1 This is the Lord 's message, which he gave to Zephaniah, Cushi's son. [ a ] Cushi's father was Gedaliah. Gedaliah's father was Amariah, and Amariah's father was Hezekiah. The Lord gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah was king. Josiah was the son of Amon, who was the king of Judah.
2 ‘It is the Lord who is speaking now.
I will remove everything from the ground.
3 I will remove men and animals.
I will remove the birds that fly in the air.
I will also remove the fish that live in the sea.
I will remove all the bad people.
Bad people cause trouble for other people.
Yes, I will remove all the people from the ground.
It is the Lord who is speaking.
4 I will destroy Judah.
I will remove all the people who live in Jerusalem.
I will remove all those who believe in the false god Baal.
I will remove Baal's priests. [ b ]
5 Some people stand on the roof tops to worship the sun, the moon and the stars. [ c ] I will remove those people.
Some people say that they love me. But they say also that they love Malcam (a false god). So I will remove them, too.’ [ d ]
6 ‘I will remove those who have turned away from the Lord .
I will also remove those who decide things without the Lord .
7 Be quiet! The Lord God is here.
It will soon be the day of the Lord . [ e ]
The Lord has made his sacrifice ready. [ f ]
He has made the people ready who will give the sacrifice to him.’ [ g ]
8 ‘When it is time for the Lord 's sacrifice, I will punish the rulers and the king's sons.
I will punish everyone who wears clothes like foreign people do.’ [ h ]
9 ‘I will also punish the people who rush into other people's houses. They do that because they want to rob those people.
On that same day, I will also punish other robbers. Those people fill their masters' houses with the things that they take.’
10 The Lord says, ‘On that day you will hear the noise of people who are shouting from one gate of the city. It is the gate called the Fish Gate.
And there will be sad sounds from the next gate.
There will be loud noises from the hills.
11 Shout out, you who live near Jerusalem's market! Weep!
The Lord will remove the traders from your town.
Some people have lots of money there. But all those people will be dead then.’ [ i ]
12 ‘At that time,
I will look in all Jerusalem's dark corners. I will take lights with me.
I will find the drunks and I will punish them. These people say in their minds,
“The Lord will do neither good things nor bad things to us.”
13 So I will take away from them everything that they have.
I will take away their houses too.
They will build houses, but they will never live in them.
They will plant plants to get grapes. But they will never have wine from them.’
14 The time for the great day of the Lord is coming very soon.
It will happen quickly.
Strong men will weep when they hear the noise of it.
15 The Lord will be very angry at that time.
It will be a time when there will be trouble.
On that day, he will destroy everything bad.
It will be very dark. At that time, there will be thick dark clouds.
16 At that time, people will make a noise with trumpets. They will shout when they go to fight in a war.
In the fight, they will try to destroy the strong walls of cities.
And they will try to destroy the strong high parts of the walls.
17 I will cause trouble for people.
So they will walk like people who cannot see.
This is because they have not obeyed the Lord .
Their blood will fall to the ground.
Yes, they will fall to the ground and they will die. After that, they will be nothing.
18 Their money will not save them,
on the day when the Lord is angry.
He watches.
And he is angry when his people love other gods.
So he will send fire on the earth.
Yes, he will quickly kill all the people who live in Judah.
1 This is the message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah. He received this message during the time that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hezekiah.
2 The Lord says, “I will destroy everything on earth. [ a ] 3 I will destroy all the people and all the animals. I will destroy the birds in the air and the fish in the sea. I will destroy the evil people and everything that makes them sin. I will remove all people from the earth.” This is what the Lord said.
4 “I will punish Judah and the people living in Jerusalem. I will remove from this place any signs of Baal worship. No one will remember the priests who serve the idols there. 5 And those who go up on their roofs to worship the stars [ b ] will be forgotten. They worship me, the Lord , but they also use the name of the false god Milcom to make promises. 6 They have turned away from me, the Lord . They have stopped following me. They no longer ask me, the Lord , for help.”
7 Be silent before the Lord God , because the Lord ’s day for judging the people is coming soon. The Lord has prepared his sacrifice, and he has told his invited guests to get ready. [ c ]
8 The Lord said, “On the Lord ’s day of sacrifice, I will punish the king’s sons and other leaders. I will punish all the people wearing clothes from other countries. 9 At that time I will punish all the people who jump over the threshold [ d ] and those who fill their master’s house [ e ] with lies and violence.”
10 The Lord also said, “At that time people will be calling for help at Fish Gate in Jerusalem and mourning in the new part of town. They will hear the sound of destruction in the hills around the city. 11 You people living in the lower part of town will cry, because all the traders and rich merchants will be destroyed.
12 “At that time I will take a lamp and search through Jerusalem. I will find all those who are satisfied to live their own way. They say, ‘The Lord does nothing. He does not help, and he does not hurt!’ I will find them, and I will punish them. 13 Then others will take their wealth and destroy their houses. Those who built houses will not live in them, and those who planted vineyards will not drink the wine from the grapes.”
14 The Lord ’s special day for judging is coming soon! It is near and coming fast. People will hear very sad sounds on the Lord ’s special day of judgment. Even strong soldiers will cry. 15 The Lord will show his anger at that time. It will be a time of terrible troubles and a time of destruction. It will be a time of darkness—a black, cloudy, and stormy day. 16 It will be like a time of war when people hear horns and trumpets in the defense towers and protected cities.
17 The Lord said, “I will make life very hard on the people. They will walk around like the blind who don’t know where they are going. That will happen because they sinned against the Lord . Their blood will be spilled on the ground. Their dead bodies will lie like dung on the ground. 18 Their gold and silver will not help them! At that time the Lord will become very upset and angry. The Lord will destroy the whole world [ f ] ! He will completely destroy everyone on earth!”
