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Zephaniah 2
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Zephaniah 2
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Judgement on Israel’s Enemies
2 Gather together, gather,
O shameless nation,
2 before you are driven away
like the drifting chaff,[a]
before there comes upon you
the fierce anger of the Lord,
before there comes upon you
the day of the Lord’s wrath.
3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
who do his commands;
seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you may be hidden
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.
4 For Gaza shall be deserted,
and Ashkelon shall become a desolation;
Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon,
and Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Ah, inhabitants of the sea coast,
you nation of the Cherethites!
The word of the Lord is against you,
O Canaan, land of the Philistines;
and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
6 And you, O sea coast, shall be pastures,
meadows for shepherds
and folds for flocks.
7 The sea coast shall become the possession
of the remnant of the house of Judah,
on which they shall pasture,
and in the houses of Ashkelon
they shall lie down at evening.
For the Lord their God will be mindful of them
and restore their fortunes.
8 I have heard the taunts of Moab
and the revilings of the Ammonites,
how they have taunted my people
and made boasts against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel,
Moab shall become like Sodom
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah,
a land possessed by nettles and salt-pits,
and a waste for ever.
The remnant of my people shall plunder them,
and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.
10 This shall be their lot in return for their pride,
because they scoffed and boasted
against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be terrible against them;
he will shrivel all the gods of the earth,
and to him shall bow down,
each in its place,
all the coasts and islands of the nations.
12 You also, O Ethiopians,[b]
shall be killed by my sword.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north,
and destroy Assyria;
and he will make Nineveh a desolation,
a dry waste like the desert.
14 Herds shall lie down in it,
every wild animal;[c]
the desert-owl[d] and the screech-owl[e]
shall lodge on its capitals;
the owl[f] shall hoot at the window,
the raven[g] croak on the threshold;
for its cedar-work will be laid bare.
15 Is this the exultant city
that lived secure,
that said to itself,
‘I am, and there is no one else’?
What a desolation it has become,
a lair for wild animals!
Everyone who passes by it
hisses and shakes the fist.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:2 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb before a decree is born; like chaff a day has passed away
- Zephaniah 2:12 Or Nubians; Heb Cushites
- Zephaniah 2:14 Tg Compare Gk: Heb nation
- Zephaniah 2:14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- Zephaniah 2:14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- Zephaniah 2:14 Cn: Heb a voice
- Zephaniah 2:14 Gk Vg: Heb desolation
Zephaniah 2
English Standard Version
Zephaniah 2
English Standard Version
Judgment on Judah's Enemies
2 Gather together, yes, gather,
O (A)shameless nation,
2 (B)before the decree takes effect[a]
—before the day passes away (C)like chaff—
(D)before there comes upon you
the burning anger of the Lord,
before there comes upon you
the day of the anger of the Lord.
3 (E)Seek the Lord, (F)all you humble of the land,
who do his just commands;[b]
(G)seek righteousness; seek humility;
(H)perhaps (I)you may be hidden
on the day of the anger of the Lord.
4 (J)For Gaza shall be deserted,
and Ashkelon shall become a desolation;
Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon,
and Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Woe to (K)you inhabitants of the seacoast,
you nation of (L)the Cherethites!
(M)The word of the Lord is against you,
(N)O Canaan, land of the Philistines;
and I will destroy you (O)until no inhabitant is left.
6 (P)And you, O seacoast, (Q)shall be pastures,
with meadows[c] for shepherds
and folds for flocks.
7 (R)The seacoast shall become the possession
of (S)the remnant of the house of Judah,
(T)on which they shall graze,
and in the houses of Ashkelon
they shall lie down at evening.
For the Lord their God (U)will be mindful of them
and (V)restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard (W)the taunts of Moab
and (X)the revilings of the Ammonites,
how they have taunted my people
and made boasts (Y)against their territory.
9 Therefore, (Z)as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel,
“Moab shall become (AA)like Sodom,
and the Ammonites (AB)like Gomorrah,
a land possessed by nettles and salt pits,
and a waste forever.
The remnant of my people shall plunder them,
and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.”
10 This shall be their lot in return (AC)for their pride,
because they taunted and boasted
against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be awesome against them;
(AD)for he will famish all the gods of the earth,
and (AE)to him shall bow down,
each in its place,
all (AF)the lands of the nations.
12 (AG)You also, O Cushites,
shall be slain by my sword.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north
(AH)and destroy Assyria,
and he (AI)will make Nineveh a desolation,
a dry waste like the desert.
14 (AJ)Herds shall lie down in her midst,
all kinds of beasts;[d]
(AK)even the owl and the hedgehog[e]
shall lodge in her capitals;
a voice shall hoot in the window;
devastation will be on the threshold;
for (AL)her cedar work will be laid bare.
15 This is the exultant city
(AM)that lived securely,
that said in her heart,
“I am, and there is no one else.”
What a desolation she has become,
(AN)a lair for wild beasts!
