(A)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.

Woe to (B)you inhabitants of the seacoast,
    you nation of (C)the Cherethites!
(D)The word of the Lord is against you,
    (E)O Canaan, land of the Philistines;
    and I will destroy you (F)until no inhabitant is left.
(G)And you, O seacoast, (H)shall be pastures,
    with meadows[a] for shepherds
    and folds for flocks.
(I)The seacoast shall become the possession
    of (J)the remnant of the house of Judah,
    (K)on which they shall graze,
and in the houses of Ashkelon
    they shall lie down at evening.
For the Lord their God (L)will be mindful of them
    and (M)restore their fortunes.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 2:6 Or caves

Judgment against the Nations

For Gaza will be abandoned,
and Ashkelon will become a ruin.
Ashdod will be driven out at noon,
and Ekron will be uprooted.(A)
Woe, inhabitants of the seacoast,
nation of the Cherethites![a](B)
The word of the Lord is against you,
Canaan, land of the Philistines:
I will destroy you until there is no one left.
The seacoast will become pasturelands
with caves for shepherds and folds for sheep.
The coastland will belong
to the remnant of the house of Judah;
they will find pasture there.
They will lie down in the evening
among the houses of Ashkelon,
for the Lord their God will return to them
and restore their fortunes.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 2:5 = Sea Peoples