Joel 3:14

Barnes' Notes on the Bible The prophet continues, as in amazement at the great throng assembling upon one another, "multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision," as though, whichever way he looked, there were yet more of these "tumultuous masses," so that there was nothing beside them. It was one living, surging, boiling, sea: throngs upon throngs, mere throngs! . The word rendered "multitudes" suggests, besides, the thought of the hum and din of these masses thronging onward, blindly, to their own destruction. They all "tumultuously rage together, and imagine a vain thing, against the Lord and against His Christ" Psalm 2:1-2; but the place where they are gathered, (although they know it not,) is the "valley of decision," i. e., of "sharp, severe judgment." The valley is the same as that before called "the valley of Jehoshaphat;" but whereas that name only signifies "God judgeth," this further name denotes the strictness of God's judgment. The word signifies "cut," then "decided;" then is used of severe punishment, or destruction decided and decreed , by God. For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision - Their gathering against God shall be a token of His coming to judge them. They come to fulfill their own ends; but His shall be fulfilled on them. They are left to bring about their own doom; and being abandoned by Him, rush on the more blindly because it is at hand. When their last sin is committed, their last defiance of God spoken or acted against Him, it is come. At all times, indeed, "the Lord is at hand" Philippians 4:5. It may be, that we are told, that the whole future revealed to us "must shortly come to pass" Revelation 1:1, in order to show that all time is a mere nothing, a moment, a dream, when it is gone. Yet here it is said, relatively, not to us, but to the things foretold, that it "is near" to come. Clarke's Commentary on the Bible Multitudes, multitudes - hamonim, hamonim, crowds upon crowds, in the valley of decision, or excision: the same as the valley of Jehoshaphat, the place where God is to execute judgment on his enemies. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision,.... The same with the valley of Jehoshaphat before mentioned; which shows that not any valley of that name is intended, but a certain place so called from the judgments of God in it; and here named "the valley of decision", because here their judgment will be determined, as Kimchi and Jarchi; and at this time the controversy between God, and his people's enemies, will be decided, and at an end: or "the valley of concision", as the Vulgate Latin version; because in this place, and at this time, the nations gathered together in it will be cut to pieces: or, as others, "the valley of threshing" (p); because, as, in Jehoshaphat's time, the Moabites and Ammonites were threshed by the Jews in the valley of Berachah, to which the allusion is; so at this time the antichristian kings and their armies will be threshed and beaten, and destroyed by the men of Judah, God's professing people; see Micah 4:13; these seem to be the words of the prophet, breaking out into this pathetic exclamation, upon a sight of the vast multitudes gathered together in this valley, and slain in it; and the doubling of the word serves to express the prodigious number of them: and this shows that this prophecy refers either to the vast army of the Turks, under the name of Gog, and the great slaughter that will be made of them; and that this valley may be the same with the valley of Hamongog, that is, the valley of the multitude of Gog, where their multitude of slain shall be buried, Ezekiel 39:11; or to that vast carnage of the antichristian kings and their armies at Armageddon, Revelation 16:14; the Targum is, "armies, armies, in the valley of the division of judgment:'' for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision; that is, the great and terrible day of the Lord, to take vengeance on all the antichristian powers, both eastern and western, is nigh at

hand, which will be done in this valley. (p) "in valle triturationis", Piscatsr. Geneva Study Bible Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Wesley's Notes 3:14 In the valley of decision - Where God having gathered them, decided their quarrels, and by the conqueror punish the conquered for their sins against God and his people. The day - The day of vengeance. King James Translators' Notes decision: or, concision, or, threshing Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 14. The prophet in vision seeing the immense array of nations congregating, exclaims, "Multitudes, multitudes!" a Hebraism for immense multitudes. valley of decision-that is, the valley in which they are to meet their "determined doom." The same as "the valley of Jehoshaphat," that is, "the valley of judgment" (see on [1135]Joe 3:2). Compare Joe 3:12, "there will I sit to judge," which confirms English Version rather than Margin, "threshing." The repetition of "valley of decision" heightens the effect and pronounces the awful certainty of their doom. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 3:9-17 Here is a challenge to all the enemies of God's people. There is no escaping God's judgments; hardened sinners, in that day of wrath, shall be cut off from all comfort and joy. Most of the prophets foretell the same final victory of the church of God over all that oppose it. To the wicked it will be a terrible day, but to the righteous it will be a joyful day. What cause have those who possess an interest in Christ, to glory in their Strength and their Redeemer! The acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, will be a day of remarkable vengeance to others: let every one that is out of Christ awake, and flee from the wrath to come

Joel 3:20
Ezekiel 37:25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. Amos 9:15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God. Barnes' Notes on the Bible Judah shall dwell for ever - Not earthly Judah, nor earthly Jerusalem, for these must come to an end, together with the earth itself, of whose end the prophets well knew. It is then the one people of God, the true Judah, the people who praise God, the Israel, which is indeed Israel. Egypt and Edom and all the enemies of God should come to an end; but His people shall never come to an end. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against her." The enemy shall not destroy her; time shall not consume her; she shall never decay. The people of God shall abide before Him and through

Him here, and shall dwell with Him forever. Clarke's Commentary on the Bible But Judah shall dwell for ever - The true Church of Christ shall be supported, while all false and persecuting Churches shall be annihilated. The promise may also belong to the full and final restoration of the Jews, when they shall dwell at Jerusalem as a distinct people professing the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible But Judah shall dwell for ever,.... The converted Jews shall dwell in their own land for ever, to the end of the, world and never more be carried captive, Ezekiel 37:25; and the true professing people of God, as Judah signifies, shall continue in a church state, evermore, and never more be disturbed by any enemies, they shall dwell safely and peaceably to the end of time: and Jerusalem from generation to generation; shall dwell so in like manner, age after age; that is, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, or the members of the true church of Christ, who shall see and enjoy peace and prosperity, both temporal and spiritual, as Jerusalem signifies. Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament On the other hand, Judah and Jerusalem shall dwell for ever, - a poetical expression for "be inhabited," both land and city being personified, as in Isaiah 13:20, etc. Thus will Jehovah, by means of the final judgment upon the heathen, wipe away the bloodguiltiness that they have contracted in their treatment of His people, and manifest Himself as King of Zion. With these thoughts the prophecy of Joel closes (Joel 3:21). The verb niqqh, to cleanse, with dm, to wipe away or expunge blood-guiltiness by punishment, is chosen with reference to in Joel 3:19; and , which follows, is to be taken in a relative sense: so that there is no need to alter into otni ( Ges.); and the latter has no critical support in the Septuagint rendering , which merely reproduces the sense. Geneva Study Bible But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. Wesley's Notes 3:20 Judah - The redeemed of the Lord, his church. King James Translators' Notes dwell: or, abide Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 20. dwell for ever-(Am 9:15), that is, be established as a flourishing state. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 3:18-21 There shall be abundant Divine influences, and the gospel will spread speedily into the remotest corners of the earth. These events are predicted under significant emblems; there is a day coming, when every thing amiss shall be amended. The fountain of this plenty is in the house of God, whence the streams take rise. Christ is this Fountain; his sufferings, merit, and grace, cleanse, refresh, and make fruitful. Gospel grace, flowing from Christ, shall reach to the Gentile world, to the most remote regions, and make them abound in fruits of righteousness; and from the house of the Lord above, from his heavenly temple, flows all the good we daily taste, and hope to enjoy eternally.