1The word of the LORD that 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.a2"I will utterly consume all things from off the land," says the LORD.3"I will consume man and beast. I will consume the birds of the heaven and the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked. And I will cut off man from the face of the earth," says the LORD.b4"I will also stretch out My hand on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place and the name of the Chemarims with the priests,c5"and those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, and those who worship and swear by the LORD, and who swear by Molech,d6"and those who have turned back from following the LORD, and those who have not sought the LORD, nor inquired from Him.e7"Hold your peace 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.f8"And it will come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice that I will punish the princes and the king's children, and all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.g9"In the same day also I will punish all those who leap on the threshold, who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.h10"And it will come to pass in that day," says the LORD, "that there will be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate, and a wail from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills.i11"Wail you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down. All those who bear silver are cut off.j12"And it will come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their heart, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will He do evil.'k13"Therefore, their goods will become a booty and their houses a desolation. They will also build houses, but not inhabit them. And they will plant vineyards, but not drink their wine."l14"The great day of the LORD is near! It is near, and coming very quickly. Listen! The cry of the day of the LORD. In it the mighty men will cry out bitterly.m15"That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,n16"a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers.o17"And I will bring distress on men so that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. And their blood will be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung.p18"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 a sudden end of all those who dwell in the land."q
a 2 Kg 22:1,2 b Hs 4:3 c Hs 10:5 d 2 Kg 23:12 e Ja 23:7 f Is 1:4 g Hs 7:7 h Zc 2:13 i Is 13:6 j Jr 46:10 k Jr 39:6 l 1 Sm 5:5 m 2 Ch 33:14 n Js 5:1 o Jr 48:11 p Ps 94:7 q Dt 28:39 r Jl 2:1,11 s Is 22:5 t Jr 4:19 u Dt 28:29 v Ez 7:19
Chapter 2
1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation,a2before the decree is issued, before 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.b3Seek the LORD all you meek of the earth who have upheld His justice, who seek righteousness and meekness. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD'S anger.c4For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.d5Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines. "I will even destroy you so that there will be no inhabitant."e6And the seacoast will be dwellings and caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.f7And the coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will feed upon it. In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down in the evening, for the LORD their God will visit them and turn away their captivity.g8"I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon, by which they have taunted My people and become arrogant against their territory.h9"Therefore, as I live," says the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, "Surely Moab will be as Sodom and the people of Ammon as Gomorrah, even a place possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remainder of My people will plunder them, and the remnant of My people will possess them."i10This they will have for their pride, because they have taunted and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of armies.j11The LORD will be terrifying to them. For He will starve all the gods of the land. And the nations on every shore will worship Him, everyone in its own land.k12"You Ethiopians also, you will be slain by My sword."l13And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria. And He will make Nineveh a desolation and dry like a wilderness.m14And flocks will lie down in the midst of her and all the beasts of the nations. Both the desert owl and the bittern will lodge on her columns. Their voice will sing in the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for He will expose the cedar work.n15This is the rejoicing city that dwelt securely, that said in her heart, "I am and there is no one besides me." How she has become a desolation, a place in which beasts lie down! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake their fist.o
a Jl 1:14; 2:16 b Am 5:6 c Ps 76:9 d Am 5:14,15 e Zc 9:5 f Jr 6:4 g Ez 25:15-17 h Ja 13:3 i Is 17:2 j Mc 5:7,8 k Lk 1:68 l Jr 29:14 m Jr 48:27 n Ez 25:3 o Jr 49:1 p Is 15:1-9 q Am 1:13 r Dt 29:23 s Is 16:6 t Ml 1:11 u Gn 10:5 v Is 18:1-7 w Ps 17:13 x Is 10:5-27; 14:24-27 y Is 13:21 z Is 14:23; 34:11 a Jr 22:14 b Is 47:8 c Rv 18:7 d Lm 2:15 e Nh 3:19
Chapter 3
1Woe to her who is filthy and polluted. Woe to the oppressing city!2She does not obey the voice. She does not receive correction. She does not trust in the LORD. She does not draw near to her God.3Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing for the morning.a4Her prophets are reckless and treacherous persons. Her priests have defiled the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.b5The LORD is righteous within her. He will not do injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light. He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.c6"I have cut off the nations. Their towers are desolate. I made their streets waste so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed so that there is no man, so that there is not one inhabitant.7"I said, 'Surely you will fear Me. You will receive instruction.' So her dwelling will not be cut off according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.d8"Therefore, wait on Me," says the LORD, "until the day that I rise up to the prey. For My determination is to gather the nations so 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.e9"For then I will turn to the people a purified language so that they may all call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one accord.f10"From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, even the daughter of My dispersed, will bring My offering.g11"In that day you will not be ashamed of all your deeds wherein you have transgressed against Me. For then I will take away out of the midst of you those who rejoice in your pride, and you will no longer be arrogant on My holy mountain.h12"I will also leave in the midst of you a humble and lowly people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.i13"The remnant of Israel will do no wrong, 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."j14Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.k15The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has cast out your enemy. The king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of you. You will not see evil anymore.l16In that day it will be said to Jerusalem, "Do not fear," and to Zion, "Do not let your hands be weak."m17"The LORD your God in the midst of you is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will be quiet in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing.n18"I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, who are of you, to whom its reproach was a burden.o19"Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast. And I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.p20"At that time I will bring you again, even in the time that I gather you. For I will give you fame and praise among all people of the earth when I return your captives before your eyes," says the LORD.q
a Ez 22:27 b Hk 1:8 c Hs 9:7 d Ez 22:26 e Jr 3:3 f Jr 8:6 g Gn 6:12 h Hk 2:3 i Jl 3:2 j Zp 1:18 k Is 19:18; 57:19 l Ps 68:31 m Is 2:12; 5:15 n Is 14:32 o Mc 4:7 p Is 60:21 q Rv 14:5 r Ez 34:13-15,28 s Is 12:6 t Jn 1:49 u Ez 48:35 v Is 35:3,4 w Hb 12:12 x Zp 3:5,15 y Is 62:5; 65:19 z Lm 2:6 a Mc 4:6,7 b Is 11:12