Joel 3:2
in Joel 3I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations as they divided up My land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment upon them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations: and they have parted my land,
KJV
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.
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This verse in Joel 3
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe valley of Jehoshaphat - There is no such valley in the land of Judea; and hence the word must be symbolical. It signifies the judgment of God, or Jehovah judgeth; and may mean some place (as Bp. Newcome imagines) where Nebuchadnezzar should gain a great battle, which would utterly discomfit the ancient enemies of the Jews, and resemble the victory which Jehoshaphat gained over the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, 2Ch 20:22-26. And parted my land - The above nations had frequently entered into the territories of Israel; and divided among themselves the lands they had thus overrun.
This site's exposition
when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem
on Joel 3:1-3
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem ties the chapter to a specific future turning point, though the phrase is used elsewhere of any decisive reversal of fortune and not only of a return from exile, part of why the book's own date has never been settled among the commentators, since Joel names no king of either Israel or Judah. The valley of Jehoshaphat, named only here in the whole Old Testament, is read by the older writers as a symbolic name built from the Hebrew for the Lord judges rather than a location on any map, matching Jehoshaphat's own victory in 2 Chronicles 20 where the Lord fought for Judah without a sword drawn. Casting lots for a boy and selling a girl for wine names the ancient world's most degrading transaction, a human life traded as currency for pleasure, singled out among the nations addressed in what follows.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Chapter 3, verses 1 onwards) For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my people, my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and have divided up my land. They have cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they have sold girls for wine that they may drink.
With the believers saved on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and with the rest of the people of Judaea called, who believed with the apostles and through the apostles, at that time after the Lord had turned the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, who had come to preach sight, and to the captives, remission, and delivered those who confess the Lord, and who are in the Church, in which there is a vision of peace, will gather all the nations that did not want to believe: and will lead them into the valley of Jehoshaphat, which more significantly, according to the Hebrew truth, is said in Greek κατάξω, that is, I will lead them down, and I will draw them from the highest to the lowest. At the same time, consider when the Lord summons unbelievers, even hostile powers, to judgment and disputes with them on behalf of his people: 'I will bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.' But when he encourages believers to battle, he says: 'Stir up the strong ones: let all the warriors come forth and ascend.' The nations are urged not to descend, but to ascend into the Valley of Jehoshaphat. For everyone who is judged because of their sins is placed in the valley, which is called Jehoshaphat, that is, the judgment of the Lord. For whoever believes in the Lord will not be judged.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
All nations - In the type it is all those nations that have oppressed Judah, in the anti-type, all nations that have been enemies to Christ and the church.
I will also gather all nations,....
Of God's judging all nations when the measure of their iniquity is full, and appearing publicly, to the everlasting confusion of all impenitent sinners and the everlasting comfort of all his faithful servants,
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This intimates, (1.) That all the nations had made themselves liable to the judgment of God for wrong done to his people. Persecution is the reigning crying sin of the world; that lying in wickedness itself is set against godliness. The enmity that is in the old serpent, the god of this world, against the seed of the woman, appears more or less in the children of this world.
Observe, here, how that which is got by sin is commonly spent upon another. The spoil which these enemies of the Jews gathered by injustice and violence they scattered and threw away in drinking and whoring; such is frequently the character, and such the conversation, of the enemies and persecutors of the people of God.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
As "Jehoshaphat" means "the judgment of Jehovah," the valley of Jehoshaphat may be used as a general term for the theater of God's final judgments on Israel's foes, with an allusion to the judgment inflicted on them by Jehoshaphat.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat - It may be that the imagery is furnished by that great deliverance which God gave to Jehoshaphat, when “Ammon and Moab and Edom come against” him, “to cast God’s people out of” His “possession,” which “He gave” them “to inherit” 2Ch 20:11, and Jehoshaphat appealed to God, “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them?” and God said, “the battle is not yours but God’s,” and God turned their swords everyone against the other, “and none escaped. And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah” (blessing); “for there they blesed the Lord” 2 Chr. 24, 26. So, in the end, He shall destroy antichrist, not by human aid, but “by the breath of His mouth,” and then the end shall come and lie shall sit on the throne of His glory to judge all nations. Then shall none escape of those gathered against Judah and Jerusalem, but shall be judged of their own consciences, as those former enemies of His people fell by their own swords. That valley, however, is nowhere called “the valley of Jehoshaphat.” It continued to be “called the valley of Berachah,” the writer adds, “to this day.” And it is so called still. Caphar Barucha, “the village of blessing,” was still known in that neighborhood in the time of Jerome ; it had been known in that of Josephus . Southwest of Bethlehem and east of Tekoa are still 3 or 4 acres of ruins , bearing the name Bereikut , and a valley below them, still bearing silent witness to God’s ancient mercies, in its but slightly disguised name, “the valley of Bereikut” (Berachah). The only valley called the “valley of Jehoshaphat” , is the valley of Kedron, lying between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, incircling the city on the east. There Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah cast the idols, which they had burned 1Ki 15:13; 2Ch 30:14; 2Ki 23:6, 2Ki 23:12. […]
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְקִבַּצְתִּי֙ | vekibatzti | and I will gather | H6908 → | 127 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֔ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| וְה֣וֹרַדְתִּ֔ים | vehoradtim | and I will bring down them | H3381 → | |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עֵ֖מֶק | ʾemek | [the] valley of | H6010 → | 69 times |
| יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט | yehoshafat | Jehoshaphat | H3092 → | |
| וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֨י | venishpati | and I will enter into judgment | H8199 → | |
| עִמָּ֜ם | ʾimam | with them | H5973 → | |
| שָׁ֗ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עַמִּ֨י | ʾami | people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וְנַחֲלָתִ֤י | venachalati | and inheritance my | H5159 → | |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| פִּזְּר֣וּ | pizeru | they have scattered | H6340 → | |
| בַגּוֹיִ֔ם | vagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַרְצִ֖י | ʾartzi | land my | H776 → | 2504 times |
| חִלֵּֽקוּ׃ | chileku | they have divided up | H2505 → |
וְקִבַּצְתִּי֙and I will gather
vekibatztiH6908 →127 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַגּוֹיִ֔םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
וְה֣וֹרַדְתִּ֔יםand I will bring down them
vehoradtimH3381 →
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עֵ֖מֶק[the] valley of
ʾemekH6010 →69 times
יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑טJehoshaphat
yehoshafatH3092 →
וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֨יand I will enter into judgment
venishpatiH8199 →
עִמָּ֜םwith them
ʾimamH5973 →
שָׁ֗םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עַמִּ֨יpeople my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
וְנַחֲלָתִ֤יand inheritance my
venachalatiH5159 →
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
פִּזְּר֣וּthey have scattered
pizeruH6340 →
בַגּוֹיִ֔םamong the nations
vagoyimH1471 →561 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אַרְצִ֖יland my
ʾartziH776 →2504 times
חִלֵּֽקוּ׃they have divided up
chilekuH2505 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zephaniah 3:8Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation—all My burning anger.…
it leads to
- Zephaniah 1:18
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He…
- Micah 7:7
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Zephaniah 1:18
Through
Isaiah 66:16For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 38:21–22
And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother.
- Isaiah 30:30
And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.
- Ezekiel 38:21–22
Through
Ezekiel 38:22I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:21
And great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds each rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous.
- Isaiah 66:16
For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute judgment on all flesh, and many will be slain by the LORD.
- Psalms 11:6
On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
- Revelation 16:21
About Joel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Joel; Jerome, Commentary on Joel, Chapter 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.