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The righteous Lord who lives[a] within her will do no wrong;
    he will bring justice to light morning by morning.
He never fails,
    but the unjust are shameless.

The Integrity of God’s Justice

“I have destroyed[b] nations—
    their fortifications are deserted.
I have turned their main thoroughfares into wastelands
    where no one will travel.
Their cities are desolate;
    as a result, not one man remains—
        no, not even a single resident.
I have said, ‘If only you would fear me,
    if only you would take my instructions to heart.’
        Then their houses would not have been torn down.
I have chastened them,
    but they were eager to corrupt everything they were doing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:5 The Heb. lacks within her
  2. Zephaniah 3:6 Lit. have cut off

The Lord within her is righteous;(A)
    he does no wrong.(B)
Morning by morning(C) he dispenses his justice,
    and every new day he does not fail,(D)
    yet the unrighteous know no shame.(E)

Jerusalem Remains Unrepentant

“I have destroyed nations;
    their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
    with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;(F)
    they are deserted and empty.
Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(G)
Then her place of refuge[a] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon[b] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly(H) in all they did.

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:7 Or her sanctuary
  2. Zephaniah 3:7 Or all those I appointed over