Zephaniah 2
King James Version
2 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you.
3 Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.
4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
9 Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Zephaniah 2
New King James Version
A Call to Repentance
2 Gather(A) yourselves together, yes, gather together,
O [a]undesirable nation,
2 Before the decree is issued,
Or the day passes like chaff,
Before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you,
Before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!
3 (B)Seek the Lord, (C)all you meek of the earth,
Who have upheld His justice.
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
(D)It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the Lord’s anger.
Judgment on Nations
4 For (E)Gaza shall be forsaken,
And Ashkelon desolate;
They shall drive out Ashdod (F)at noonday,
And Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of (G)the seacoast,
The nation of the Cherethites!
The word of the Lord is against you,
O (H)Canaan, land of the Philistines:
“I will destroy you;
So there shall be no inhabitant.”
6 The seacoast shall be pastures,
With [b]shelters for shepherds (I)and folds for flocks.
7 The coast shall be for (J)the remnant of the house of Judah;
They shall feed their flocks there;
In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening.
For the Lord their God will (K)intervene[c] for them,
And (L)return their captives.
8 “I(M) have heard the reproach of Moab,
And (N)the insults of the people of Ammon,
With which they have reproached My people,
And (O)made arrogant threats against their borders.
9 Therefore, as I live,”
Says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
“Surely (P)Moab shall be like Sodom,
And (Q)the people of Ammon like Gomorrah—
(R)Overrun[d] with weeds and saltpits,
And a [e]perpetual desolation.
The residue of My people shall plunder them,
And the remnant of My people shall possess them.”
10 This they shall have (S)for their pride,
Because they have reproached and made arrogant threats
Against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be awesome to them,
For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth;
(T)People shall worship Him,
Each one from his place,
Indeed all (U)the shores of the nations.
13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north,
(X)Destroy Assyria,
And make Nineveh a desolation,
As dry as the wilderness.
14 The herds shall lie down in her midst,
(Y)Every beast of the nation.
Both the (Z)pelican and the bittern
Shall lodge on the capitals of her pillars;
Their voice shall sing in the windows;
Desolation shall be at the threshold;
For He will lay bare the (AA)cedar work.
15 This is the rejoicing city
(AB)That dwelt securely,
(AC)That said in her heart,
“I am it, and there is none besides me.”
How has she become a desolation,
A place for beasts to lie down!
Everyone who passes by her
(AD)Shall hiss and (AE)shake his fist.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:1 Or shameless
- Zephaniah 2:6 Underground huts or cisterns, lit. excavations
- Zephaniah 2:7 Lit. visit them
- Zephaniah 2:9 Lit. Possessed by nettles
- Zephaniah 2:9 Or permanent ruin
Zephaniah 2
New American Standard Bible
Judgments on Judah’s Enemies
2 Gather yourselves together, yes, (A)join together,
You nation (B)without [a]shame,
2 Before the decree [b]takes effect—
The day passes (C)like chaff—
Before the (D)burning anger of the Lord comes upon you,
Before the (E)day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you.
3 (F)Seek the Lord,
All you (G)humble of the [c]earth
Who have practiced His [d]ordinances;
(H)Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Perhaps you will (I)remain hidden
On the day of the Lord’s anger.
4 For (J)Gaza will be abandoned,
And Ashkelon will become a desolation;
The inhabitants of (K)Ashdod will be driven out at noon,
And (L)Ekron will be uprooted.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,
The nation of the [e](M)Cherethites!
The word of the Lord is (N)against you,
(O)Canaan, land of the Philistines;
And I will (P)eliminate you
So that there will be (Q)no inhabitant.
6 So the seacoast will become (R)grazing places,
With pastures for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7 And the coast will be
For the (S)remnant of the house of Judah,
They will (T)drive sheep to pasture on it.
In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;
For the Lord their God will (U)care for them
And (V)restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the (W)taunting of Moab
And the (X)abusive speech of the sons of Ammon,
With which they have taunted My people
And (Y)boasted against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of armies,
The God of Israel,
“(Z)Moab will assuredly be like (AA)Sodom,
And the sons of (AB)Ammon like (AC)Gomorrah—
Ground overgrown with weeds and full of salt mines,
And a permanent desolation.
The remnant of My people will (AD)plunder them,
And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”
10 This they will have in return for their (AE)arrogance, because they have (AF)taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of armies. 11 The Lord will be (AG)terrifying to them, for He will [f]starve (AH)all the gods of the earth; and all the (AI)coastlands of the nations will (AJ)bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.
12 “You also, (AK)Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”
13 And He will (AL)stretch out His hand against the north
And eliminate (AM)Assyria,
And He will make (AN)Nineveh a desolation,
Parched like the wilderness.
