Joel 3, Valley of Judgment

In the Hebrew scriptures, this is chapter four, as chapter two is broken into two parts.

Joel 3:1-2, Valley of Jehoshaphat

  `In those days and at that time, 

when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  

I will gather all nations 

and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

There I will enter into judgment against them 

concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, 

for they scattered my people among the nations 

and divided up my land.  

They cast lots for my people 

and traded boys for prostitutes;

they sold girls for wine that they might drink.  

This future day involves judgment all against the nations, in response to their treatment of Israel. This includes slavery and sex trafficking. 

There is debate on the text and meaning of the first verse. Some manuscripts, including the Septuagint and Syriac manuscripts give the second line of verse 1 as "I will bring back the captives of ..." instead of "I will restore the fortunes of ...." (See the verse 1 in Hebrew, here in Strong's concordance.) 

Patterson sees this event, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, as occurring in the future, after the Great Tribulation. The location of this valley is unknown. As the Hebrew name Jehoshaphat means "God has judged," it is possible that the name is just a declaration of purpose. A valley of judgment seems to be common in the prophetic writings. See Jeremiah 7:30-34 for a Valley of Slaughter and Isaiah 22:1-13 for a Valley of Vision. In Ezekiel 39:11 invaders from Gog are buied in the Valley of Hamon Gog and in Zechariah 14:1-5 a valley is created by God splitting the Mount of Olives.

Joel 3:4-8a, Repayment

`Now what have you against me, O 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. For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.  

You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.  `See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done.  

I will sell your sons and daughters

 to the people of Judah, 

and they will sell them to the Sabeans, 

a nation far away.` 

The invaders (here from the west, Tyre, Sidon, Philistia) have taken away the temple treasures and sold the Israelites into slavery. Vengeance is left to God (Deuteronomy 32:35), but it will occur; those who sold children as slaves will have their own children sold.

Joel 3:8b-12, Let's fight!

The LORD has spoken. 

 Proclaim this among the nations: 

Prepare for war! 

Rouse the warriors! 

Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.  

Beat your plowshares into swords 

and your pruning hooks into spears. 

Let the weakling say, `I am strong!`  

Come quickly, all you nations from every side, 

and assemble there.

 Bring down your warriors, O LORD!  

`Let the nations be roused;

 let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,

 for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.  

The nations are called to come together and do their best. They will meet defeat in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. 

In  Isaiah 2:4. swords are beaten into plowshares; here, in verse 10, plowshares are beaten into swords.

Joel 3:13-16, Overflowing winepress

Swing the sickle, 

for the harvest is ripe. 

Come, trample the grapes, 

for the winepress is full and the vats overflow-- 

so great is their wickedness!`  

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! 

For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 

 

The sun and moon will be darkened, 

and the stars no longer shine. 

 The LORD will roar from Zion 

and thunder from Jerusalem; 

the earth and the sky will tremble.

 But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, 

a stronghold for the people of Israel.  

The winepress is full and overflowing. The reds of the grapes represents the blood of soldiers -- there will be a terrible day of judgment, so terrible that the heavens tremble. Some of these celestial disasters might represent burning fires of war blocking out the sky and earthquakes. 

The wine of God's wrath shows up in the New Testament in Revelation 14:9-12.

The Bible Project video on Joel argues that the beginning of chapter 3 quotes from Isaiah 13, Zephaniah 3, and Ezekiel 38-39.

Joel 3:17-18, Never again

`Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, 

dwell in Zion, my holy hill. 

Jerusalem will be holy; 

never again will foreigners invade her.  

`In that day the mountains will drip new wine,

 and the hills will flow with milk; 

all the ravines of Judah will run with water. 

A fountain will flow out of the LORD's house 

and will water the valley of acacias.

In the future Jerusalem, the land will be fruitful, overflowing with abundance. In that day, Jerusalem will be restored, to never again be invaded. A refreshing river will run out of the temple, watering flowers and flowing through ravines. (In Zechariah 14:8, one river will flow from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean while another flows from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea.)

The Bible Project video claims that, in addition to Zechariah 14, Joel is citing ideas from Isaiah 35 and Ezekiel 37.

Joel 3:19, Punishment

But Egypt will be desolate,

 Edom a desert waste,

 because of violence done to the people of Judah,

 in whose land they shed innocent blood.  

But as Israel prospers in that future day, its enemies, represented by Egypt and Edom, will be defeated. 

Joel 3:20-21, Pardon

Judah will be inhabited forever 

and Jerusalem through all generations.  

Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned,

 I will pardon.` 

The LORD dwells in Zion!  

              
Joel's final statement is that God rules and in this later day, forgiveness will be given and Judah will be inhabited forever.

First published June 25, 2025; updated June 25, 2025