The Coming Judgment of Nations

1a “Look, now! In those very days and at that time,

when I restore prosperity tob Judah and Jerusalem,

2I will gather all nations,

bringing them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

I will set out my case againstc them there,

on behalf of my people, my heritage Israel,

whom they scattered among the nations,

apportioning my land among themselves.d

3They cast lots for my people—

they sold a young boy in exchange for a prostitute,

and a girl for wine,

so they could drink.”

The LORD’s Judgment upon Philistia

4“Furthermore, what have you to do with me,

Tyre, Sidon, and all the sea coasts of Philistia?

Are you taking revenge on me?

If you are taking revenge on me,

I’ll send it back on youe swiftly and promptly,

5since you took my silver and gold,

carried my precious treasures into your temples,

6and sold Judah’s and Jerusalem’s descendants to the Greeks,f

so you can remove them far from their homeland!

7“Look, I will bring them up from where you sold them,

I will turn your revenge back upon you,g

8and I will sell your sons and daughters into the control of the people of Judah.

And they will sell them to the people of Sheba, a country far away.”

Indeed, the LORD has spoken.”

The LORD’s Call to Judgment

9“Declare this among the nations:

‘Prepare for war!

Wake up your elite forces!

Let all the soldiers draw near!

Call them up!

10Beat your plow blades into swords,

and your pruning knives into spears!

Let the frail say, “I am strong!”

11Hurry and come, all you gentiles!

Gather yourselves together!’”

“LORD, cause your mighty armyh to come down.

12“Let the nations be awakened

and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;

because I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

13Put in the sickle,

because the harvest is ripe.

Come and go down,

because the winepress is full.

The wine vats are overflowing,

because their evil is great!

14“Multitudes, multitudes

in the Valley of Judgment!

For the Day of the LORD is near

in the Valley of Judgment!

15The sun and moon will grow dark,

and the stars will stop shining.

16“The LORD will roar from Zion,

and shout from Jerusalem.

The heavens and the earth will shake,

but the LORD will be the refuge of his people,

and the strength of the people of Israel.”

God’s Blessings on His People

17“And truly you will know that I am the LORD your God,

dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.

Then Jerusalem will be holy,

and no foreigners will invade her again.

18It will come about at that time

that the mountains will drip with newly pressed wine,

the hills will flow with milk,

and the streams of Judah will flow abundantly.

A fountain will spring from the Temple of the LORD,

to water the Valley of the Acacias.

19Egypt will be desolate,

and Edom will be a desert,

because of violence against the people of Judah

since they shed innocent blood in their land.

20But Judah will live forever,

and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

21I will acquit their bloodguilt that has not yet been acquitted.

For the LORD lives in Zion!”