley, called the valley of Jehoshaphat, which was near Jerusalem, to the further end of which one Zachariah, a good man, in the times of the Jewish wars, was rolled and died, being cast down from the top of a tower upon the wall east of Jerusalem; and which is confirmed by R. Abraham, as quoted by Lively; and the true Josephus says F25, that the valley into which this man was cast lay directly under Jerusalem; and Benjamin of Tudela F26 makes mention of a valley of this name, which he says lies between Jerusalem and the mount of Olives; where Jerom F1 places it by the name of Caelas; with whom Mr. Maundrell F2 agrees, who says that this valley lies between Mount Moriah and Mount Olivet, and has its name from the sepulchre of Jehoshaphat: and, according to Lyra on the place, who is followed by Adrichomius F3, it is the same with the valley of Kidron, which was so situated; but, why that should be called the valley of Jehoshaphat, no reason is given. Aben Ezra and others are of opinion that this is the same with the valley of Berachah, where Jehoshaphat obtained a very great victory over many nations, ( 2 Chronicles 20:1 2 Chronicles 20:26 ) ; but it does not appear to have been called by his name, and, besides, seems to be at a great distance from Jerusalem; though there may be an allusion to it, that as many nations were there collected together and destroyed, so shall it be in the latter day; and I am of opinion that no proper name of a place is here meant, as going by it in common, but is so called from the judgment of God here executed upon his and his people's enemies. So Jarchi calls it "the valley of judgments"; Jehoshaphat signifying "the judgment" of the Lord: Kimchi says it may be so called because of judgment, the Lord there pleading with the nations, and judging them: and in the Targum it is rendered,
``the valley of the division of judgment:''
and to me it designs no other than Armageddon, the seat of the battle of Almighty God, ( Revelation 16:16 ) ; and which may signify the destruction of their troops; (See Gill on Revelation 16:16); and will plead with them there for my people, and [for] my heritage
Israel;
the people of the Jews, who will now be converted, who will have the "loammi", ( Hosea 1:9 ) , taken off of them, and will be called the people of the living God again, and be reckoned by him as his portion and inheritance; though not them only, but all the saints; all that have separated from antichrist, his doctrine and worship, and have suffered by him: whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land;
Kimchi refers this to the scattering of the Jews by Titus and his army, and the partition of Judea among them, which is not amiss; in consequence of which they are still a scattered people, and their land has been parted between Turks and Papists F4; sometimes inhabited by the one, and sometimes by the other, and now by both, on whom God will take vengeance; he will plead the cause of his people, by the severe judgments he will inflict on his and their enemies. This may respect the persecuting of the Christians from place to place, and seizing on their lands and estates, and parting them, as well as the dispersion of the Jews, and the partition of the land of Canaan.
F24 Hist. Heb. l. 6. c. 27.
F25 De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 5. sect. 4.
F26 Massaot, sive ltinera, p. 44.
F1 De locis Hebr. fol. 92. C.
F2 Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 103, 106. Ed. 7.
F3 Theatrum Terrae Sanctae, p. 172.
F4 Written about 1750. Editor.

Joel 3:2 In-Context

1 “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.
3 They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink.
4 “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.
5 For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Zephaniah 3:8
  • 2. ver 12; S Isaiah 22:1
  • 3. S Isaiah 13:9; S Jeremiah 2:35; S Ezekiel 36:5
  • 4. S Genesis 11:4; S Leviticus 26:33

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. "Jehoshaphat" means "the " Lord"judges" ; also in verse 12.
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