The nations judged
In Hebrew texts 3:1-21 is numbered 4:1-21. 1‘In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2I will gather all nations
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.3:2 Jehoshaphat means the Lord judges; also in verse 12.
There I will put them on trial
for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel,
because they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land.
3They cast lots for my people
and traded boys for prostitutes;
they sold girls for wine to drink.
4‘Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. 5For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.3:5 Or palaces 6You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.
7‘See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. 8I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.’ The Lord has spoken.
9Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for war!
Rouse the warriors!
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10Beat your ploughshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let the weakling say,
‘I am strong!’
11Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
and assemble there.
Bring down your warriors, Lord!
12‘Let the nations be roused;
let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit
to judge all the nations on every side.
13Swing the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,
for the winepress is full
and the vats overflow –
so great is their wickedness!’
14Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
15The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
16The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.
Blessings for God’s people
17‘Then you will know that I, the Lord your God,
dwell in Zion, my holy hill.
Jerusalem will be holy;
never again will foreigners invade her.
18‘In that day the mountains will drip new wine,
and the hills will flow with milk;
all the ravines of Judah will run with water.
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house
and will water the valley of acacias.3:18 Or Valley of Shittim
19But Egypt will be desolate,
Edom a desert waste,
because of violence done to the people of Judah,
in whose land they shed innocent blood.
20Judah will be inhabited for ever
and Jerusalem through all generations.
21Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?
No, I will not.’
The Lord dwells in Zion!
上帝要審判萬國
1「到那日，在我復興猶大和耶路撒冷的時候， 2我要聚集萬國，帶他們下到約沙法3·2 「約沙法」意思是「耶和華審判」。谷，在那裡審判他們，因為他們把我的子民，就是我的產業以色列，分散到各國，並瓜分我的土地。 3他們抽籤分了我的子民，將男童換妓女，賣女童買酒喝。
4「泰爾、西頓和非利士境內所有的人啊，你們為什麼這樣對我？你們要報復我嗎？如果你們是報復我，我必速速使你們遭報應。 5你們奪去我的金銀，搶走我的珍寶，拿去放在你們的廟中， 6並把猶大和耶路撒冷的居民賣給希臘人，使他們遠離家鄉。 7然而，他們被賣到哪裡，我要從哪裡把他們帶回來，並要使你們得到報應， 8我要把你們的兒女賣給猶大人，猶大人必把他們賣給遠方的示巴人。這是耶和華說的。」
9你們去向萬國宣告：
「要召集勇士，徵調軍隊，
前去打仗！
10要將犁頭打成刀劍，
把鐮刀鑄成矛頭，
軟弱的人也要做勇士！
11四圍的列國啊，
你們快快聚集到那裡吧！」
耶和華啊，
求你差遣大能的勇士降臨。
12「萬國都要起來，
上到約沙法谷受審判，
因為我要坐在那裡審判他們。
13開鐮吧，因為莊稼熟了；
踩踏吧，因為榨酒池的葡萄滿了。
他們惡貫滿盈，如酒池滿溢。」
14千千萬萬的人聚集在審判谷，
因為耶和華的日子要臨到那裡。
15日月昏暗，
星辰無光。
16耶和華從錫安發出怒吼，
從耶路撒冷發出雷聲，
天地為之震動。
但耶和華卻是祂子民的避難所，
是以色列人的堡壘。
17「這樣，你們就知道我是你們的上帝耶和華，
我住在錫安——我的聖山上。
耶路撒冷必成為聖地，
外族人必不再侵犯它。
18「到那日，群山要滴下甜酒，
丘陵要流出乳汁。
猶大的溪澗碧水常流，
必有清泉從耶和華的殿中流出，
澆灌什亭谷。
19埃及必一片荒涼，
以東必成為不毛之地，
因為他們曾殘暴地對待猶大人，
在猶大濫殺無辜。
20但猶大必人口興盛，
耶路撒冷必存到萬代。
21我必追討3·21 「追討」希伯來文是「洗淨」。尚未追討的血債，
因為耶和華住在錫安。」
