Joel 3 · Verse 2

Joel 3:2

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.
Joel 3:2, King James Version

Joel 3:2 in other translations

BSBI 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.
WEBI will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have divided my land,
ASVI 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,
YLTThen I have gathered all the nations, And caused them to go down unto the valley of Jehoshaphat, And I have been judged with them there, Concerning My people and Mine inheritance--Israel, Whom they scattered among nations, And My land they have apportioned.
DARBYI will also gather all the nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of my people and mine inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations: and they have parted my land;
BBEI will get together all the nations, and make them come down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and there I will take up with them the cause of my people and of my heritage Israel, whom they have sent wandering among the nations, and of my land which has been parted by them.
WebsterI 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 divided my land.

What does Joel 3:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. Parallel to Zec 14:2, 3, 4, where the "Mount of Olives" answers to the "Valley of Jehoshaphat" here. The latter is called "the valley of blessing" (Berachah) (2Ch 20:26). It lies between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives and has the Kedron flowing through it. As Jehoshaphat overthrew the confederate foes of Judah, namely, Ammon, Moab, &c. (Psa 83:6-8), in this valley, so God was to overthrow the Tyrians, Zidonians, Philistines, Edom, and Egypt, with a similar utter overthrow (Joe 3:4, 19). This has been long ago fulfilled; but the ultimate event shadowed forth herein is still future, when God shall specially interpose to destroy Jerusalem's last foes, of whom Tyre, Zidon, Edom, Egypt, and Philistia are the types. 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. The definite mention of the Mount of Olives in Zec 14:4, and the fact that this was the scene of the ascension, makes it likely the same shall be the scene of Christ's coming again: compare "this same Jesus ... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" (Ac 1:11). all nations--namely, which have maltreated Judah. plead with them--(Is 66:16; Eze 38:22). my heritage Israel--(De 32:9; Jr 10:16). Implying that the source of Judah's redemption is God's free love, wherewith He chose Israel as His peculiar heritage, and at the same time assuring them, when desponding because of trials, that He would plead their cause as His own, and as if He were injured in their person.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The 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, 2Chr 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. While the Jews were in captivity, much of the land of Israel was seized on, and occupied by the Philistines, and other nations that bordered on Judea.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joel 3:1-8

God's judgments in the latter days. (Joel 3:1-8) The extent of these judgments. (Joel 3:9-17) The blessings the church shall enjoy. (Joel 3:18-21) Verses 1-8 The restoration of the Jews, and the final victory of true religion over all opposers, appear to be here foretold. The contempt and scorn with which the Jews have often been treated as a people, and the little value set upon them, are noticed. None ever…

Read the full comment on Joel 3:1-8 →

Joel 3:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְקִבַּצְתִּי֙ve.ki.batz.Tiand I will gatherH6908
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַגּוֹיִ֔םha.go.Yimthe nationsH1471
וְה֣וֹרַדְתִּ֔יםve.Ho.rad.Timand I will bring down themH3381
אֶל\־'el-toH413
עֵ֖מֶק'E.mek[the] valley ofH6010
יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑טye.ho.sha.FatJehoshaphatH3092
וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֨יve.nish.pa.Tiand I will enter into judgmentH8199
עִמָּ֜ם'i.Mamwith themH5973
שָׁ֗םShamthereH8033
עַל\־'al-onH5921
עַמִּ֨י'a.Mipeople myH5971
וְנַחֲלָתִ֤יve.na.cha.la.Tiand inheritance myH5159
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
פִּזְּר֣וּpi.ze.Ruthey have scatteredH6340
בַגּוֹיִ֔םva.go.Yimamong the nationsH1471
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
אַרְצִ֖י'ar.Tziland myH776
חִלֵּֽקוּ\׃chi.Le.kuthey have divided upH2505

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joel 3:2

  • Zechariah 14:2-4

    For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

  • Isaiah 66:16

    For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

  • Zephaniah 3:8

    Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

  • Ezekiel 38:22

    And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

  • Joel 3:12

    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.

  • Ezekiel 39:11

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon–gog.

  • Revelation 16:16

    And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

  • Jeremiah 25:31

    A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 35:10

    Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the Lord was there:

  • Zechariah 12:3-4

    And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.

  • Revelation 18:20-21

    Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

  • Ezekiel 36:5

    Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
also.
Zep 3:8; Zec 14:2-4; Re 16:14,16; 19:19-21; 20:8
the valley.
12; 2Ch 20:26; Eze 39:11; Zec 14:4
will plead.
Isa 66:16; Eze 38:22; Am 1:11; Ob 1:10-16; Zec 12:3,4; Re 11:18; 16:6
Re 18:20,21
and parted.
Jer 12:14; 49:1; Eze 25:8; 35:10; Zep 2:8-10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joel 3:1

    For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

  • Joel 3:2

    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.

  • Joel 3:3

    And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Read all of Joel 3

Joel 3:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Juntaré todas las gentes, y harélas descender al valle de Josaphat, y allí entraré en juicio con ellos á causa de mi pueblo, y de Israel mi heredad, á los cuales esparcieron entre las naciones, y partieron mi tierra:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et aussi sur les serviteurs et sur les servantes, en ces jours-là, je répandrai mon Esprit. –
German
Elberfelder 1871		dann werde ich alle Nationen versammeln und sie in das Tal Josaphat hinabführen; und ich werde daselbst mit ihnen rechten über mein Volk und mein Erbteil Israel, welches sie unter die Nationen zerstreut haben;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		congregabo omnes gentes, et deducam eas in vallem Josaphat; et disceptabo cum eis ibi super populo meo, et hæreditate mea Israël, quos disperserunt in nationibus, et terram meam diviserunt.