Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

The Lord Judges the Nations

For behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall turn again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

1

God Judges the Nations

“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 the nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of my people and mine inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations: and they have parted my land;

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

and they have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, and have drunk [it].

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

Yea also, what have ye to do with me, O Tyre and Zidon, and all the districts of Philistia? Will ye render me a recompence? But if ye recompense me, swiftly [and] speedily will I bring your recompence upon your own head;

4

“Indeed, what have you to do with Me,
O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia?
Will you [a]retaliate against Me?
But if you [b]retaliate against Me,
Swiftly and speedily I will return your [c]retaliation upon your own head;

5

because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my beautiful pleasant things,

5

Because you have taken My silver and My gold,
And have carried into your temples My [d]prized possessions.

6

and the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the children of the Greeks, that ye might remove them far from their border.

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 up out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will bring your recompence upon your own head.

7

“Behold, I will raise them
Out of the place to which you have sold them,
And will return your [e]retaliation upon your own head.

8

And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far off: for Jehovah hath spoken.

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,[f]
To a people far off;
For the Lord has spoken.”

9

Proclaim this among the nations: prepare war, arouse the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.

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 ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-knives into spears; let the weak say, I am strong.

10

Beat your plowshares into swords
And your [g]pruning hooks into spears;
Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’ ”

11

Haste ye and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together. Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah.

11

Assemble and come, all you nations,
And gather together all around.
Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord.

12

Let the nations rouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.

12

“Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

13

Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down, for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

13

Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.
Come, go down;
For the winepress is full,
The vats overflow —
For their wickedness is great.”

14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of Jehovah is at hand in the valley of decision.

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 the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

15

The sun and moon will grow dark,
And the stars will diminish their brightness.

16

And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: and Jehovah will be a shelter for his people, and the refuge of the children of Israel.

16

The Lord also will roar from Zion,
And utter His voice from Jerusalem;
The heavens and earth will shake;
But the Lord will be a shelter for His people,
And the strength of the children of Israel.

17

Blessings for God's People

And ye shall know that I, Jehovah, [am] your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain; and Jerusalem shall be holy, and no strangers shall pass through her any more.

17

“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,
Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain.
Then Jerusalem shall be holy,
And no aliens shall ever pass through her again.”

18

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the water-courses of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

18

God Blesses His People

And it will come to pass in that day
That the mountains shall drip with new wine,
The hills shall flow with milk,
And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water;
A fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord
And water the Valley of [h]Acacias.

19

Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, in that they have shed innocent blood in their land.

19

“Egypt shall be a desolation,
And Edom a desolate wilderness,
Because of violence against the people of Judah,
For they have shed innocent blood in their land.

20

But Judah shall abide for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

20

But Judah shall abide forever,
And Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21

And I will purge them from the blood from which I had not purged them: for Jehovah dwelleth in Zion.

21

For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted;
For the Lord dwells in Zion.”

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Joel 3

Joel 3