Zephaniah 3

¹Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted! to the oppressing city!

²She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she drew not near to her God.

³Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.

⁴Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

⁵Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every morning doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

⁶I have cut off nations; their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets waste, so that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.

⁷I said, Only fear thou me; receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her: but they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

⁸Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

⁹For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent.

¹⁰From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

¹¹In that day shalt thou not be put to shame for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain.

¹²But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of Jehovah.

¹³The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

¹⁴Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

¹⁵Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more.

¹⁶In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack.

¹⁷Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing.

¹⁸I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were of thee; to whom the burden upon her was a reproach.

¹⁹Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away; and I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth.

²⁰At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah.

Zephaniah 3

¹Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!

²She heeded no voice; she accepted no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God.

³Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.

⁴Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

⁵The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame.

⁶“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.

⁷I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me and accept correction.’ Then her dwelling place would not be cut off despite all for which I punished her. But they rose early to corrupt all their deeds.

⁸Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation— all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.

⁹For then I will restore pure lips to the peoples, that all may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.

¹⁰From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering.

¹¹On that day you will not be put to shame for any of the deeds by which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will remove from among you those who rejoice in their pride, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain.

¹²But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.

¹³The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or speak lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. But they will feed and lie down, with no one to make them tremble.”

¹⁴Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!

¹⁵The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm.

¹⁶On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.

¹⁷The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

¹⁸“I will gather those among you who grieve over the appointed feasts, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.

¹⁹Behold, at that time, I will deal with all who afflict you. I will save the lame and gather the scattered; and I will appoint praise and fame for the disgraced throughout the earth.

²⁰At that time I will bring you in; yes, at that time I will gather you. For I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your captives before your very eyes,” says the LORD.