Zephaniah 2:1-3:8

New International Version

2 Gather together,^(A) gather yourselves together,
    you shameful^(B) nation,
² before the decree takes effect
    and that day passes like windblown chaff,^(C)
before the Lord’s fierce anger^(D)
    comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath^(E)
    comes upon you.
³ Seek^(F) the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness,^(G) seek humility;^(H)
    perhaps you will be sheltered^(I)
    on the day of the Lord’s anger.

⁴ Gaza^(J) will be abandoned
    and Ashkelon^(K) left in ruins.
At midday Ashdod will be emptied
    and Ekron uprooted.
⁵ Woe to you who live by the sea,
    you Kerethite^(L) people;
the word of the Lord is against you,^(M)
    Canaan, land of the Philistines.
He says, “I will destroy you,
    and none will be left.”^(N)
6 The land by the sea will become pastures
    having wells for shepherds
    and pens for flocks.^(O)
7 That land will belong
    to the remnant^(P) of the people of Judah;
    there they will find pasture.
In the evening they will lie down
    in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will care for them;
    he will restore their fortunes.^[a](Q)

⁸ “I have heard the insults^(R) of Moab^(S)
    and the taunts of the Ammonites,^(T)
who insulted^(U) my people
    and made threats against their land.^(V)
9 Therefore, as surely as I live,”
    declares the Lord Almighty,
    the God of Israel,
“surely Moab^(W) will become like Sodom,^(X)
    the Ammonites^(Y) like Gomorrah—
a place of weeds and salt pits,
    a wasteland forever.
The remnant of my people will plunder^(Z) them;
    the survivors^(AA) of my nation will inherit their land.^(AB)”

¹² “You Cushites,^[b](AJ) too,
    will be slain by my sword.^(AK)”

¹³ He will stretch out his hand against the north
    and destroy Assyria,^(AL)
leaving Nineveh^(AM) utterly desolate
    and dry as the desert.^(AN)
14 Flocks and herds^(AO) will lie down there,
    creatures of every kind.
The desert owl^(AP) and the screech owl^(AQ)
    will roost on her columns.
Their hooting will echo through the windows,
    rubble will fill the doorways,
    the beams of cedar will be exposed.
¹⁵ This is the city of revelry^(AR)
    that lived in safety.^(AS)
She said to herself,
    “I am the one! And there is none besides me.”^(AT)
What a ruin she has become,
    a lair for wild beasts!^(AU)
All who pass by her scoff^(AV)
    and shake their fists.^(AW)

3 Woe to the city of oppressors,^(AX)
    rebellious^(AY) and defiled!^(AZ)
2 She obeys^(BA) no one,
    she accepts no correction.^(BB)
She does not trust^(BC) in the Lord,
    she does not draw near^(BD) to her God.
³ Her officials within her
    are roaring lions;^(BE)
her rulers are evening wolves,^(BF)
    who leave nothing for the morning.^(BG)
4 Her prophets are unprincipled;
    they are treacherous people.^(BH)
Her priests profane the sanctuary
    and do violence to the law.^(BI)
5 The Lord within her is righteous;^(BJ)
    he does no wrong.^(BK)
Morning by morning^(BL) he dispenses his justice,
    and every new day he does not fail,^(BM)
    yet the unrighteous know no shame.^(BN)

⁶ “I have destroyed nations;
    their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
    with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;^(BO)
    they are deserted and empty.
⁷ Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’^(BP)
Then her place of refuge^[c] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon^[d] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly^(BQ) in all they did.
⁸ Therefore wait^(BR) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.^[e]
I have decided to assemble^(BS) the nations,^(BT)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath^(BU) on them—
    all my fierce anger.^(BV)
The whole world will be consumed^(BW)
    by the fire of my jealous anger.