Zephaniah 2
King James Version
2 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you.
3 Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
9 Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Zephaniah 2
New American Standard Bible
Judgments on Judah’s Enemies
2 Gather yourselves together, yes, (A)join together,
You nation (B)without [a]shame,
2 Before the decree [b]takes effect—
The day passes (C)like chaff—
Before the (D)burning anger of the Lord comes upon you,
Before the (E)day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you.
3 (F)Seek the Lord,
All you (G)humble of the [c]earth
Who have practiced His [d]ordinances;
(H)Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Perhaps you will (I)remain hidden
On the day of the Lord’s anger.
4 For (J)Gaza will be abandoned,
And Ashkelon will become a desolation;
The inhabitants of (K)Ashdod will be driven out at noon,
And (L)Ekron will be uprooted.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,
The nation of the [e](M)Cherethites!
The word of the Lord is (N)against you,
(O)Canaan, land of the Philistines;
And I will (P)eliminate you
So that there will be (Q)no inhabitant.
6 So the seacoast will become (R)grazing places,
With pastures for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7 And the coast will be
For the (S)remnant of the house of Judah,
They will (T)drive sheep to pasture on it.
In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;
For the Lord their God will (U)care for them
And (V)restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the (W)taunting of Moab
And the (X)abusive speech of the sons of Ammon,
With which they have taunted My people
And (Y)boasted against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of armies,
The God of Israel,
“(Z)Moab will assuredly be like (AA)Sodom,
And the sons of (AB)Ammon like (AC)Gomorrah—
Ground overgrown with weeds and full of salt mines,
And a permanent desolation.
The remnant of My people will (AD)plunder them,
And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”
10 This they will have in return for their (AE)arrogance, because they have (AF)taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of armies. 11 The Lord will be (AG)terrifying to them, for He will [f]starve (AH)all the gods of the earth; and all the (AI)coastlands of the nations will (AJ)bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.
12 “You also, (AK)Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”
13 And He will (AL)stretch out His hand against the north
And eliminate (AM)Assyria,
And He will make (AN)Nineveh a desolation,
Parched like the wilderness.
14 Flocks will lie down in her midst,
[g]All animals that range in herds;
Both the [h](AO)pelican and the hedgehog
Will spend their nights in [i]the tops of her pillars;
[j]Birds will sing in the window,
Devastation will be on the threshold;
For He has uncovered the cedar work.
15 This is the (AP)presumptuous city
That (AQ)dwells securely,
Who says in her heart,
“(AR)I am, and there is no one besides me.”
How she has become a (AS)desolation,
A resting place for animals!
(AT)Everyone who passes by her will [k]hiss
And wave his hand in contempt.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:1 Or longing
- Zephaniah 2:2 Lit gives birth
- Zephaniah 2:3 Or land
- Zephaniah 2:3 Or justice
- Zephaniah 2:5 I.e., a segment of the Philistines with roots in Crete
- Zephaniah 2:11 Lit allow to dwindle
- Zephaniah 2:14 Or All kinds of beasts in crowds; lit Every kind of beast of a nation
- Zephaniah 2:14 Or owl; or jackdaw
- Zephaniah 2:14 Lit her capitals
- Zephaniah 2:14 Lit A voice
- Zephaniah 2:15 Or whistle
Zephaniah 2
American Standard Version
2 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no [a]shame; 2 before the decree bring forth, [b]before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah’s anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. 5 Woe unto the inhabitants of [c]the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea-coast shall be pastures, with [d]cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed their flocks thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for Jehovah their God will visit them, and [e]bring back their captivity.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9 Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of [f]nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them. 10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. 11 Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the [g]isles of the nations.
12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness. 14 And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, [h]all the beasts of the nations: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals thereof; their voice shall sing in the windows; [i]desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar-work. 15 This is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:1 Or, longing
- Zephaniah 2:2 Or (the day passeth as the chaff)
- Zephaniah 2:5 Or, the region of the sea
- Zephaniah 2:6 Or, caves
- Zephaniah 2:7 Or, return to
- Zephaniah 2:9 Or, wild vetches
- Zephaniah 2:11 Or, coast-lands
- Zephaniah 2:14 Or, all beasts of every kind
- Zephaniah 2:14 Or, drought
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