1:10 On that day,” says the Lord,
“a loud cry will go up 1 from the Fish Gate, 2
wailing from the city’s newer district, 3
and a loud crash 4 from the hills.
1:2 “I will destroy 5 everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.
3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, 6
those who pray to me 7 will bring me tribute.
1:6 and those who turn their backs on 8 the Lord
and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.” 9
2:14 Flocks and herds 10 will lie down in the middle of it,
as well as every kind of wild animal. 11
Owls 12 will sleep in the tops of its support pillars;
they will hoot through the windows. 13
Rubble will cover the thresholds; 14
even the cedar work 15 will be exposed to the elements. 16
1:4 “I will attack 17 Judah
and all who live in Jerusalem. 18
I will remove 19 from this place every trace of Baal worship, 20
as well as the very memory 21 of the pagan priests. 22
2:11 The Lord will terrify them, 23
for 24 he will weaken 25 all the gods of the earth.
All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands. 26
2:5 Those who live by the sea, the people who came from Crete, 27 are as good as dead. 28
The Lord has decreed your downfall, 29 Canaan, land of the Philistines:
“I will destroy everyone who lives there!” 30
1:3 “I will destroy people and animals;
I will destroy the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea.
(The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people.) 31
I will remove 32 humanity from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.
3:7 I thought, 33 ‘Certainly you will respect 34 me!
Now you will accept correction!’
If she had done so, her home 35 would not be destroyed 36
by all the punishments I have threatened. 37
But they eagerly sinned
in everything they did. 38
3:11 In that day you 39 will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, 40
for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, 41
and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.
1:14 The Lord’s great day of judgment 42 is almost here;
it is approaching very rapidly!
There will be a bitter sound on the Lord’s day of judgment;
at that time warriors will cry out in battle. 43
3:18 “As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals –
I took them away from you;
they became tribute and were a source of shame to you. 44
2:2 before God’s decree becomes reality 45 and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, 46
before the Lord’s raging anger 47 overtakes 48 you –
before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you!
1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to 49 Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of 50 King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:
2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts
and the Ammonites’ insults.
They 51 taunted my people
and verbally harassed those living in Judah. 52
2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel,
“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.
They will be overrun by weeds, 53
filled with salt pits, 54
and permanently desolate.
Those of my people who are left 55 will plunder their belongings; 56
those who are left in Judah 57 will take possession of their land.”
1:16 a day of trumpet blasts 58 and battle cries. 59
Judgment will fall on 60 the fortified cities and the high corner towers.
2:4 Indeed, 61 Gaza will be deserted 62
and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. 63
Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, 64
and Ekron will be overthrown. 65
2:3 Seek the Lord’s favor, 66 all you humble people 67 of the land who have obeyed his commands! 68
Strive to do what is right! 69 Strive to be humble! 70
Maybe you will be protected 71 on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.
2:7 Those who are left from the kingdom of Judah 72 will take possession of it. 73
By the sea 74 they 75 will graze,
in the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down in the evening,
for the Lord their God will intervene for them 76 and restore their prosperity. 77
2:15 This is how the once-proud city will end up 78 –
the city that was so secure. 79
She thought to herself, 80 “I am unique! No one can compare to me!” 81
What a heap of ruins she has become, a place where wild animals live!
Everyone who passes by her taunts her 82 and shakes his fist. 83
1:13 Their wealth will be stolen
and their houses ruined!
They will not live in the houses they have built,
nor will they drink the wine from the vineyards they have planted.
3:5 The just Lord resides 84 within her;
he commits no unjust acts. 85
Every morning he reveals 86 his justice.
At dawn he appears without fail. 87
Yet the unjust know no shame.
3:6 “I destroyed 88 nations;
their walled cities 89 are in ruins.
I turned their streets into ruins;
no one passes through them.
Their cities are desolate; 90
no one lives there. 91