Joel 3:14

The prophet already hears in spirit the distant hum of the multitudes thronging tumultously in the valley of decision.

Multitudes The Hebrew term is more picturesque than the English one, and suggests the confused noise or hum of a great throng. Cf. Isaiah 17:12 a(where the word uproaris the same, and roarand roaringare the corresponding verb).

the valley of decision Another name of the -valley of Jah's judgement" (Joel 3:2; Joel 3:12), so called on account of the -decision" to be executed in it. The word rendered decisionis cognate with those rendered decidedin 1 Kings 20:40, and determinedin Isaiah 10:23; Isaiah 28:22, and identical with that rendered determinedin Isaiah 10:22 and Job 14:5 (properly something cut sharply off, de-cision, de-termination). The word ḥârûtzmeans, however, also a sharp threshing-board(see on Amos 1:3): hence A.V. marg. (following the explanation which David Kimchi seems to prefer) threshing; and so Credner, and a few other moderns, supposing the allusion to be to the cruel method of treating captives mentioned in Amos 1:3: but there is nothing to suggest that sense here; nor does Joel 3:12 (in which the figure of the wine-press followsthat of the harvest) at all lead up to it.

for the day of Jehovah is near, &c. cf. Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1. The clause states the reason why the "valley of decision" is thus filled with the nations: because, namely, the great -day of Jehovah" is immediately at hand.