The Father Judges the Nations
The nations who sold Judah's children and carried off the temple treasures are summoned down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for judgment. Our Father roars from Zion, yet he is a refuge for his people; the hills flow with wine, and he dwells in Zion.
3 1"For look, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them on behalf of my people, my inheritance Israel, whom they scattered among the nations; for they divided up my land, a a v2 Jehoshaphat means "the Father judges" — the valley's name proclaims the very judgment that happens there. 3and they cast lots for my people. They traded a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine to drink.
4"Now what do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily bring what you have done back on your own heads. 5For you took my silver and my gold and carried my finest treasures into your temples. 6You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far away from their own land.
7"But look, I am rousing them from the place to which you sold them, and I will bring what you have done back on your own heads. 8I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away—for our Father has spoken."
9Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and come up. 10Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weakling say, "I am a warrior." 11Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, our Father.
12"Let the nations rouse themselves and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—for their wickedness is great."
14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of our Father is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars hold back their light. 16Our Father roars from Zion and raises his voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and the earth tremble. But our Father is a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the children of Israel.
The Father Restores His People
17"Then you will know that I am your Father, living in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never pass through it again.
18"And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah will run with water. A spring will flow from my house and water the Valley of Acacias. 19Egypt will become a wasteland and Edom a desolate wilderness, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. 20But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem through all generations. 21I will cleanse the guilt of the blood shed against them—which I have not yet cleansed—for our Father dwells in Zion." b b v21 Where other Bibles say "avenge their blood," our Father is defending his children against those who shed their blood — bringing vindication, not cold retribution.
