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Jerusalems stora avfall

Ve över den upproriska och orena staden,
förtryckets stad!
Hon lyssnar inte till någon,
    hon tar inte emot tillrättavisning,
Herren förtröstar hon inte
    och sin Gud nalkas hon ej.
Hennes styresmän därinne är rytande lejon,
hennes domare är kvällens vargar,
    som ingenting spar till morgonen.
Hennes profeter är skrävlare,
    trolösa män.
Hennes präster vanhelgar det som är heligt
och gör våld på lagen.

Herren är rättfärdig därinne,
    han gör inget orätt.
Morgon efter morgon låter han sin rätt gå fram i ljuset,
den uteblir aldrig.
    Men den orättfärdige vet inte av någon skam.

Jag utrotade hednafolk,
    deras murtorn förstördes,
deras gator gjorde jag öde,
    och ingen gick där längre.
Deras städer skövlades,
    och ingen människa, nej ingen enda bodde där.
Jag sade: "O, att du ville frukta mig,
och ta emot tuktan."
    Då skulle stadens boning inte utplånas,
den skulle inte drabbas av allt det
    som jag bestämt som straff.
Men i stället steg de tidigt upp
    för att hinna med sina fördärvliga gärningar.

Vänta därför på mig, säger Herren,
på den dag då jag står upp för att ta byte.
Ty detta är mitt domslut: Jag skall förena folk
och samla kungariken
    för att utgjuta över dem min förbittring,
hela min vredes hetta.
    Ty av min nitälskans eld skall hela jorden förtäras.

Frälsning för Israels kvarleva

Då skall jag ge folken renade läppar,
och de skall alla åkalla Herrens namn
och tillsammans tjäna honom.
10 Från trakten bortom Nubiens floder
skall mina tillbedjare, mitt förskingrade folk,
frambära offer åt mig.
11 På den dagen skall du inte längre blygas
för alla de överträdelser
    som du har begått mot mig.
Ty då skall jag avskilja från dig dem som jublar så segervisst hos dig,
och du skall inte längre
    förhäva dig på mitt heliga berg.
12 Men jag skall lämna kvar i dig ett folk
som är ödmjukt och svagt,
    och de skall förtrösta på Herrens namn.
13 Kvarlevan av Israel
    skall inte längre göra orätt,
inte tala lögn,
    och i deras mun
skall inte finnas en falsk tunga.
    De skall finna föda och lägga sig ner
utan att någon förskräcker dem.

14 Jubla, du dotter Sion,
    höj glädjerop, du Israel!
Var glad och fröjda dig av hela ditt hjärta,
du dotter Jerusalem!
15 Herren har tagit bort straffdomarna från dig,
han har röjt din fiende ur vägen.
    Herren, Israels Konung, bor i dig.
    Du skall inte längre frukta något ont.

16 På den dagen skall det sägas till Jerusalem:
"Frukta inte, Sion,
    låt inte dina händer falla!
17 Herren, din Gud, bor i dig,
    en hjälte som frälsar.
Han gläder sig över dig med lust,
    han tiger stilla i sin kärlek,
han fröjdas över dig med jubel."

18 Jag skall samla dem
    som sörjer för högtidernas skull,
dem som varit skilda från dig
    och nu bär föraktets börda.
19 Se, jag skall på den tiden
    ta itu med alla som plågat dig.
Jag skall frälsa de haltande
    och samla de fördrivna.
Jag skall låta dem bli
    till lovsång och berömmelse
på hela jorden, där de var så hånade.
20 På den tiden skall jag föra er hem,
ja, då skall jag föra er samman.
    Ty jag skall låta er bli
till berömmelse och lovsång bland jordens alla folk,
när jag gör slut på er fångenskap
    inför era ögon,
säger Herren."

Sinful Jerusalem

Too bad for that disgusting,
    corrupt, and lawless city!
Forever rebellious
    and rejecting correction,
Jerusalem refuses to trust
    or obey the Lord God.
Its officials are roaring lions,
    its judges are wolves;
in the evening they attack,
    by morning nothing is left.
Jerusalem's prophets are proud
    and not to be trusted.
The priests have disgraced
the place of worship
    and abused God's Law.
All who do evil are shameless,
but the Lord does right
    and is always fair.
With the dawn of each day,
    God brings about justice.

The Lord wiped out nations
and left fortresses
    crumbling in the dirt.
Their streets and towns
were reduced to ruins
    and emptied of people.
God felt certain that Jerusalem
would learn to respect
    and obey him.
Then he would hold back
from punishing the city
    and not wipe it out.
But everyone there was eager
    to start sinning again.