(AO)Everyone who passes by her
hisses and (AP)shakes his fist.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:2 Hebrew gives birth
- Zephaniah 2:3 Or who carry out his judgment
- Zephaniah 2:6 Or caves
- Zephaniah 2:14 Hebrew beasts of every nation
- Zephaniah 2:14 The identity of the animals rendered owl and hedgehog is uncertain
西番雅书 2
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
西番雅书 2
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
勸及時悔改
2 無恥的國民哪！
你們要聚集，
要聚集起來。
2 趁命令還沒有發出，
日子還沒有像風前的糠秕一般吹過，
耶和華的烈怒還沒有臨到你們，
耶和華忿怒的日子還沒有臨到你們以前，
你們要聚集起來！
3 地上所有謙卑的人，
就是遵守耶和華典章的人哪！
你們要尋求耶和華，
你們要尋求公義，尋求謙卑。
在耶和華忿怒的日子，
你們或許得以隱藏起來。
審判非利士
4 因為迦薩必被拋棄，
亞實基倫必成荒場，
亞實突的居民必在晌午被趕走；
以革倫必連根拔起來。
5 住在沿海地帶的人，
基列提的國民哪！你們有禍了。
這是耶和華攻擊你們的話：
“非利士人之地迦南啊！
我必毀滅你，使你那裡沒有人居住。
6 沿海的地必成為草場、
牧人的洞穴、
羊群的圈欄。
7 這地必歸給猶大家的餘民；
他們要在那裡放牧，
晚上他們躺臥在亞實基倫的房舍中；
因為耶和華他們的 神必眷顧他們，
使他們從被擄之地歸回。”
審判摩押與亞捫
8 我聽見了摩押人的辱罵之言，
聽見了亞捫人的毀謗之語，
他們辱罵我的子民，
又自誇自大侵犯他們的境界。
9 因此，萬軍之耶和華
以色列的 神說：
“我指著我的永生起誓：
摩押人必要像所多瑪，
亞捫人必定像蛾摩拉，
成為刺草和鹽坑之所，
永遠荒涼之地。
我餘下的子民必擄掠他們，
我國中所餘的要得著他們為業。”
10 由於他們的狂傲，這事就臨到他們；因為他們自誇自大，辱罵萬軍之耶和華的子民。 11 對於他們，耶和華是可畏懼的，因為他要消滅地上一切神祇；那時，列國海島上的居民，都各在自己的地方敬拜他。
審判古實與亞述
12 古實人哪！
你們也必被我的刀劍所殺。
13 耶和華必伸手攻擊北方，
毀滅亞述，
使尼尼微變成荒場，
乾旱像曠野。
14 群畜和各類的走獸必躺臥在其中；
鵜鶘和箭豬棲宿在柱頂上；
窗內有鳴叫的聲音，
門檻上必有荒涼；
因為香柏木都要暴露出來。
15 這就是那歡樂安居之城，
她心裡曾說：
“只有我，除我以外，再沒有別的了。”
現在怎麼竟成了荒場、
走獸躺臥之處呢！
凡從那裡經過的，
都必舞手嗤笑。
Zephaniah 2
New International Version
Zephaniah 2
New International Version
Judah and Jerusalem Judged Along With the Nations
Judah Summoned to Repent
2 Gather together,(A) gather yourselves together,
you shameful(B) nation,
2 before the decree takes effect
and that day passes like windblown chaff,(C)
before the Lord’s fierce anger(D)
comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath(E)
comes upon you.
3 Seek(F) the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness,(G) seek humility;(H)
perhaps you will be sheltered(I)
on the day of the Lord’s anger.
Philistia
4 Gaza(J) will be abandoned
and Ashkelon(K) left in ruins.
At midday Ashdod will be emptied
and Ekron uprooted.
5 Woe to you who live by the sea,
you Kerethite(L) people;
the word of the Lord is against you,(M)
Canaan, land of the Philistines.
He says, “I will destroy you,
and none will be left.”(N)
6 The land by the sea will become pastures
having wells for shepherds
and pens for flocks.(O)
7 That land will belong
to the remnant(P) of the people of Judah;
there they will find pasture.
In the evening they will lie down
in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will care for them;
he will restore their fortunes.[a](Q)
Moab and Ammon
8 “I have heard the insults(R) of Moab(S)
and the taunts of the Ammonites,(T)
who insulted(U) my people
and made threats against their land.(V)
9 Therefore, as surely as I live,”
declares the Lord Almighty,
the God of Israel,
“surely Moab(W) will become like Sodom,(X)
the Ammonites(Y) like Gomorrah—
a place of weeds and salt pits,
a wasteland forever.
The remnant of my people will plunder(Z) them;
the survivors(AA) of my nation will inherit their land.(AB)”
10 This is what they will get in return for their pride,(AC)
for insulting(AD) and mocking
the people of the Lord Almighty.(AE)
11 The Lord will be awesome(AF) to them
when he destroys all the gods(AG) of the earth.(AH)
Distant nations will bow down to him,(AI)
all of them in their own lands.
Cush
Assyria
13 He will stretch out his hand against the north
and destroy Assyria,(AL)
leaving Nineveh(AM) utterly desolate
and dry as the desert.(AN)
14 Flocks and herds(AO) will lie down there,
creatures of every kind.
The desert owl(AP) and the screech owl(AQ)
will roost on her columns.
Their hooting will echo through the windows,
rubble will fill the doorways,
the beams of cedar will be exposed.
15 This is the city of revelry(AR)
that lived in safety.(AS)
She said to herself,
“I am the one! And there is none besides me.”(AT)
What a ruin she has become,
a lair for wild beasts!(AU)
All who pass by her scoff(AV)
and shake their fists.(AW)
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 2:7 Or will bring back their captives
- Zephaniah 2:12 That is, people from the upper Nile region
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Chinese New Version (Traditional) (CNVT) 
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.