Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joel 3:12
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
12. Let the nations be stirred up ] corresponding to the stir up of Joe 3:9.
for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about ] Another, but a different play on the name Jehoshaphat: Jehovah no longer, as in Joe 3:2, stands (Isa 50:8) to litigate ( ) with the nations, but sits (Isa 28:6; Psa 9:4; Exo 18:13) to judge ( ) them. The sentence which the judge passes follows immediately in Joe 3:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
12 13. Jehovah’s reply: the nations may assemble; He will be ready to meet them: already ( Joe 3:13) He commands His ministers to begin the work of destruction.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let the pagan be awakened – This emphatic repetition of the word, awaken, seems intended to hint at the great awakening, to Judgment , when they who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, being awakened from the sleep of death. Another word is used of awakening . On the destruction of antichrist it is thought that the general Judgment will follow, and all who are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth Joh 5:27-29 : They are bidden to come up into the valley of Jehoshaphat , for to come into the presence of the most High God, may well be called a coming up. For there will I sit to judge all the pagan round about, (again literally from round about,) from every side, all nations from all the four quarters of the world. The words are the same as before. There all nations from every side were summoned to come, as they thought, to destroy Gods people and heritage. Here the real end is assigned, for which they were brought together, for God would sit to judge them. In their own blind will and passion they came to destroy; in Gods secret overruling Providence, they were dragged along by their passions – to be judged and to be destroyed. So our Lord says, When the Son of Man shall come in His Glory, and all the Holy Angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His Glory and before Him shall be gathered all nations Mat 25:31-32. Our Lord, in that He uses words of Joel, seems to intend to direct our minds to the prophets meaning. What follows are nearly His own words;
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. Let the heathen be wakened] The heathen shall be wakened.
The valley of Jehoshaphat] Any place where God may choose to display his judgments against his enemies.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Let the heathen; the several nations in their appointed time; and perhaps the Assyrians are first to awake and stir under Shalmaneser, next under Sennacherib, both which came up against this valley of Jehoshaphat.
Be wakened, by the sins and divisions of Gods own people, by their own ravenous and turbulent disposition, and by a secret hand of Providence.
And come up, in hostile manner, against the church and people of God, intended here by this valley: so Sennacherib did in Hezekiahs time.
For there, in the midst of my people and church,
will I sit to judge, to plead with, condemn, and punish by the sword,
all the heathen round about; not all the world, but all the heathen round about Judea, which was oppressed by these heathens: there God judged Sennacherib by his own hand; there God punished the Egyptians by Nebuchadnezzar who defeated Necho; and within sight of the Jews were all the punishments God inflicted on the Assyrian, Babylonish, Persian, and Grecian monarchies executed; and God all this while in the midst of his people preserved them as a bush all in a flame, yet not consumed: so did the Lord lead his mighty ones, and limited their power.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. See Joe3:2.
judge all the heathen roundaboutthat is, all the nations from all parts of the earthwhich have maltreated Israel; not merely, as HENDERSONsupposes, the nations round about Jerusalem (compare Psa 110:6;Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3;Mic 4:11-13; Zep 3:15-19;Zec 12:9; Zec 14:3-11;Mal 4:1-3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let the Heathen be awakened, and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat,…. That is, let the enemies of Christ and his church be aroused from that state of security in which they are, and prepare for their own defence; for in such a state the antichristian powers will be before their destruction; see Re 18:7; let them bestir themselves, and exert all the rigour and strength they have; let them come in high spirits against the people of God; let them invade the holy land, and come even to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and, when come thither, let them, descend into the place appointed for their ruin: the land of Judea being said to be higher than other countries, going to it is generally expressed by going up to it; otherwise it is more usual to say that men go down a valley than come up to it; and, mention being made again of this valley, shows that the same thing is referred to here as in Joe 3:2; these words are said in answer to the petition in Joe 3:11; for they are spoken by the Lord, as appears by what follows:
