Joel 3:2

“I will also gather all nations, etc.] Or cause or suffer them to be gathered together against his people; not the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, in the times of Jehoshaphat, as Aben Ezra; but either the Turks, prophesied of under the name of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel, (<263801>Ezekiel 38:1-39:21); and a multitude of other nations with them, who shall be gathered together against the Jews, to regain the land of Judea from them, they will upon their conversion inhabit; or else all the antichristian kings and nations, which shall be gathered to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, (<661614>Revelation 16:14); and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat: Kimchi thinks this…”

“Parallel to Zac 14:2-4, where the "Mount of Olives" answers to the "Valley of Jehoshaphat" here. The latter is called "the valley of blessing" (Berachah) (Ch2 20:26). It lies between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives and has the Kedron flowing through it. As Jehoshaphat overthrew the confederate foes of Judah, namely, Ammon, Moab, &c. (Psa 83:6-8), in this valley, so God was to overthrow the Tyrians, Zidonians, Philistines, Edom, and Egypt, with a similar utter overthrow (Joe 3:4, Joe 3:19). This has been long ago fulfilled; but the ultimate event shadowed forth herein is still future, when God shall specially interpose to destroy Jerusalem's last foes, of whom Tyre, Zidon, Edom, Egypt, and…”

“I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat - It may be that the imagery is furnished by that great deliverance which God gave to Jehoshaphat, when “Ammon and Moab and Edom come against” him, “to cast God’s people out of” His “possession,” which “He gave” them “to inherit” 2 Chronicles 20:11, and Jehoshaphat appealed to God, “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them?” and God said, “the battle is not yours but God’s,” and God turned their swords everyone against the other, “and none escaped. And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah” (blessing); “for there they blesed the Lord” 2 Chronicles 24:26. So, in the end, He shall destroy…”

“All nations - In the type it is all those nations that have oppressed Judah, in the anti - type, all nations that have been enemies to Christ and the church. Into the valley of Jehoshaphat - I will debate my people's cause, and do them right in the midst of my church, signified by the valley of Jehoshaphat. Parted my land - Such is the injustice of the persecutors of the church now, and so God will judge them in due time. Joel 3:3”

“3:2-3 The Lord would assemble the armies of the world (literally all the nations) in the valley of Jehoshaphat. This valley was not connected with King Jehoshaphat of Judah (1 Kgs 22:41); rather, this description, which means “the valley where the Lord judges,” identifies the site as the place where God would render his decision (see Joel 3:14) regarding the fate of the nations. • The sins of the nations include exiling God’s covenant people and victimizing helpless boys and girls in an inhuman slave trade (cp. Ezek 27:13; Rev 18:13).”

“also: Zep 3:8; Zac 14:2-4; Rev 16:14, Rev 16:16, Rev 19:19-21, Rev 20:8 the valley: Joe 3:12; Ch2 20:26; Eze 39:11; Zac 14:4 will plead: Isa 66:16; Eze 38:22; Amo 1:11; Oba 1:10-16; Zac 12:3, Zac 12:4; Rev 11:18, Rev 16:6; Rev 18:20, Rev 18:21 and parted: Jer 12:14, Jer 49:1; Eze 25:8, Eze 35:10; Zep 2:8-10 Joel 3:3”

“In Joe 3:2 and Joe 3:3 Joel is speaking not of events belonging to his own time, or to the most recent past, but of that dispersion of the whole of the ancient covenant nation among the heathen, which was only completely effected on the conquest of Palestine and destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and which continues to this day; though we cannot agree with Hengstenberg, that this furnishes an argument in favour of the allegorical interpretation of the army of locusts in ch. 1 and 2. For since Moses had already foretold that Israel would one day be driven out among the heathen ( Lev 26:33.; Deu 28:36.), Joel might assume that this judgment was a truth well known in Israel, even though he…”