Zephaniah
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Chapter 1
^1The word of Yahweh 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.
^2I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface of the earth,
says Yahweh.
^3I 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 Yahweh.
^4I 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,
^5those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who
worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam,
^6those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who
haven't sought Yahweh nor inquired after him.
^7Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh
is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his
guests.
^8It will happen in the day of Yahweh's sacrifice, that I will punish
the princes, the king's sons, and all those who as are clothed with
foreign clothing.
^9In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who
fill their master's house with violence and deceit.
^10In that day, says Yahweh, 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.
^11Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are
undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off.
^12It 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, "Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil."
^13Their 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.
^14The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly,
the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly.
^15That 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,
^16a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and
against the high battlements.
^17I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men,
because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured
out like dust, and their flesh like dung.
^18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in
the day of Yahweh'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.
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Chapter 2
^1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has
no shame,
^2before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before
the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh's
anger comes on you.
^3Seek Yahweh, 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 Yahweh's anger.
^4For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive
out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.
^5Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the
Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, Canaan, the land of the
Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.
^6The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds
for flocks.
^7The 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 Yahweh, their God, will visit them, and restore them.
^8I 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.
^9Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, 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.
^10This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached
and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies.
^11Yahweh 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.
^12You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
^13He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and
will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.
^14Herds 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.
^15This 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.
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Chapter 3
^1Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
^2She didn't obey the voice. She didn't receive correction. She didn't
trust in Yahweh. She didn't draw near to her God.
^3Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are
evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
^4Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have
profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
^5Yahweh, 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.
^6I 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.
^7I 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.
^8"Therefore wait for me," says Yahweh, "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.
^9For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all
call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
^10From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of
my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
^11In 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.
^12But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people,
and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.
^13The 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."
^14Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all
your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
^15Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy.
The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in the midst of you. You will not be
afraid of evil any more.
^16In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion.
Don't let your hands be slack."
^17Yahweh, 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.
^18Those who are sad for the appointed feasts, I will remove from you.
They are a burden and a reproach to you.
^19Behold, 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.
^20At 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 Yahweh.
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