Tzefanyah, starting at chapter 1
{1:1} The word of the LORD which came to Tzefanyah, the son of
Kushi, the son of Gedalyahu, the son of Amaryah, the son of
Chizkiyahu, in the days of Yoshiyahu, the son of Amon, king of
Yehudah. {1:2} I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface
of the earth, says the LORD. {1:3} I will sweep away man and animal. I
will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the
heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface
of the earth, says the LORD. {1:4} I will stretch out my hand against
Yehudah, and against all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim. I will cut
off the remnant of Ba`al from this place: the name of the idolatrous
and pagan [1>]kohanim[<1], {1:5} those who worship the army of the sky
on the housetops, those who worship and swear by the LORD and also
swear by Malkam, {1:6} those who have turned back from following the
LORD, and those who haven't sought the LORD nor inquired after him.
{1:7} Be silent at the presence of the Lord GOD, for the day of the
LORD is at hand. For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice. He has
consecrated his guests. {1:8} It will happen in the day of the LORD's
sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all
those who as are clothed with foreign clothing. {1:9} In that day, I
will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their
master's house with violence and deceit. {1:10} In that day, says the
LORD, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing
from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills. {1:11}
Wail, you inhabitants of Makhtesh, for all the people of Kana`an are
undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. {1:12} It
will happen at that time, that I will search Yerushalayim with lamps,
and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in
their heart, "The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil."
{1:13} Their wealth will become a spoil, and their houses a
desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won't inhabit them. They
will plant vineyards, but won't drink their wine. {1:14} The great day
of the LORD is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the
day of the LORD. The mighty man cries there bitterly. {1:15} That day
is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and
ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,
{1:16} a day of the [2>]shofar[<2] and alarm, against the fortified
cities, and against the high battlements. {1:17} I will bring distress
on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned
against the LORD, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and
their flesh like dung. {1:18} Neither their silver nor their gold will
be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath, but the whole
land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an
end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.
{2:1} Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation
that has no shame, {2:2} before the appointed time when the day passes
as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes on you, before
the day of the LORD's anger comes on you. {2:3} Seek the LORD, all you
humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness.
Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the
LORD's anger. {2:4} For `Aza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a
desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and `Ekron will be
rooted up. {2:5} Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation
of the Kereti! The word of the LORD is against you, Kana`an, the land
of the Pelishtim. I will destroy you, that there will be no
inhabitant. {2:6} The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for
shepherds and folds for flocks. {2:7} The coast will be for the
remnant of the house of Yehudah. They will find pasture. In the houses
of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for the LORD, their
God, will visit them, and restore them. {2:8} I have heard the
reproach of Mo'av, and the insults of the children of `Ammon, with
which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against
their border. {2:9} Therefore as I live, says the LORD of Armies, the
God of Yisra'el, surely Mo'av will be as Sedom, and the children of
`Ammon as `Amorah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a
perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and
the survivors of my nation will inherit them. {2:10} This they will
have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified
themselves against the people of the LORD of Armies. {2:11} The LORD
will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land.
Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of
the nations. {2:12} You Kushi also, you will be killed by my sword.
{2:13} He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Ashur,
and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.
{2:14} Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the
nations. Both the [1>]ka`at[<1] and the porcupine will lodge in its
capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will
be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams. {2:15}
This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart,
"I am, and there is none besides me." How she has become a desolation,
a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will
hiss, and shake their fists.
{3:1} Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing
city! {3:2} She didn't obey the voice. She didn't receive correction.
She didn't trust in the LORD. She didn't draw near to her God. {3:3}
Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are
evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day. {3:4} Her
prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her [1>]kohanim[<1] have
profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. {3:5} The
LORD, in the midst of her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every
morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn't fail, but the
unjust know no shame. {3:6} I have cut off nations. Their battlements
are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes
by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there
is no inhabitant. {3:7} I said, "Just fear me. Receive correction, so
that her dwelling won't be cut off, according to all that I have
appointed concerning her." But they rose early and corrupted all their
doings. {3:8} "Therefore wait for me," says the LORD, "until the day
that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the
nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my
indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be
devoured with the fire of my jealousy. {3:9} For then I will purify
the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of the
LORD, to serve him shoulder to shoulder. {3:10} From beyond the rivers
of Kush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will
bring my offering. {3:11} In that day you will not be disappointed for
all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I
will take away out of the midst of you your proudly exulting ones, and
you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain. {3:12} But I will
leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they will
take refuge in the name of the LORD. {3:13} The remnant of Yisra'el
will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue
be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one
will make them afraid."
{3:14} Sing, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, Yisra'el! Be glad and
rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Yerushalayim. {3:15} The LORD
has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King
of Yisra'el, the LORD, is in the midst of you. You will not be afraid
of evil any more. {3:16} In that day, it will be said to Yerushalayim,
"Don't be afraid, Tziyon. Don't let your hands be slack." {3:17} The
LORD, your God, is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will save. He
will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in his love. He will
rejoice over you with singing. {3:18} Those who are sad for the
appointed feasts, I will remove from you. They are a burden and a
reproach to you. {3:19} Behold, at that time I will deal with all
those who afflict you, and I will save those who are lame, and gather
those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose
shame has been in all the earth. {3:20} At that time will I bring you
in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will give you honor and
praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your
captivity before your eyes, says the LORD.
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Footnotes:
[1] {1:4} priests
[2] {1:16} trumpet
[1] {2:14} pelican
[1] {3:4} priests
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