14 Flocks will lie down in her midst,
[g]All animals that range in herds;
Both the [h](AO)pelican and the hedgehog
Will spend their nights in [i]the tops of her pillars;
[j]Birds will sing in the window,
Devastation will be on the threshold;
For He has uncovered the cedar work.
15 This is the (AP)presumptuous city
That (AQ)dwells securely,
Who says in her heart,
“(AR)I am, and there is no one besides me.”
How she has become a (AS)desolation,
A resting place for animals!
(AT)Everyone who passes by her will [k]hiss
And wave his hand in contempt.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:1 Or longing
- Zephaniah 2:2 Lit gives birth
- Zephaniah 2:3 Or land
- Zephaniah 2:3 Or justice
- Zephaniah 2:5 I.e., a segment of the Philistines with roots in Crete
- Zephaniah 2:11 Lit allow to dwindle
- Zephaniah 2:14 Or All kinds of beasts in crowds; lit Every kind of beast of a nation
- Zephaniah 2:14 Or owl; or jackdaw
- Zephaniah 2:14 Lit her capitals
- Zephaniah 2:14 Lit A voice
- Zephaniah 2:15 Or whistle
Zephanja 2
Schlachter 1951
Gerichtsandrohung wider die Nachbarvölker
2 Tut euch zusammen, sammelt euch,
Volk ohne Scham,
2 ehe der Ratschluß sich erfüllt -
wie Spreu geht der Tag vorüber! -,
ehe der grimmige Zorn des Herrn über euch kommt,
ehe der Tag des Zornes des Herrn euch ereilt!
3 Suchet den Herrn, alle ihr Demütigen im Lande,
die ihr sein Recht übet!
Suchet Gerechtigkeit, befleißiget euch der Demut;
vielleicht werdet ihr Bergung finden am Tage des Zornes des Herrn!
Wider Kanaan und Philisterland
4 Denn Gaza wird verlassen
und Askalon verödet werden,
Asdod soll am hellen Mittag fortgetrieben
und Ekron ausgerottet werden.
5 Wehe den Bewohnern der Meeresküste, dem Kretervolk!
Das Wort des Herrn ergeht wider dich, Kanaan, du Philisterland:
Ich will dich also zu Grunde richten, daß niemand mehr da wohnen soll!
6 Und es soll der Landstrich am Meere zu Hirtenwohnungen und Schafhürden werden;
7 und dieser Landstrich soll den Übriggebliebenen vom Hause Juda als Erbteil zufallen,
daß sie darauf weiden
und sich des Abends in den Häusern von Askalon lagern sollen,
denn der Herr, ihr Gott, wird sie heimsuchen
und ihr Gefängnis wenden.
Wider Moab und Ammon
8 Ich habe die Beschimpfung Moabs gehört
und die Lästerungen der Kinder Ammon,
womit sie mein Volk geschmäht
und sich wider ihr Gebiet gerühmt haben.
9 Darum, so wahr ich lebe, spricht der Herr der Heerscharen, der Gott Israels,
soll Moab wie Sodom und die Kinder Ammon wie Gomorra werden,
nämlich ein Besitz der Nesseln und eine Salzgrube und eine ewige Wüstenei;
die Übriggebliebenen meines Volkes sollen sie berauben
und der Rest meiner Nation sie beerben.
10 Solches soll ihnen widerfahren für ihren Stolz,
daß sie gelästert
und wider das Volk des Herrn der Heerscharen großgetan haben.
11 Furchtbar wird der Herr über ihnen sein;
denn er wird allen Göttern auf Erden ein Ende machen,
und es werden ihn anbeten alle Inseln der Heiden,
jedermann von seinem Orte aus;
Wider Kusch (Äthiopien) und Assur
12 auch ihr Kuschiten, -
die mein Schwert verwundet hat.
13 Er wird auch seine Hand nach Norden ausstrecken
und wird Assur vernichten
und Ninive zur Wüste machen,
dürr wie eine Steppe;
14 daß sich mitten darin Herden lagern werden,
Tiere aller Art;
Pelikan und Rohrdommel
werden auf ihren Säulenknäufen übernachten,
[Vogel-]geschrei wird in den Fenstern ertönen,
auf der Schwelle wird ein Schutthaufen liegen,
da das Zedernwerk bloßgelegt ist.
15 Das ist die lustige Stadt,
die so sicher wohnte,
die in ihrem Herzen sprach:
«Ich und keine sonst!»
Wie ist sie zur Wildnis geworden,
zum Lagerplatz der Tiere!
Wer vorübergeht,
zischt über sie und schwenkt seine Hand.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1951 by Geneva Bible Society