Joel 3 14

Joel 3:14 kjv

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:14 nkjv

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:14 niv

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:14 esv

Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:14 nlt

Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision.
There the day of the LORD will soon arrive.

Joel 3 verses

Joel 3 14 Meaning

Joel 3:14 portrays a vast assembly of nations gathered in a specific location for divine judgment. The repetition of "multitudes" emphasizes the sheer number of people present, while the "valley of decision" signifies the definitive place where God's decisive verdict will be rendered. The subsequent declaration, "For the day of the LORD is near," reveals the urgency and inevitability of this ultimate divine intervention, signaling a time of intense judgment for the wicked and vindication for God's people. It is a moment of divine reckoning, not human deliberation.

Joel 3 14 Context

Joel 3:14 is found in the third and final chapter of the book of Joel, which is set against the backdrop of a severe locust plague and drought that devastated Judah (Joel 1). The prophet calls the people to national repentance (Joel 2:12-17), promising divine restoration and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:18-32). Chapter 3 then shifts focus from Judah's restoration to the judgment of the surrounding nations who have oppressed Judah and exploited God's people. Specifically, Joel 3:1-8 details the crimes of these nations (dividing God's land, selling His people into slavery). Verse 14 therefore marks the crescendo of this prophetic judgment, depicting the decisive moment when God will gather and condemn the nations, initiating the "Day of the LORD" for them. The historical context implies God's justice unfolding in a post-exilic world, assuring Judah of divine vindication against its enemies.

Joel 3 14 Word analysis

• Multitudes, multitudes: הֲמוֹנִים, הֲמוֹנִים (hamonim, hamonim). The repetition of the Hebrew word intensifies the imagery, conveying an overwhelming, countless mass of people. It signifies the vast armies and populations of the nations gathered, not just in large numbers, but in a chaotic, agitated throng. This repetition emphasizes the scale and global nature of the impending judgment. It underscores the overwhelming reality that all who oppose God will be present for His reckoning.
• in the valley: בְּעֵמֶק (be-'emek). 'Emek means a low, level plain or valley. Valleys in biblical narratives often served as natural arenas for battle and significant events (e.g., Valley of Elah, Valley of Achor). While traditionally associated with the Valley of Jehoshaphat (meaning "Yahweh judges"), many scholars view this as a symbolic or metaphoric place, representing the arena where God’s definitive judgment will take place, rather than a specific geographical location for the ultimate end-times event.
• of decision!: הֶחָרוּץ (hecharutz). This is a crucial and deeply significant word. "Charutz" has a double meaning in Hebrew, adding rich layers to the phrase. It can mean:
  1. "Decision," "decree," "something decisive or fixed." In this sense, it is the valley where God makes His final, irreversible decree concerning the nations. It is not where the nations make a decision, but where God renders His decisive judgment upon them.
  2. "Something sharpened" (as a sharp instrument) or, by extension, "a threshing instrument," specifically a threshing-sledge. This interpretation draws on the agricultural imagery prevalent in Joel and other prophetic books (Isa 28:27, Amos 1:3). A threshing sledge has sharp teeth and is used to separate grain from chaff, crushing the stalks. Applied to judgment, this implies a brutal, cutting, separating, and decisive judgment, where the wicked are like chaff crushed and utterly removed from the presence of God. This forms a powerful polemic against any pagan deity or power, as only Yahweh has the power to bring such definitive and separating judgment.
• For the day of the LORD: כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם יְהוָה (ki karov yom Yahweh). "Yom Yahweh" is a core prophetic concept, signaling a specific time of God's direct intervention in human history. It is characterized by darkness, dread, and destruction for God's enemies, but also by salvation and vindication for His faithful people. This divine judgment contrasts sharply with the impotent claims of surrounding pagan gods who cannot execute such an encompassing and absolute day of reckoning.
• is near: קָרוֹב (karov). This emphasizes the imminent and urgent nature of the event. It communicates an immediacy, urging readiness and highlighting the irreversible march of divine providence towards its climax. This "nearness" should not necessarily be interpreted as a temporal closeness by human reckoning, but rather the certainty and inevitability of its coming at the appointed time by God's decree.

• "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!": This phrase emphasizes the scale and purpose of the gathering. It is not a call for human decision or repentance at this point, but rather the description of a global convocation orchestrated by God for the sole purpose of rendering a verdict on the nations for their sins, especially against Israel. The repetition sets a tone of gravitas and overwhelming importance.
• "For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.": This second part functions as the reason or explanation for the gathering. The immediacy of the "Day of the LORD" is what compels the multitudes to this "valley." It directly connects the location of the assembly with the ultimate eschatological event of divine judgment. The valley isn't just a physical place but embodies the nature of the "Day" itself – a place of decisive and separating judgment.

Joel 3 14 Bonus section

The concept of the "Valley of Decision" contrasts sharply with the urgent calls for human decision and repentance directed at Israel earlier in Joel (e.g., Joel 2:12-13). For the nations, there is no longer an opportunity for decision; it is a place where God’s decisions regarding their fate will be enacted. The imagery of "threshing" implicit in harutz powerfully connects to other biblical depictions of judgment as a process of separation and crushing (e.g., the "winepress of the fury of the wrath of God" in Rev 14:19-20). Some eschatological interpretations see a link between this valley and the final gathering of nations described in Revelation, particularly regarding the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:16) where world powers align against God before their final destruction.

Joel 3 14 Commentary

Joel 3:14 serves as the climactic declaration of God's definitive judgment on the nations. The emphatic repetition of "multitudes" conveys a universal gathering, while the "valley of decision" signifies a place not of human choice, but of God's unyielding determination. The Hebrew term charutz carries the powerful dual meaning of "decision" and "threshing," underscoring that this judgment will be utterly final, like grain separated from chaff, and destructive for those who oppose God. The "Day of the LORD" being "near" signals its absolute certainty and urgency. It is a period when divine justice will be unequivocally administered, ensuring that no unrighteousness, particularly against God's people, will go unpunished. The verse serves as a powerful reminder of divine accountability for nations and individuals alike, prompting introspection and a call to prepare one's heart before the sovereign Lord, who will ultimately judge all things with perfect righteousness.