International Children’s Bible

Joel 3:2-12 International Children’s Bible (ICB)

2. I will also gather all the nations together.I will bring them down into the Valley Where the Lord Judges.And there I will judge them.Those nations scattered my own people, Israel.They forced my people to live in other nations.They divided up my land.

3. They threw lots for my people.They traded boys for prostitutes.And they sold girls to buy wine to drink.

4. “Tyre and Sidon and all of you regions of Philistia! What do you have against me? Are you punishing me for something I did? Or are you doing something to hurt me? Then I will quickly do to you what you have done to me.

5. You took my silver and gold. You took my precious treasures and put them in your temples.

6. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks. That way you could send them far from their land.

7. “You sent my people to that faraway place. But I will bring them back. And I will do to you what you have done to them.

8. I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah. Then they will sell them to the Sabean people far away.” The Lord said this.

9. Announce this among the nations:Prepare for war!Wake up the soldiers!Let all the men of war come near and attack.

10. Make your plows into swords.Make spears from your hooks for trimming trees.Let the weak say,“I am strong.”

11. All of you nations, hurry.Come together in that place.Lord, send your strong soldiersto gather the nations.

12. “Wake up, nations.Come to the Valley Where the Lord Judges.There I will sit to judgeall the nations on every side.