New Living Translation
Joel 3:12
12“Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all.
Joel 3:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
Context of Joel 3:12
10Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors. 11Come quickly, all you nations everywhere. Gather together in the valley.” And now, O Lord, call out your warriors! “Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. 13Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread the grapes, for the winepress is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people.” 14Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive.
Read all of Joel 3Joel 3:12 word by word
יֵע֙וֹרוּ֙ וְיַעֲל֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֶל־עֵ֖מֶק יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט כִּ֣י שָׁ֗ם אֵשֵׁ֛ב לִשְׁפֹּ֥ט אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם מִסָּבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Let the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- be wakenedעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
- and come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to the valleyעֵ֫מֶק‛êmeq · Valley (Of Kidron)H6010
- of Jehoshaphatיְהוֹשָׁפָטyehôshâphâţ · (Valley of) JehoshaphatH3092
- for there will I sitיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- to judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
Cross-references for Joel 3:12
- Joel 3:2I 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.
- 2 Chronicles 20:26On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
- Ezekiel 39:11“And I will make a vast graveyard for Gog and his hordes in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. It will block the way of those who travel there, and they will change the name of the place to the Valley of Gog’s Hordes.
- Zechariah 14:4On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south.
- Psalms 2:8Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.
- Psalms 7:6Arise, O Lord, in anger! Stand up against the fury of my enemies! Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
- Psalms 76:8From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you.
- Psalms 96:13before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
- Psalms 98:9before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.
- Psalms 110:5The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you. He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts.
- Isaiah 2:4The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.
- Isaiah 3:13The Lord takes his place in court and presents his case against his people.
- Ezekiel 30:3for the terrible day is almost here— the day of the Lord! It is a day of clouds and gloom, a day of despair for the nations.
- Micah 4:3The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.
- Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
Commentaries on Joel 3:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Let the heathen be wakened - The heathen shall be wakened. The valley of Jehoshaphat - Any place where God may choose to display his judgments against his enemies.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Let the pagan be awakened - This emphatic repetition of the word, “awaken,” seems intended to hint at the great awakening, to Judgment, when they “who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, being awakened” from the sleep of death. Another word is used of “awakening”. On the destruction of antichrist it is thought that the general Judgment will follow, and “all who are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth” John…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 Here is a challenge to all the enemies of God's people. There is no escaping God's judgments; hardened sinners, in that day of wrath, shall be cut off from all comfort and joy. Most of the prophets foretell the same final victory of the church of God over all that oppose it. To the wicked it will be a terrible day, but to the righteous it will be a joyful day. What cause have those who possess an interest in Christ, to glory in their Strength…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The battle will occur in the valley of Jehoshaphat (see study note on Joel 3:2–3), where the Lord will judge everyone.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. See Joe 3:2. judge all the heathen round about--that is, all the nations from all parts of the earth which have maltreated Israel; not merely, as Henderson supposes, the nations round about Jerusalem (compare Psa 110:6; Is 2:4; Mi 4:3, 11-13; Zep 3:15-19; Zec 12:9; 14:3-11; Mal 4:1-3).Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 3:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joel 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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