Zephaniah
CHAPTER1
1ThewordoftheLORDwhichcameunto ZephaniahthesonofCushi,thesonofGedaliah, thesonofAmariah,thesonofHizkiah,inthedays ofJosiahthesonofAmon,kingofJudah 2Iwillutterlyconsumeallthingsfromofftheland, saiththeLORD.
3Iwillconsumemanandbeast;Iwillconsumethe fowlsoftheheaven,andthefishesofthesea,and thestumblingblockswiththewicked;andIwillcut offmanfromofftheland,saiththeLORD
4IwillalsostretchoutminehanduponJudah,and uponalltheinhabitantsofJerusalem;andIwillcut offtheremnantofBaalfromthisplace,andthe nameoftheChemarimswiththepriests; 5Andthemthatworshipthehostofheavenupon thehousetops;andthemthatworshipandthat swearbytheLORD,andthatswearbyMalcham;
6AndthemthatareturnedbackfromtheLORD; andthosethathavenotsoughttheLORD,nor enquiredforhim
7HoldthypeaceatthepresenceoftheLordGOD: forthedayoftheLORDisathand:fortheLORD hathpreparedasacrifice,hehathbidhisguests.
8Anditshallcometopassinthedayofthe LORD'Ssacrifice,thatIwillpunishtheprinces, andtheking'schildren,andallsuchasareclothed withstrangeapparel
9InthesamedayalsowillIpunishallthosethat leaponthethreshold,whichfilltheirmasters' houseswithviolenceanddeceit
10Anditshallcometopassinthatday,saiththe LORD,thatthereshallbethenoiseofacryfrom thefishgate,andanhowlingfromthesecond,anda greatcrashingfromthehills.
11Howl,yeinhabitantsofMaktesh,forallthe merchantpeoplearecutdown;alltheythatbear silverarecutoff.
12Anditshallcometopassatthattime,thatIwill searchJerusalemwithcandles,andpunishthemen thataresettledontheirlees:thatsayintheirheart, TheLORDwillnotdogood,neitherwillhedoevil.
13Thereforetheirgoodsshallbecomeabooty,and theirhousesadesolation:theyshallalsobuild houses,butnotinhabitthem;andtheyshallplant vineyards,butnotdrinkthewinethereof
14ThegreatdayoftheLORDisnear,itisnear, andhastethgreatly,eventhevoiceofthedayofthe LORD:themightymanshallcrytherebitterly
15Thatdayisadayofwrath,adayoftroubleand distress,adayofwastenessanddesolation,adayof darknessandgloominess,adayofcloudsandthick darkness,
16Adayofthetrumpetandalarmagainstthe fencedcities,andagainstthehightowers.
17AndIwillbringdistressuponmen,thatthey shallwalklikeblindmen,becausetheyhavesinned againsttheLORD:andtheirbloodshallbepoured outasdust,andtheirfleshasthedung
18Neithertheirsilvernortheirgoldshallbeableto delivertheminthedayoftheLORD'Swrath;but thewholelandshallbedevouredbythefireofhis jealousy:forheshallmakeevenaspeedyriddance ofallthemthatdwellintheland.
CHAPTER2
1Gatheryourselvestogether,yea,gathertogether, Onationnotdesired;
2Beforethedecreebringforth,beforethedaypass asthechaff,beforethefierceangeroftheLORD comeuponyou,beforethedayoftheLORD'S angercomeuponyou.
3SeekyetheLORD,allyemeekoftheearth, whichhavewroughthisjudgment;seek righteousness,seekmeekness:itmaybeyeshallbe hidinthedayoftheLORD'Sanger
4ForGazashallbeforsaken,andAshkelona desolation:theyshalldriveoutAshdodatthenoon day,andEkronshallberootedup
5Woeuntotheinhabitantsoftheseacoast,the nationoftheCherethites!thewordoftheLORDis againstyou;OCanaan,thelandofthePhilistines,I willevendestroythee,thatthereshallbeno inhabitant
6Andtheseacoastshallbedwellingsandcottages forshepherds,andfoldsforflocks.
7Andthecoastshallbefortheremnantofthe houseofJudah;theyshallfeedthereupon:inthe housesofAshkelonshalltheyliedowninthe evening:fortheLORDtheirGodshallvisitthem, andturnawaytheircaptivity.
8IhaveheardthereproachofMoab,andthe revilingsofthechildrenofAmmon,wherebythey havereproachedmypeople,andmagnified themselvesagainsttheirborder.