1 The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord .
3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord .
4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord , and that swear by Malcham;
6 And them that are turned back from the Lord ; and those that have not sought the Lord , nor enquired for him.
7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God : for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.
8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord 's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.
10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord , that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.
11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.
12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.
13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
14 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord : the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord : and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord 's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of ( A ) Josiah son of ( B ) Amon, king of Judah:
2 “I will completely ( C ) remove all things
From the face of the [ a ] earth,” declares the Lord .
3 “I will remove ( D ) human and animal life ;
I will remove the ( E ) birds of the sky
And the fish of the sea,
And the [ b ] ( F ) ruins along with the wicked;
And I will eliminate mankind from the face of the [ c ] earth,” declares the Lord .
4 “So I will ( G ) stretch out My hand against Judah
And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And I will ( H ) eliminate the remnant of Baal from this place,
And the names of the ( I ) idolatrous priests along with the other priests.
5 And those who bow down on the ( J ) housetops to the heavenly [ d ] lights,
And those who bow down and ( K ) swear to the Lord , but also swear by [ e ] ( L ) Milcom,
6 And those who have ( M ) turned back from following the Lord ,
And those who have ( N ) not sought the Lord nor inquired of Him.”
7 [ f ] ( O ) Be silent before the Lord [ g ] God !
For the ( P ) day of the Lord is near,
Because the Lord has prepared a ( Q ) sacrifice,
He has ( R ) consecrated His guests.
8 “Then it will come about on the day of the Lord ’ s sacrifice
That I will ( S ) punish the princes, the king’s sons,
And all who clothe themselves with ( T ) foreign garments.
9 And on that day I will punish all who leap on the temple threshold,
Who fill the house of their [ h ] lord with ( U ) violence and deceit.
10 And on that day,” declares the Lord ,
“There will be the sound of a cry from the ( V ) Fish Gate,
Wailing from the [ i ] ( W ) Second Quarter,
And a loud crash from the ( X ) hills.
11 Wail, you inhabitants of the [ j ] Mortar,
Because all the [ k ] people of ( Y ) Canaan will be destroyed;
All who weigh out ( Z ) silver will be eliminated.
12 And it will come about at that time
That I will ( AA ) search Jerusalem with lamps,
And I will punish the people
Who are [ l ] ( AB ) stagnant in spirit,
Who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will ( AC ) not do good nor harm!’
13 Their wealth will become ( AD ) plunder,
And their houses desolate;
Yes, ( AE ) they will build houses but not inhabit them ,
And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”
14 The ( AF ) great ( AG ) day of the Lord is near,
Near and coming very quickly;
Listen, the day of the Lord !
[ m ] In it the warrior ( AH ) cries out bitterly.
15 That day is a day of anger,
A day of ( AI ) trouble and distress,
A day of destruction and desolation,
A day of ( AJ ) darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of ( AK ) trumpet and battle cry
Against the ( AL ) fortified cities
And the high corner towers.
17 I will bring ( AM ) distress on mankind
So that they will walk ( AN ) like those who are blind,
Because they have sinned against the Lord ;
And their ( AO ) blood will be poured out like dust,
And their ( AP ) flesh like dung.
18 Neither their ( AQ ) silver nor their gold
Will be able to save them
On the day of the Lord ’ s anger;
And ( AR ) all the earth will be devoured
By the fire of His jealousy,
For He will ( AS ) make a complete end,
Indeed a horrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah ( A ) son of Amon ( B ) king of Judah:
2 “I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,” ( C )
declares the Lord .
3 “I will sweep away both man and beast; ( D )
I will sweep away the birds in the sky ( E )
and the fish in the sea—
and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.” [ a ]
“When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,” ( F )
declares the Lord , ( G )
4 “I will stretch out my hand ( H ) against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, ( I )
the very names of the idolatrous priests ( J ) —
5 those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host, ( K )
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
and who also swear by Molek, [ b ] ( L )
6 those who turn back from following ( M ) the Lord
and neither seek ( N ) the Lord nor inquire ( O ) of him.”
7 Be silent ( P ) before the Sovereign Lord ,
for the day of the Lord ( Q ) is near.
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; ( R )
he has consecrated those he has invited.
8 “On the day of the Lord ’s sacrifice
I will punish ( S ) the officials
and the king’s sons ( T )
and all those clad
in foreign clothes.
9 On that day I will punish
all who avoid stepping on the threshold, [ c ] ( U )
who fill the temple of their gods
with violence and deceit. ( V )
10 “On that day, ( W ) ”
declares the Lord ,
“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, ( X )
wailing ( Y ) from the New Quarter,
and a loud crash from the hills.
11 Wail, ( Z ) you who live in the market district [ d ] ;
all your merchants will be wiped out,
all who trade with [ e ] silver will be destroyed. ( AA )
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish those who are complacent, ( AB )
who are like wine left on its dregs, ( AC )
who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, ( AD )
either good or bad.’ ( AE )
13 Their wealth will be plundered, ( AF )
their houses demolished.
Though they build houses,
they will not live in them;
though they plant vineyards,
they will not drink the wine.” ( AG )
14 The great day of the Lord ( AH ) is near ( AI ) —
near and coming quickly.
The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter;
the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
15 That day will be a day of wrath—
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of trouble and ruin,
a day of darkness ( AJ ) and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness ( AK ) —
16 a day of trumpet and battle cry ( AL )
against the fortified cities
and against the corner towers. ( AM )
17 “I will bring such distress ( AN ) on all people
that they will grope about like those who are blind, ( AO )
because they have sinned against the Lord .
Their blood will be poured out ( AP ) like dust
and their entrails like dung. ( AQ )
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the Lord ’s wrath.” ( AR )
