Judgment of the Nations

1Yes, in those days and at that time,

when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,a

2I will gather all the nationsb

and take them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.c, d

I will enter into judgment with them theree

because of My people, My inheritance Israel.

The nations have scattered the Israelites

in foreign countriesf

and divided up My land.g

3They cast lots for My people;h

they bartered a boy for a prostitute

and sold a girl for wine to drink.i

4And also: Tyre,j Sidon, and all the territories of Philistiak — what are you to Me? Are you paying Me back or trying to get even with Me? I will quickly bring retribution on your heads.l 5For you took My silver and gold and carried My finest treasuresm to your temples. 6You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeksn to remove them far from their own territory. 7Look, I am about to rouse them up from the place where you sold them;o I will bring retribution on your heads. 8I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of the people of Judah,p and they will sell them to the Sabeans,q, r to a distant nation, for the LORD has spoken.

9Proclaim this among the nations:s

Prepare for holy war;t

rouse the warriors;u

let all the men of war advance and attack!

10Beat your plows into swords

and your pruning knives into spears.v

Let even the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”

11Come quickly,w all you surrounding nations;

gather yourselves.x

Bring down Your warriors there, LORD.y

12Let the nations be roused

and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,

for there I will sit down

to judge all the surrounding nations.z

13Swing the sickle

because the harvest is ripe.aa

Come and trample the grapes

because the winepress is full;ab

the wine vats overflow

because the wickedness of the nations is great.ac

14Multitudes, multitudesad

in the valley of decision!

For the Day of the LORD is nearae

in the valley of decision.

15The sun and moon will grow dark,

and the stars will cease their shining.af

16The LORD will roar from •Zionag

and raise His voice from Jerusalem;ah

heaven and earth will shake.ai

But the LORD will be a refuge for His people,aj

a stronghold for the Israelites.ak

Israel Blessed

17Then you will know

that I am •Yahweh your God,al

who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain.am

Jerusalem will be holy,an

and foreigners will never overrun it again.ao

18In that day

the mountains will drip with sweet wine,ap

and the hills will flow with milk.aq

All the streams of Judah will flow with water,ar

and a spring will issue from the LORD’s house,as

watering the Valley of Acacias.at, au

19Egypt will become desolate,

and Edom a desert wasteland,

because of the violence done to the people of Judahav

in whose land they shed innocent blood.

20But Judah will be inhabited forever,aw

and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21I will pardon their bloodguilt,ax, ay

which I have not pardoned,

for the LORD dwells in Zion.