9ThereforeasIlive,saiththeLORDofhosts,the GodofIsrael,SurelyMoabshallbeasSodom,and thechildrenofAmmonasGomorrah,eventhe breedingofnettles,andsaltpits,andaperpetual desolation:theresidueofmypeopleshallspoil them,andtheremnantofmypeopleshallpossess them
10Thisshalltheyhavefortheirpride,becausethey havereproachedandmagnifiedthemselvesagainst thepeopleoftheLORDofhosts
11TheLORDwillbeterribleuntothem:forhewill famishallthegodsoftheearth;andmenshall worshiphim,everyonefromhisplace,evenallthe islesoftheheathen.
12YeEthiopiansalso,yeshallbeslainbymy sword.
13Andhewillstretchouthishandagainstthe north,anddestroyAssyria;andwillmakeNineveh adesolation,anddrylikeawilderness.
14Andflocksshallliedowninthemidstofher,all thebeastsofthenations:boththecormorantandthe bitternshalllodgeintheupperlintelsofit;their voiceshallsinginthewindows;desolationshallbe inthethresholds:forheshalluncoverthecedar work
15Thisistherejoicingcitythatdweltcarelessly, thatsaidinherheart,Iam,andthereisnonebeside me:howisshebecomeadesolation,aplacefor beaststoliedownin!everyonethatpassethbyher shallhiss,andwaghishand
CHAPTER3
1Woetoherthatisfilthyandpolluted,tothe oppressingcity!
2Sheobeyednotthevoice;shereceivednot correction;shetrustednotintheLORD;shedrew notneartoherGod
3Herprinceswithinherareroaringlions;her judgesareeveningwolves;theygnawnotthebones tillthemorrow
4Herprophetsarelightandtreacherouspersons: herpriestshavepollutedthesanctuary,theyhave doneviolencetothelaw.
5ThejustLORDisinthemidstthereof;hewillnot doiniquity:everymorningdothhebringhis judgmenttolight,hefailethnot;buttheunjust knowethnoshame
6Ihavecutoffthenations:theirtowersare desolate;Imadetheirstreetswaste,thatnone passethby:theircitiesaredestroyed,sothatthereis noman,thatthereisnoneinhabitant.
7Isaid,Surelythouwiltfearme,thouwiltreceive instruction;sotheirdwellingshouldnotbecutoff, howsoeverIpunishedthem:buttheyroseearly,and corruptedalltheirdoings
8Thereforewaityeuponme,saiththeLORD,until thedaythatIriseuptotheprey:formy determinationistogatherthenations,thatImay assemblethekingdoms,topouruponthemmine indignation,evenallmyfierceanger:forallthe earthshallbedevouredwiththefireofmyjealousy.
9ForthenwillIturntothepeopleapurelanguage, thattheymayallcalluponthenameoftheLORD, toservehimwithoneconsent
10FrombeyondtheriversofEthiopiamy suppliants,eventhedaughterofmydispersed,shall bringmineoffering.
11Inthatdayshaltthounotbeashamedforallthy doings,whereinthouhasttransgressedagainstme: forthenIwilltakeawayoutofthemidstofthee themthatrejoiceinthypride,andthoushaltno morebehaughtybecauseofmyholymountain 12Iwillalsoleaveinthemidstoftheeanafflicted andpoorpeople,andtheyshalltrustinthenameof theLORD.
13TheremnantofIsraelshallnotdoiniquity,nor speaklies;neithershalladeceitfultonguebefound intheirmouth:fortheyshallfeedandliedown,and noneshallmakethemafraid
14Sing,OdaughterofZion;shout,OIsrael;be gladandrejoicewithalltheheart,Odaughterof Jerusalem
15TheLORDhathtakenawaythyjudgments,he hathcastoutthineenemy:thekingofIsrael,even theLORD,isinthemidstofthee:thoushaltnotsee evilanymore.
16InthatdayitshallbesaidtoJerusalem,Fear thounot:andtoZion,Letnotthinehandsbeslack.
17TheLORDthyGodinthemidstoftheeis mighty;hewillsave,hewillrejoiceovertheewith joy;hewillrestinhislove,hewilljoyoverthee withsinging
18Iwillgatherthemthataresorrowfulforthe solemnassembly,whoareofthee,towhomthe reproachofitwasaburden
19Behold,atthattimeIwillundoallthatafflict thee:andIwillsaveherthathalteth,andgatherher thatwasdrivenout;andIwillgetthempraiseand fameineverylandwheretheyhavebeenputto shame
20AtthattimewillIbringyouagain,eveninthe timethatIgatheryou:forIwillmakeyouaname andapraiseamongallpeopleoftheearth,whenI turnbackyourcaptivitybeforeyoureyes,saiththe LORD