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;(A)
    they are deserted and empty.
Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(B)
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(C) in all they did.
Therefore wait(D) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.[c]
I have decided to assemble(E) the nations,(F)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath(G) on them—
    all my fierce anger.(H)
The whole world will be consumed(I)
    by the fire of my jealous anger.

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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

14 The great day of the Lord(A) is near(B)
    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(C) and gloom,
        a day of clouds and blackness(D)
16     a day of trumpet and battle cry(E)
against the fortified cities
    and against the corner towers.(F)

17 “I will bring such distress(G) on all people
    that they will grope about like those who are blind,(H)
    because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out(I) like dust
    and their entrails like dung.(J)
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
    will be able to save them
    on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”(K)

In the fire of his jealousy(L)
    the whole earth will be consumed,(M)
for he will make a sudden end
    of all who live on the earth.(N)

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