“But Judah shall be inhabited
Forever.
Jerusalem shall be inhabited
To all generations.
I will avenge
Their blood.
I will not clear the guilty.
Yahweh dwells in Zion.”
Yahweh, via Joel, proclaimed that Judah and Jerusalem would be inhabited forever, for generations to come. Yahweh was going to avenge the blood of those who had died, since he was not going to clear the guilty ones. Yahweh would dwell in Zion. Thus, ends the prophecy of Joel.
“Egypt
Shall become
A desolation.
Edom
Shall become
A desolate wilderness.
They have done violence
To the people of Judah.
They have shed
Innocent blood
In their land.”
Egypt and Edom would become desolate and a wilderness because of the violence that they have done to Judah in shedding innocent blood. Edom would disappear, but Egypt still stands today
“In that day,
The mountains shall drip
Sweet wine.
The hills shall flow
With milk.
All the stream beds
Of Judah
Shall flow with water.
A fountain shall come forth
From the house of Yahweh.
It will water
The valley of Shittim.”
In the day of Yahweh, the mountains would drip a sweet wine, while the hills would flow with milk. There would be multiple streams of water in Judah to make the land fertile. In fact, a fountain would flow from the house of Yahweh to the Shittim valley that was in Moab.
“So,
You shall know
That I am Yahweh!
Your God!
I dwell in Zion!
My holy mountain!
Jerusalem
Shall be holy.
Strangers
Shall never again
Pass through it.”
Yahweh, via Joel, wanted them to understand that Yahweh was their God. He lived in this holy mountain, Zion. Thus, Jerusalem was to be holy. Never again would strangers pass through it. It was a great desire that was not fulfilled.
“Yahweh roars
From Zion.
Yahweh utters his voice
From Jerusalem.
The heavens
With the earth
Shake.
But Yahweh is a refuge
For his people.
Yahweh is a stronghold
For the people of Israel.”
Yahweh will roar and speak from Zion and Jerusalem. Both heaven and earth would shake. However, Yahweh would be a refuge and stronghold for his people, the people of Israel.
“The sun
Is darkened.
The moon
Is darkened.
The stars withdraw
Their shining.”
The heavens will darken during the day of Yahweh. The sun and the moon will go dark, while the stars will no longer shine.
“Multitudes!
Multitudes!
In the valley of decision!
The day of Yahweh
Is near
In the valley of decision!”
This valley of decision or the valley of Jehoshaphat was full of people. The day of Yahweh was getting closer in this valley.
