Zephaniah 1–3 (Listen)

1 The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The Coming Judgment on Judah

2   “I will utterly sweep away everything
    from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
3   “I will sweep away man and beast;
    I will sweep away the birds of the heavens
    and the fish of the sea,
  and the rubble^{Or stumbling blocks (that is, idols)</note>">1} with the wicked.
    I will cut off mankind
    from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
4   “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
    and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
  and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
    and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
5   those who bow down on the roofs
    to the host of the heavens,
  those who bow down and swear to the LORD
    and yet swear by Milcom,^{Or their king</note>">2}
6   those who have turned back from following the LORD,
    who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”

The Day of the Lord Is Near

7   Be silent before the Lord GOD!
    For the day of the LORD is near;
  the LORD has prepared a sacrifice
    and consecrated his guests.
8   And on the day of the LORD’s sacrifice—
  “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons
    and all who array themselves in foreign attire.
9   On that day I will punish
    everyone who leaps over the threshold,
  and those who fill their master’s^{Or their Lord’s</note>">3} house
    with violence and fraud.


10   “On that day,” declares the LORD,
    “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
  a wail from the Second Quarter,
    a loud crash from the hills.
11   Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar!
    For all the traders^{Or all the people of Canaan</note>">4} are no more;
    all who weigh out silver are cut off.
12   At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
    and I will punish the men
  who are complacent,^{Hebrew are thickening on the dregs [of their wine]</note>">5}
    those who say in their hearts,
  ‘The LORD will not do good,
    nor will he do ill.’
13   Their goods shall be plundered,
    and their houses laid waste.
  Though they build houses,
    they shall not inhabit them;
  though they plant vineyards,
    they shall not drink wine from them.”


14   The great day of the LORD is near,
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