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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”

Punishment and Conversion of the Nations

Therefore wait for me, says the Lord,
    for the day when I arise as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
    to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
    all the heat of my anger,
for in the fire of my passion
    all the earth shall be consumed.(A)

At that time I will change the speech of the peoples
    to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
    and serve him with one accord.(B)
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
    my suppliants, my scattered ones,
    shall bring my offering.(C)

11 On that day you shall not be put to shame
    because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
    your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
    in my holy mountain.(D)
12 For I will leave in the midst of you
    a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord(E)
13     the remnant of Israel;
they shall do no wrong
    and utter no lies,
nor shall a deceitful tongue
    be found in their mouths.
Then they will pasture and lie down,
    and no one shall make them afraid.(F)

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