for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about; thither gathered together from all parts: the allusion is to a judge upon the bench, sitting to hear and try causes, and pass a definitive sentence; and here it signifies the execution of that sentence; such a pleading the cause of his people, as to take vengeance and inflict just punishment upon their enemies; see Ps 9:4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet proceeds with the same subject, — that God will at length become an avenger of the wrongs of his people, when they shall be unjustly harassed by profane men. We indeed know that God does not immediately succor his servants but rests as though he did not regard their troubles; but this he does to try their patience; and then at a suitable time he declares that he had not been indifferent, but had noticed the evils done to them, and deferred punishment until the wickedness of his enemies had been completed. So he says now, that God will at length be the defender of his people against all the nations assembled from every quarter in the valley of Jehoshaphat. Of this valley we have said enough already. But the chief thing is, that the afflictions of the Church shall not go unpunished; for God at the right time will ascend his tribunal, and cause all nations from every part of the earth to assemble and to be there judged. Now it follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Joe 3:12. Let the heathen be wakened The prophet seems to deliver the words of this verse by way of answer to his own prayer: “That God would lead down his people, and give them the victory over their enemies.” Let the heathen be wakened, should rather be rendered, the heathen shall be wakened: “When they shall find themselves invaded by God’s mighty ones, they shall awaken out of their security, or be forced to leave the employments and pleasures of peace, and come up to battle in their own defence.” The prophet, as is very usual in the Scripture, here explains the meaning of the word Jehoshaphat: There will I sit to JUDGE, &c. “There will I certainly punish them, and execute the judgment on them which they have deserved;” for the word shapat, denotes the whole process of any cause, whether it issue in the acquittal or condemnation of the person impleaded. See the note on Joe 3:2 and Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joe 3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Ver. 12. Let the heathen be awakened ] Here begins God’s answer to the prophet’s prayer. The heathen, though at ease, Zec 1:11 , and fast asleep, must be aroused and assembled to the valley of Jehoshaphat, where God the righteous Judge (at the prophet’s request reminding him of his promise, “I am come for thy words,” saith he to Daniel, Dan 10:12 ) gets up to the tribunal, and there sits to judge all the heathen round about. Let not us doubt of the like success of our suits; but, when wronged, run to the Judge of heaven and earth, who will do us right. So we pray over the promises, as here, and not faint, though he bear long with us. This our Saviour has taught us, by that famous parable of the uniust judge and the importunate widow, Luk 18:2-3 , wherein we may take notice of many excellent encouragements to pray down our enemies. 1. He was a judge only; but God is our Father also. 2. He was an unrighteous judge; but is there unrighteousness with God? Rom 9:14 . Rom 9:3 . He, as he feared not God, so he cared not for man; but God is , properly and peculiarly loving to man above other creatures, Tit 3:4 Tit 3:4 . He avenged the widow, as wearied out with her, and merely to be rid of her; and shall not God do as much for us, out of his love to righteousness and hatred of wickedness? Psa 45:7 Psa 45:5 . It was troublesome to him to be sued unto; but God is displeased with us for nothing more than for our backwardness and bashfulness, Joh 16:24 . Quid est cur nihil petis? What meanest thou to ask me nothing? said Severus to his favourite. 6. The unjust judge had no care of his credit; but God is most tender of his glory; and delights much in that title of his, “O thou that hearest prayers.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wakened. Compare Joe 3:2.
and come up. Compare Psa 96:13; Psa 98:9; Psa 110:6. Isa 2:4; Isa 3:13. Mic 4:3.
there will I sit, &c. See Joe 3:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
valley: Joe 3:2, Joe 3:14, 2Ch 20:26, Eze 39:11, Zec 14:4
for: Psa 2:8, Psa 2:9, Psa 7:6, Psa 76:8, Psa 76:9, Psa 96:13, Psa 98:9, Psa 110:5, Psa 110:6, Isa 2:4, Isa 3:13, Eze 30:3, Mic 4:3, Rev 19:11
Reciprocal: Exo 18:13 – General Jdg 5:10 – ye that sit 1Sa 3:13 – I will 2Ch 20:12 – wilt Psa 9:19 – let the Isa 51:5 – mine Mic 4:12 – for he shall Zec 10:5 – because Rev 14:14 – a sharp
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joe 3:12. Valley of Jehoshaphat is explained at verse 2. The heathen or nations in general were to be brought under the rule of the Lord, put forth through the Gospel that is intended for both Jew and Gentile.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The Lord urged the nations to rouse themselves and to assemble in the valley of Jehoshaphat (cf. Joe 3:2) because it was there that He would sit in judgment on them. He compared this judgment to harvesting grain with a sickle and to treading grapes in a vat (cf. Isa 17:5; Isa 63:1-6; Rev 14:14-20). As grapes squirt juice when trodden, so the nations will give up the wickedness with which they have been full (cf. Joe 2:24).
This scene of divine warfare corresponds to the battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation (cf. Rev 14:14-20; Rev 16:16; Rev 19:11-21). The judgment of the nations following Christ’s second coming (Mat 25:31-46) will not involve warfare.