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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”

The Future Deliverance of Israel

“Just you wait!” declares the Lord.
    “The day will come when I stand up as a prosecutor,[a]
for I am determined to assemble the nations
    and to gather the kingdoms,
in order to pour out my indignation upon them—
    all of my fierce anger.
All the earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy.
Indeed, then I will return my people to a pure language[b]
    so that they all may call upon the name of the Lord,
        serving him with a united will.[c]

10 “From beyond the rivers of Sudan[d] my worshipers[e]
    including my dispersed people—
        will present offerings to me.
11 When this happens,[f] you will not be ashamed of your actions
    by which you sinned against me,
because I will remove from among you those who revel in pride.
    Arrogance will have no place in my holy mountain.
12 I will keep a humble and gentle people among you,
    and they will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The survivors of Israel will not practice lawlessness
    nor tell lies,
nor will a deceitful message be found in their mouths,
    because they will eat and rest,
        with no one to cause fear.”

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:8 Or witness
  2. Zephaniah 3:9 Or to pure lips
  3. Zephaniah 3:9 Lit. shoulder
  4. Zephaniah 3:10 Or Ethiopia; Lit. Cush
  5. Zephaniah 3:10 Lit. incense burners
  6. Zephaniah 3:11 Lit. On that day