Add parallel Print Page Options

Downfall of Disobedient Jerusalem

Oy to the oppressive city—
    filthy and defiled!
She did not obey;
she took no correction.
She did not trust in Adonai.
She did not draw near to her God.
Her princes within her are roaring lions.
Her judges are wolves of the night,
leaving nothing but bones for morning.
Her prophets are reckless,
treacherous men.
Her kohanim have profaned what is holy.
They do violence to Torah.
Adonai is righteous in her midst.
He will do no injustice.
Morning by morning He brings His justice to light.
He does not fail.
Yet the unjust knows no shame.
I have cut off nations.
Their towers have become desolate.
I have destroyed their streets.
    with no one passing by.
Their cities are laid waste,
    with no one—none living there.
I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
you will accept correction,
so her dwelling place would not be cut off—
all that I appointed against her.’
But they arose early
    and made all their deeds corrupt.
Therefore, wait for me, declares Adonai,
    for the day when I rise up for plunder:
    for My decision is to assemble nations,
    to gather kingdoms,[a]
    to pour out My fury upon them—
        all My burning anger.
For in the fire of My wrath
    all the earth will be consumed.

The Future Restoration of Israel’s Remnant

For then I will restore to the people pure speech,
    so that all of them
    may call upon the Name of Adonai
    and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,
    My worshipers, the daughter of My scattered ones
    will bring My offering.
11 On that day you will not be ashamed
    because of all your deeds by which you rebelled against Me.
For then I will remove from your midst
    your proud, arrogant ones,
and you will never again be haughty
    on My holy mountain.
12 But I will leave among you
    a people meek and humble.
They will take refuge in the Name of Adonai.
13 The remnant of Israel will do no injustice
nor will they tell lies,
nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths.[b]
For they will graze and lie down
    and no one will make them afraid.
14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult wholeheartedly,
    O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 Adonai has taken away your punishments.
He has turned back your adversary.
The King of Israel, Adonai, is in your midst.
Never again will you fear harm.
16 On that day, it will be said to Jerusalem,
‘Have no fear, O Zion,
    do not let your hands fall limp.
17 Adonai your God is in your midst—
    a mighty Savior!
He will delight over you with joy.
He will quiet you with His love.
He will dance for joy over you with singing[c].’
18 “I will gather those among you
who grieve over your moadim
it is a burden of shame on you.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal
    with all who oppress you.
I will save the lame and gather the outcast.
I will make them a praise and a name
    throughout all the land where they suffered shame.
20 At that time I will bring you in.
At that time I will gather you.
For I will give you renown and glory
    among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your captives
    before your eyes,”
    declares Adonai.

Jerusalem

Woe to the city of oppressors,(A)
    rebellious(B) and defiled!(C)
She obeys(D) no one,
    she accepts no correction.(E)
She does not trust(F) in the Lord,
    she does not draw near(G) to her God.
Her officials within her
    are roaring lions;(H)
her rulers are evening wolves,(I)
    who leave nothing for the morning.(J)
Her prophets are unprincipled;
    they are treacherous people.(K)
Her priests profane the sanctuary
    and do violence to the law.(L)
The Lord within her is righteous;(M)
    he does no wrong.(N)
Morning by morning(O) he dispenses his justice,
    and every new day he does not fail,(P)
    yet the unrighteous know no shame.(Q)

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;(R)
    they are deserted and empty.
Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(S)
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(T) in all they did.
Therefore wait(U) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.[c]
I have decided to assemble(V) the nations,(W)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath(X) on them—
    all my fierce anger.(Y)
The whole world will be consumed(Z)
    by the fire of my jealous anger.

Restoration of Israel’s Remnant

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
    that all of them may call(AA) on the name of the Lord(AB)
    and serve(AC) him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush[d](AD)
    my worshipers, my scattered people,
    will bring me offerings.(AE)
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame(AF)
    for all the wrongs you have done to me,(AG)
because I will remove from you
    your arrogant boasters.(AH)
Never again will you be haughty
    on my holy hill.(AI)
12 But I will leave within you
    the meek(AJ) and humble.
The remnant of Israel
    will trust(AK) in the name of the Lord.
13 They(AL) will do no wrong;(AM)
    they will tell no lies.(AN)
A deceitful tongue
    will not be found in their mouths.(AO)
They will eat and lie down(AP)
    and no one will make them afraid.(AQ)

14 Sing, Daughter Zion;(AR)
    shout aloud,(AS) Israel!
Be glad and rejoice(AT) with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;(AU)
    never again will you fear(AV) any harm.(AW)
16 On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.(AX)
17 The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.(AY)
He will take great delight(AZ) in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,(BA)
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”(BB)

18 “I will remove from you
    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
    which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal
    with all who oppressed(BC) you.
I will rescue the lame;
    I will gather the exiles.(BD)
I will give them praise(BE) and honor
    in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring(BF) you home.
I will give you honor(BG) and praise(BH)
    among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes[e](BI)
    before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:7 Or her sanctuary
  2. Zephaniah 3:7 Or all those I appointed over
  3. Zephaniah 3:8 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew will rise up to plunder
  4. Zephaniah 3:10 That is, the upper Nile region
  5. Zephaniah 3:20 Or I bring back your captives