Nations Will Turn to the Lord

The Lord said:
Just wait for the day
    when I accuse you nations.
I have decided on a day,
    when I will bring together
every nation and kingdom
and punish them all
    in my fiery anger.
I will become furious
    and destroy the earth.

I will purify each language
and make those languages
    acceptable for praising me.[a]
Then, with hearts united,
everyone will serve
    only me, the Lord.
10 From across the rivers
    of Ethiopia,[b]
my scattered people,
my true worshipers,
    will bring offerings to me.

11 When that time comes,
you won't rebel against me
    and be put to shame.
I'll do away with those
    who are proud and arrogant.
Never will any of them
strut around
    on my holy mountain.
12 But I, the Lord, won't destroy
    any of your people
who are truly humble
    and turn to me for safety.
13 (A) The people of Israel who survive
will live right
    and refuse to tell lies.
They will eat and rest
    with nothing to fear.

A Song of Celebration

14 Everyone in Jerusalem and Judah,
celebrate and shout
    with all your heart!
15 Zion, your punishment is over.
The Lord has forced your enemies
    to turn and retreat.
Your Lord is King of Israel
    and stands at your side;
you don't have to worry
    about any more troubles.

16 Jerusalem, the time is coming,
    when it will be said to you:
“Don't be discouraged
    or grow weak from fear!
17 The Lord your God
wins victory after victory
    and is always with you.
He celebrates and sings
    because of you,
and he will refresh your life
    with his love.”[c]

The Lord's Promise to His People

18 The Lord has promised:
Your sorrow has ended,
    and you can celebrate.[d]
19 I will punish those
    who mistreat you.
I will bring together the lame
    and the outcasts,
then they will be praised,
instead of despised,
    in every country on earth.
20 I will lead you home,
    and with your own eyes
you will see me bless you
    with all you once owned.
Then you will be famous
    everywhere on this earth.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

Footnotes

  1. 3.9 I will … praising me: Or “I will change the hearts of all people and make them fit for praising me.”
  2. 3.10 Ethiopia: See the note at 2.12.
  3. 3.17 refresh … love: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “silently show you his love.”
  4. 3.18 celebrate: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.

Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!

She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.

Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.

20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.

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

The Wickedness of Jerusalem

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,
To the oppressing city!
She has not obeyed His voice,
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her God.

(A)Her princes in her midst are roaring lions;
Her judges are (B)evening wolves
That leave not a bone till morning.
Her (C)prophets are insolent, treacherous people;
Her priests have [a]polluted the sanctuary,
They have done (D)violence to the law.
The Lord is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.
[b]Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He never fails,
But (E)the unjust knows no shame.

“I have cut off nations,
Their fortresses are devastated;
I have made their streets desolate,
With none passing by.
Their cities are destroyed;
There is no one, no inhabitant.
(F)I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
You will receive instruction’—
So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
Despite everything for which I punished her.
But [c]they rose early and (G)corrupted all their deeds.

A Faithful Remnant(H)

“Therefore (I)wait for Me,” says the Lord,
“Until the day I rise up [d]for plunder;
My determination is to (J)gather the nations
To My assembly of kingdoms,
To pour on them My indignation,
All My fierce anger;
All the earth (K)shall be devoured
With the fire of My jealousy.

“For then I will restore to the peoples (L)a pure [e]language,
That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him with one accord.
10 (M)From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers,
The daughter of My dispersed ones,
Shall bring My offering.
11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds
In which you transgress against Me;
For then I will take away from your midst
Those who (N)rejoice in your pride,
And you shall no longer be haughty
In My holy mountain.
12 I will leave in your midst
(O)A meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 (P)The remnant of Israel (Q)shall do no unrighteousness
(R)And speak no lies,
Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
For (S)they shall feed their flocks and lie down,
And no one shall make them afraid.”

Joy in God’s Faithfulness

14 (T)Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
(U)The King of Israel, the Lord, (V)is in your midst;
You shall [f]see disaster no more.

16 In that day (W)it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, (X)let not your hands be weak.
17 The Lord your God (Y)in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
(Z)He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”

18 “I will gather those who (AA)sorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
19 Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the (AB)lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time (AC)I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you [g]fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:4 Or profaned
  2. Zephaniah 3:5 Lit. Morning by morning
  3. Zephaniah 3:7 They were eager
  4. Zephaniah 3:8 LXX, Syr. for witness; Tg. for the day of My revelation for judgment; Vg. for the day of My resurrection that is to come
  5. Zephaniah 3:9 Lit. lip
  6. Zephaniah 3:15 So with Heb. mss., LXX, Bg.; MT, Vg. fear
  7. Zephaniah 3:20 Lit. a name