Noyes - Zephaniah - 2

2:1  Search yourselves; yea, search, O nation without shame!

2:2  Before the decree bring forth, Before the day come upon you like chaff; Before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, Before the day of the anger of Jehovah come upon you.

2:3  Seek ye Jehovah, all ye lowly of the land, Ye, who obey his commands! Seek righteousness; seek lowliness; It may be that ye shall be hid in the day of the anger of Jehovah.

2:4  For Gaza shall be forsaken, And Askelon a desolation; Ashdod shall be driven out at noonday, And Ekron shall be rooted up.

2:5  Woe to the inhabitants of the sea-coasts, the nation of the Cherethites! This is the word of Jehovah against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: "I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant."

2:6  And the sea-coast shall be pastures full of habitations for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

2:7  The coast shall be for the residue of the house of Judah; Thereon shall they feed; In the houses of Askelon shall they lie down in the evening; For Jehovah their God will look upon them, and bring back their captives.

2:8  I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, With which they have reproached my people, And exalted themselves against their borders.

2:9  Therefore, as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall be as Sodom, And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, A possession for thorns, and a pit for salt, and a perpetual desolation. The residue of my people shall spoil them, And the remainder of my nation shall possess them.

2:10  This shall come upon them for their pride, Because they have uttered reproaches, and exalted themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.

2:11  Jehovah will be terrible against them; For he will destroy all the gods of the earth; And before him shall worship, every one from his place, All the islands of the nations.

2:12  Ye, also, O Ethiopians! Ye shall be slain by my sword!

2:13  He will also stretch out his hand against the North, And destroy Assyria, And make Nineveh a desolation, Even dry like a desert.

2:14  And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, Yea, all the tribes of wild beasts; The pelican and the hedgehog shall lodge in the capitals of her pillars; A cry shall resound in the window; Desolation shall be upon the threshold; For her cedar-work shall be laid bare.

2:15  This is the rejoicing city that dwelt in security, That said in her heart, "I, and none besides me!" Now is she become a desolation, a resting-place for wild beasts! Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.