Zephaniah 1-3

Christian Standard Bible

⁴ I will stretch out my hand^(G) against Judah
and against all the residents of Jerusalem.
I will cut off every vestige of Baal^(H)
from this place,
the names of the pagan priests^(I)
along with the priests;
⁵ those who bow in worship on the rooftops^(J)
to the stars in the sky;
those who bow and pledge loyalty to the Lord^(K)
but also pledge loyalty to Milcom;^[b](L)
6 and those who turn back from following the Lord,
who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.
⁷ Be silent in the presence of the Lord God,^(M)
for the day of the Lord is near.^(N)
Indeed, the Lord has prepared a sacrifice;^(O)
he has consecrated his guests.^(P)

⁸ On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice
I will punish the officials, the king’s sons,
and all who are dressed in foreign clothing.
⁹ On that day^(Q) I will punish
all who skip over the threshold,^[c](R)
who fill their master’s house
with violence and deceit.

¹⁰ On that day—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
there will be an outcry from the Fish Gate,^(S)
a wailing from the Second District,^(T)
and a loud crashing from the hills.
¹¹ Wail, you residents of the Hollow,^[d]
for all the merchants^[e] will be silenced;
all those loaded with silver will be cut off.

¹² And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish those who settle down comfortably,^[f](U)
who say to themselves:
The Lord will do nothing—good or bad.^(V)
13 Their wealth will become plunder
and their houses a ruin.
They will build houses but never live in them,
plant vineyards but never drink their wine.^(W)

¹⁴ The great day of the Lord is near,^(X)
near and rapidly approaching.
Listen, the day of the Lord—
then the warrior’s cry is bitter.
¹⁵ That day is a day of wrath,
a day of trouble and distress,
a day of destruction and desolation,
a day of darkness^(Y) and gloom,
a day of clouds and total darkness,^(Z)
16 a day of ram’s horn and battle cry
against the fortified cities,
and against the high corner towers.
¹⁷ I will bring distress on mankind,
and they will walk like the blind^(AA)
because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their flesh like dung.
¹⁸ Their silver and their gold
will be unable to rescue them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.^(AB)
The whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of his jealousy,^(AC)
for he will make a complete,
yes, a horrifying end
of all the inhabitants of the earth.

⁸ I have heard the taunting^(AO) of Moab
and the insults of the Ammonites,^(AP)
who have taunted my people
and threatened their territory.
⁹ Therefore, as I live—
this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel—
Moab will be like Sodom^(AQ)
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah:^(AR)
a place overgrown with weeds,
a salt pit, and a perpetual wasteland.
The remnant of my people will plunder them;
the remainder of my nation will dispossess them.
¹⁰ This is what they get for their pride,
because they have taunted and acted arrogantly^(AS)
against the people of the Lord of Armies.
¹¹ The Lord will be terrifying to them
when he starves all the gods of the earth.
Then all the distant coasts and islands of the nations
will bow in worship to him,
each in its own place.

¹² You Cushites will also be slain by my sword.^(AT)

¹³ He will also stretch out his hand against the north
and destroy Assyria;
he will make Nineveh a desolate ruin,^(AU)
dry as the desert.
¹⁴ Herds will lie down in the middle of it,
every kind of wild animal.^[i]
Both eagle owls^[j] and herons^[k]
will roost in the capitals of its pillars.
Their calls will sound^[l] from the window,
but devastation^[m] will be on the threshold,
for he will expose the cedar work.^[n]
15 This is the jubilant^(AV) city
that lives in security,
that says to herself:
I exist, and there is no one else.
What a desolation she has become,
a place for wild animals to lie down!
Everyone who passes by her
scoffs^[o] and shakes his fist.

⁶ I have cut off nations;
their corner towers^(BI) are destroyed.
I have laid waste their streets,
with no one to pass through.
Their cities lie devastated,
without a person, without an inhabitant.^(BJ)
7 I said: You will certainly fear me
and accept correction.
Then her dwelling place^[s]
would not be cut off
based on all that I had allocated to her.
However, they became more corrupt
in all their actions.
⁸ Therefore, wait for me^(BK)—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
until the day I rise up for plunder.^[t]
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
in order to pour out my indignation^(BL) on them,
all my burning anger;
for the whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of my jealousy.^(BM)

¹⁴ Sing for joy, Daughter Zion;
shout loudly, Israel!
Be glad and celebrate with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
¹⁵ The Lord has removed your punishment;
he has turned back your enemy.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you;
you need no longer fear harm.
¹⁶ On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.^(BW)
17 The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior^(BX) who saves.
He will rejoice over you^(BY) with gladness.
He will be quiet^[w] in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.”^(BZ)

¹⁸ I will gather those who have been driven^(CA)
from the appointed festivals;
they will be a tribute from you^[x]
and a reproach on her.^[y]
19 Yes, at that time
I will deal with all who oppress you.
I will save the lame^(CB) and gather the outcasts;^(CC)
I will make those who were disgraced
throughout the earth
receive praise and fame.
²⁰ At that time I will bring you^[z] back,
yes, at the time I will gather you.
I will give you fame and praise
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes^(CD) before your eyes.
The Lord has spoken.