19:17 Then 2 I saw one angel standing in 3 the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: 4
“Come, gather around for the great banquet 5 of God,
19:18 to eat 6 your fill 7 of the flesh of kings,
the flesh of generals, 8
the flesh of powerful people,
the flesh of horses and those who ride them,
and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, 9
and small and great!”
19:19 Then 10 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. 19:20 Now 11 the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf 12 – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. 13 19:21 The 14 others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged 15 themselves with their flesh.
3:9 Proclaim this among the nations:
“Prepare for a holy war!
Call out the warriors!
Let all these fighting men approach and attack! 21
3:10 Beat your plowshares 22 into swords,
and your pruning hooks 23 into spears! 24
Let the weak say, ‘I too am a warrior!’ 25
3:11 Lend your aid 26 and come,
all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves 27 to that place.”
Bring down, O Lord, your warriors! 28
3:12 Let the nations be roused and let them go up
to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations.
3:13 Rush forth with 29 the sickle, for the harvest is ripe!
Come, stomp the grapes, 30 for the winepress is full!
The vats overflow.
Indeed, their evil is great! 31
3:14 Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision,
for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! 32
14:3 Then the Lord will go to battle 35 and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. 36
1 tn See BDAG 636 s.v. μετά A.2.a.α.
2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
3 tn The precise significance of ἐν (en) here is difficult to determine.
4 tn On μεσουρανήματι (mesouranhmati) here see L&N 1.10: “high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.” The birds mentioned here are carrion birds like vultures, circling high overhead, and now being summoned to feast on the corpses.
5 tn This is the same Greek word (δεῖπνον, deipnon) used in 19:9.
6 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause, insofar as it is related to the first imperative, has the force of an imperative.
7 tn The idea of eating “your fill” is evident in the context with the use of χορτάζω (cortazw) in v. 21.
8 tn Grk “chiliarchs”; normally a chiliarch was a military officer commanding a thousand soldiers, but here probably used of higher-ranking commanders like generals (see L&N 55.15; cf. Rev 6:15).
9 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of an unexpected development in the account: The opposing armies do not come together in battle; rather the leader of one side is captured.
12 tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”
13 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
14 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
15 tn On the translation of ἐχορτάσθησαν (ecortasqhsan) BDAG 1087 s.v. χορτάζω 1.a states, “of animals, pass. in act. sense πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh Rv 19:21 (cp. TestJud. 21:8).”
16 tn Grk “as.”
17 tn Grk “the towns [or cities] surrounding them.”
18 tn Grk “strange flesh.” This phrase has been variously interpreted. It could refer to flesh of another species (such as angels lusting after human flesh). This would aptly describe the sin of the angels, but not easily explain the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. It could refer to the homosexual practices of the Sodomites, but a difficulty arises from the use of ἕτερος ({etero"; “strange,” “other”). When this is to be distinguished from ἄλλος (allos, “another”) it suggests “another of a different kind.” If so, would that properly describe homosexual behavior? In response, the language could easily be compact: “pursued flesh other than what was normally pursued.” However, would this find an analogy in the lust of angels (such would imply that angels normally had sexual relations of some sort, but cf. Matt 22:30)? Another alternative is that the focus of the parallel is on the activity of the surrounding cities and the activity of the angels. This is especially plausible since the participles ἐκπορνεύσασαι (ekporneusasai, “having indulged in sexual immorality”) and ἀπελθοῦσαι (apelqousai, “having pursued”) have concord with “cities” (πόλεις, poleis), a feminine plural noun, rather than with Sodom and Gomorrah (both masculine nouns). If so, then their sin would not necessarily have to be homosexuality. However, most likely the feminine participles are used because of constructio ad sensum (construction according to sense). That is, since both Sodom and Gomorrah are cities, the feminine is used to imply that all the cities are involved. The connection with angels thus seems to be somewhat loose: Both angels and Sodom and Gomorrah indulged in heinous sexual immorality. Thus, whether the false teachers indulge in homosexual activity is not the point; mere sexual immorality is enough to condemn them.
19 tn Or “in the same way as.”
20 tn “Angels” is not in the Greek text; but the masculine demonstrative pronoun most likely refers back to the angels of v. 6.
21 tn Heb “draw near and go up.”
22 sn Instead of referring to the large plow as a whole, the plowshare is simply the metal tip which actually breaks the earth and cuts the furrow.
23 sn This implement was used to prune the vines, i.e., to cut off extra leaves and young shoots (M. Klingbeil, NIDOTTE 1:1117-18). It was a short knife with a curved hook at the end sharpened on the inside like a sickle.
24 sn This conversion of farming instruments to instruments of war is the reverse of Isa 2:4 (cf. Mic 4:3), where military weapons are transformed into tools for farming. Isaiah describes a time of kingdom blessing and prosperity, whereas Joel describes a time of eschatological conflict and judgment.
25 sn The “weak” individual mentioned here is apparently the farmer who has little or no military prowess or prior fighting experience. Under ordinary circumstances such a person would be ill-prepared for assuming the role of a soldier. However, in the scene that Joel is describing here even the most unlikely candidate will become a participant to be reckoned with in this final conflict.
26 tn This Hebrew verb is found only here in the OT; its meaning is uncertain. Some scholars prefer to read here עוּרוּ (’uru, “arouse”) or חוּשׁוּ (khushu, “hasten”).
27 tc The present translation follows the reading of the imperative הִקָּבְצוּ (hiqqavÿtsu) rather than the perfect with vav (ו) consecutive וְנִקְבָּצוּ (vÿniqbbatsu) of the MT.
28 tc Some commentators prefer to delete the line “Bring down, O
29 tn Heb “send.”
30 tn Heb “go down” or “tread.” The Hebrew term רְדוּ (rÿdu) may be from יָרַד (yarad, “to go down”) or from רָדָה (radah, “have dominion,” here in the sense of “to tread”). If it means “go down,” the reference would be to entering the vat to squash the grapes. If it means “tread,” the verb would refer specifically to the action of those who walk over the grapes to press out their juice. The phrase “the grapes” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
31 sn The immediacy of judgment upon wickedness is likened to the urgency required for a harvest that has reached its pinnacle of development. When the harvest is completely ripe, there can be no delay by the reapers in gathering the harvest. In a similar way, Joel envisions a time when human wickedness will reach such a heightened degree that there can be no further stay of divine judgment (cf. the “fullness of time” language in Gal 4:4).
32 sn The decision referred to here is not a response on the part of the crowd, but the verdict handed out by the divine judge.
33 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
34 tn Heb “not be cut off from the city” (so NRSV); NAB “not be removed.”
35 sn The statement the
36 tn Heb “as he fights on a day of battle” (similar NASB, NIV, NRSV).