Zephaniah, starting at chapter 1
{1:1} The word of [1>]the LORD[<1] which came to Zephaniah, the son
of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of
Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah. {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 Judah,
and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the
remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan
priests, {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 Malcam,
{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 [2>]Lord[<2] the LORD, 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 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 Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All
those who were loaded with silver are cut off. {1:12} It will happen
at that time, that I will search Jerusalem 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
[3>]shofar[<3] 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 Gaza 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 Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the
land of the Philistines. 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 Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses
of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for the LORD, their
[4>]God[<4], will visit them, and restore them. {2:8} I have heard the
reproach of Moab, 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 Hosts, the God of
Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as
Gomorrah, 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 Hosts. {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 Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
{2:13} He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy
Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.
{2:14} Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the
nations. Both the pelican 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 priests 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 Cush, 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 Israel 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 Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice
with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. {3:15} The LORD has taken
away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel,
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 Jerusalem, "Don't be
afraid, Zion. Don't let your hands be weak." {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 calm you in his love. He will
rejoice over you with singing. {3:18} I will remove those who grieve
about the appointed feasts 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 restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the LORD.
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Footnotes:
[1] {1:1} "LORD" or "GOD" (all capital letters) indicate the 4-letter
Holy Name of God
[2] {1:7} The word translated "Lord" (mixed case) is "Adonai."
[3] {1:16} or, trumpet
[4] {2:7} The Hebrew word rendered "God" is "Elohim."
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