Zephaniah 3

Lexham English Bible

3 Woe to you, O rebellious and defiled one!
    The oppressing city!
² She listens to no voice;
    she does not accept correction.
In Yahweh she does not trust;
    to her God she does not draw near.
³ Her officials in her midst are roaring lions;
    her judges are evening wolves;
        they leave nothing until the morning.
⁴ Her prophets are arrogant men of treachery;
    her priests have defiled that which is holy;
        they do violence to the law.
⁵ Yahweh is righteous in her midst;
    he does not do wickedness.
Morning by morning^[a] he renders his judgment;
    at dawn he does not fail,
but an evil one knows no shame.
⁶ “I have cut off nations;
    their strongholds are deserted.
I have laid waste their streets,
    so that none pass through.
Their cities have been destroyed
    and are without a man, without an inhabitant.
⁷ I have said, ‘Surely she will fear me;
    she will accept discipline.
Then her dwelling place will not be cut down,
    nor all that I have brought upon her.’
Surely they rise early;
    they make all their deeds corrupt.
⁸ “Therefore, wait for me”—a declaration of Yahweh—
    “for the day of my rising as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
    to assemble^[b] kingdoms,
    to pour out my wrath upon them, all my burning anger.
For by the fire of my anger all the land shall be consumed.
⁹ Because then I will make the speech of the nations pure;^[c]
    that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh,
    to serve him in unison.^[d]
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
    my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones
    shall bring my offering.
¹¹ On that day you shall not be humiliated
    on account of all your deeds
    by which you have rebelled against me.
For then I shall remove from your midst
    those exulting in your pride,
and you shall no longer be haughty
    in my holy mountain.^[e]
12 And I will leave in your midst
    a people afflicted and poor,
and they shall take refuge
    in the name of Yahweh.
¹³ The remnant of Israel
    shall not do wickedness;
they shall not speak deception,
    nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.
For they shall graze and lie down,
    and none shall frighten them.”
¹⁴ Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion!
    Cry aloud, O Israel!
Rejoice and be jubilant with all your heart,
    O daughter of Jerusalem!
¹⁵ Yahweh has annulled your judgments;
    he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst;
    you shall no longer fear misfortune.
¹⁶ On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem,
    “Fear not, O Zion;
    your hands shall not hang limp.
¹⁷ Yahweh your God is in your midst;
    a mighty warrior who saves.
He shall rejoice over you with joy;
    he renews^[f] you in his love;
    he will exult over you with singing.
¹⁸ I will gather those of you grieving on account of the feast;
    they were raising against her a reproach.
¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors;
    I will save the lame and gather the outcast.
I will change^[g] them from shame
    to glory and renown^[h] throughout the whole world.
²⁰ At that time I will bring you in;
    at the time of my gathering you together.
For I will make you renowned^[i] and praised
    among all the nations of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
    says Yahweh.