AFV2020 - Zephaniah

Chapter 1

1:1  The Word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

1:2  "I will utterly consume all things from the face of the earth," says the LORD.

1:3  "I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks, with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the earth," says the LORD.

1:4  "I will also stretch out My hand upon Judah and upon all the people of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the idolatrous priests, with the priests,

1:5  And those worshiping the host of heaven upon the housetops, and those worshiping, swearing to the LORD, also swearing by Milcom;

1:6  And those who have turned away from the LORD, and who have not sought the LORD, nor asked of Him."

1:7  Be silent before the face of the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is at hand, for the LORD has appointed a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.

1:8  "And it shall be in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, I will punish the rulers, and the king's children, and all who are clothed in strange garments.

1:9  And in that day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

1:10  And it shall be in that day," says the LORD, "the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate, and a howling from the Second Quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.

1:11  Howl, people of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all those who are laden with silver are cut off.

1:12  And it shall be in that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled on their lees; who say in their heart, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will He do evil.'

1:13  And their goods shall become a prize and their houses a desolation. They shall also build houses, but not live in them, and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine."

1:14  The great day of the LORD is near; it is near and comes swiftly, the sound of the day of the LORD. The mighty man shall cry bitterly there.

1:15  That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

1:16  A day of the ram's horn and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers.

1:17  "And I will bring distress on men, so that they shall walk as the blind because they have sinned against the LORD. And their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as 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 earth shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, for He shall make even a full end, yea, a terrible end of all who dwell upon the earth.

Chapter 2

2:1  Gather yourselves together; yea, gather together, O nation not desired—

2:2  Before the decree is brought forth, and the day passes like the chaff; before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you.

2:3  Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth who have executed His judgment; seek righteousness; seek meekness. It may be that you shall be hidden in the day of the LORD'S anger,

2:4  For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall 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, so that no inhabitant survives."

2:6  And the sea coast will be pastures, meadows of shepherds, and folds for flocks.

2:7  And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed on them. In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening, for the LORD their God shall visit them and return them from their exile.

2:8  "I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the curses of the children of Ammon, with which they have cursed against My people and have magnified themselves against their border.

2:9  Therefore, as I live," says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "surely Moab shall be like Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah; a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of My people shall plunder them, and the remnant of My people shall possess them."

2:10  This shall be their lot in return for their pride because they have cursed and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.

2:11  The LORD will be awesome against them; for He will make all the gods of the earth as nothing; then shall all the isles of the nations worship Him, each man from his own place.

2:12  "You Ethiopians also shall be slain by My sword."

2:13  And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.

2:14  And flocks shall lie down in her midst, all the beasts of the nation; both the pelican and the bittern shall roost in the capitals of its pillars; birds shall sing in the windows, desolation shall be at the threshold, for He will make bare the cedar work.

2:15  This is the rejoicing city, dwelling confidently, who says in her heart, "I am, and there is none besides me." How she has become a desolation, a resting place for animals! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss, and shall shake his fist.

Chapter 3

3:1  Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled— to the tyrannical city!

3:2  She did not obey the voice; she did not receive correction. She did not trust in the LORD; she did not draw near to her God.

3:3  Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges evening wolves. They gnaw bones and leave nothing for the morning.

3:4  Her prophets are proud, men of deceit; her priests have defiled the sanctuary; they have done violence to the law.

3:5  The just LORD is in her midst; He will not act unrighteously. Every morning He brings His judgment to the light; He fails not; but the unrighteous knows no shame.

3:6  "I have cut off the nations; their towers are desolate. I made their streets waste, so that none passes by; their cities are laid waste, without a man, there is no inhabitant.

3:7  I said, 'Surely you will fear Me; you will receive instruction;' then her dwelling shall not be cut off by all that I appointed for her. But they were more eager to do all their corrupt deeds.

3:8  Therefore wait for Me," says the LORD, "until the day I arise as a witness; for My judgment is to gather the nations, for Me to assemble the kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation, all My hot anger, for all the earth shall be burned up with the fire of My jealous wrath;

3:9  For then I will give a pure language to the people, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one accord.

3:10  From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, My worshipers, the daughter of My scattered ones, shall bring My offering.

3:11  In that day you shall not be ashamed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against Me; for then I will take away out of your midst those who rejoice in pride, and you shall never again be haughty in My holy mountain.

3:12  I will also leave in your midst an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

3:13  The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue shall not be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."

3:14  Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

3:15  The LORD has turned away your judgments; He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall not fear evil any more.

3:16  In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, "Fear not! Do not let your hands be slack, O Zion.

3:17  The LORD your God is mighty in your midst; He will save; He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in His love; He rejoices over you with singing."

3:18  "I will gather the ones who grieve over the appointed feasts, who are among you, and will lift the burden of reproach from her.

3:19  Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you. And I will save her who is lame, and gather her who was driven out. And I will give them praise and fame in all the land where they have been put to shame.

3:20  At that time I will bring you, even in the time that I gather you; for I will give you for a name and for a praise among all the people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes," says the LORD.