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“Therefore, wait for me”—a declaration of Yahweh—
    “for the day of my rising as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
    to assemble[a] kingdoms,
    to pour out my wrath upon them, all my burning anger.
For by the fire of my anger all the land shall be consumed.
Because then I will make the speech of the nations pure;[b]
    that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh,
    to serve him in unison.[c]
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
    my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones
    shall bring my offering.
11 On that day you shall not be humiliated
    on account of all your deeds
    by which you have rebelled against me.
For then I shall remove from your midst
    those exulting in your pride,
and you shall no longer be haughty
    in my holy mountain.[d]
12 And I will leave in your midst
    a people afflicted and poor,
and they shall take refuge
    in the name of Yahweh.
13 The remnant of Israel
    shall not do wickedness;
they shall not speak deception,
    nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.
For they shall graze and lie down,
    and none shall frighten them.”

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:8 The traditional Hebrew has “assemble me”; this translation follows LXX
  2. Zephaniah 3:9 Literally “I will turn to the nations a purged lip”
  3. Zephaniah 3:9 Literally “with one shoulder”
  4. Zephaniah 3:11 Literally “the mountain of my holiness”

Therefore, wait for me, says the Lord,
        wait for the day when I rise up as a witness,[a]
        when I decide to gather nations,
                to collect kingdoms,
            to pour out my indignation upon them,
                all the heat of my anger.
        In the fire of my jealousy,
            all the earth will be devoured.

Restoration of the nations and Jerusalem

Then I will change the speech of the peoples into pure speech,
        that all of them will call on the name of the Lord
        and will serve him as one.[b]
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush,
        my daughter, my dispersed ones, will bring me offerings.
11 On that day, you won’t be ashamed of all your deeds
        with which you sinned against me;
            then I will remove from your midst those boasting with pride.
No longer will you be haughty on my holy mountain,
12     but I will cause a humble and powerless people to remain in your midst;
        they will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
13 The few remaining from Israel won’t commit injustice;
        they won’t tell lies;
        a deceitful tongue won’t be found on their lips.
            They will graze and lie down;
                no one will make them afraid.

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:8 LXX; MT it
  2. Zephaniah 3:9 Or with one shoulder

Therefore wait(A) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.[a]
I have decided to assemble(B) the nations,(C)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath(D) on them—
    all my fierce anger.(E)
The whole world will be consumed(F)
    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(G) on the name of the Lord(H)
    and serve(I) him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush[b](J)
    my worshipers, my scattered people,
    will bring me offerings.(K)
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame(L)
    for all the wrongs you have done to me,(M)
because I will remove from you
    your arrogant boasters.(N)
Never again will you be haughty
    on my holy hill.(O)
12 But I will leave within you
    the meek(P) and humble.
The remnant of Israel
    will trust(Q) in the name of the Lord.
13 They(R) will do no wrong;(S)
    they will tell no lies.(T)
A deceitful tongue
    will not be found in their mouths.(U)
They will eat and lie down(V)
    and no one will make them afraid.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:8 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew will rise up to plunder
  2. Zephaniah 3:10 That is, the upper Nile region