Joel 4
Complete Jewish Bible
4 (3) “For then, at that time, when I restore
the fortunes of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim,
2 I will gather all nations and bring them down
to the Valley of Y’hoshafat [Adonai judges].
I will enter into judgment there
for my people, my heritage Isra’el,
whom they scattered among the nations;
then they divided my land.
3 They drew lots for my people,
traded boys for whores,
sold girls for wine to drink.
4 “Moreover, what have you against me,
Tzor, Tzidon, all parts of P’leshet?
Are you paying me back for something I did?
If you’re paying me back for something I did,
then easily, quickly, I’ll pay you back
right on your own head.
5 You took my silver and gold.
You brought my good treasures into your temples.
6 The people of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim
you sold to the Greeks, so that you could remove them
far away from their land.
7 I will rouse them from the place where you sold them
and pay you back right on your own head —
8 I will sell your sons and daughters
to the people of Y’hudah;
and they will sell them to the men of Sh’va,
a nation far off; for Adonai has spoken.
9 “Proclaim this among the nations:
‘Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors!
Let all the fighting men approach and attack.’
10 Hammer your plow-blades into swords
and your pruning-knives into spears.
Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
11 Hurry, come, you surrounding nations,
gather yourselves together!”
Bring your warriors down, Adonai!
12 “Let the nations be roused and come up
to the Valley of Y’hoshafat [Adonai judges].
For there I will sit to judge
all the surrounding nations.”
13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe;
come, and tread, for the winepress is full.
The vats are overflowing,
for their wickedness is great.
14 Such enormous crowds
in the Valley of Decision!
For the Day of Adonai is upon us
in the Valley of Decision!
15 The sun and moon have grown black,
and the stars have stopped shining.
16 Adonai will roar from Tziyon,
he will thunder from Yerushalayim,
the sky and the earth will shake.
But Adonai will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Isra’el.
17 “You will know that I am Adonai your God,
living on Tziyon my holy mountain.”
Then Yerushalayim will be holy,
and foreigners will pass through her no more.
18 Then, when that time comes,
the mountains will drip with sweet wine,
the hills will flow with milk,
all the streambeds of Y’hudah will run with water,
and a spring will flow from the house of Adonai
to water the Sheetim Valley.
19 But Egypt will be desolate
and Edom a desert waste,
because of the violence done to the people of Y’hudah,
because they shed innocent blood in their land.
20 Y’hudah will be inhabited forever,
Yerushalayim through all generations.
21 “I will cleanse them of bloodguilt
which I have not yet cleansed,”
for Adonai is living in Tziyon.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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