Zephaniah 3

Woe to Oppressive Jerusalem

1Woe to the city that is rebellious # 3:1 Or filthy,# 3:1 Ex 23:21; Dt 9:24; Ps 106:43 and defiled, # 3:1 Is 59:3

the oppressive city!

2She has not obeyed; # 3:2 1Sm 15:22

she has not accepted discipline. # 3:2 Jb 5:17

She has not trusted # 3:2 Pr 3:5 in the Lord;

she has not drawn near to her God.

3The # 3:3 Lit Her princes within her are roaring lions; # 3:3 Ezk 22:25

her judges are wolves of the night, # 3:3 Hab 1:8; Mt 7:15; Ac 20:29

which leave nothing for # 3:3 Or that had nothing to gnaw in the morning.

4Her prophets are reckless # 3:4 Jdg 9:4 —

treacherous men.

Her priests profane the sanctuary;

they do violence to instruction. # 3:4 Ezk 22:26

5The righteous Lord is in her; # 3:5 Ps 129:4

he does no wrong. # 3:5 Ps 92:15

He applies his justice morning by morning;

he does not fail at dawn,

yet the one who does wrong knows no shame. # 3:5 Jr 8:12

6I have cut off nations;

their corner towers # 3:6 Zph 1:16 are destroyed.

I have laid waste their streets,

with no one to pass through.

Their cities lie devastated,

without a person, without an inhabitant. # 3:6 Jr 44:2; Zph 2:5

7I said: You will certainly fear me

and accept correction.

Then her dwelling place # 3:7 LXX, Syr read her eyes

would not be cut off

based on all that I had allocated to her.

However, they became more corrupt

in all their actions.

8Therefore, wait for me # 3:8 Jb 3:21; Ps 33:20; Is 8:17; 30:18; 64:4 —

this is the Lord’s declaration —

until the day I rise up for plunder. # 3:8 LXX, Syr read for a witness; Vg reads up forever

For my decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

in order to pour out my indignation # 3:8 Ps 69:24; Ezk 21:31; 22:31; Nah 1:6 on them,

all my burning anger;

for the whole earth will be consumed

by the fire of my jealousy. # 3:8 Dt 29:20; Ps 79:5; Zch 1:14; 8:2

Final Restoration Promised

9For I will then restore

pure # 3:9 Dn 12:10 speech to the peoples

so that all of them may call

on the name of the Lord

and serve him with a single purpose. # 3:9 Lit with one shoulder

10From beyond the rivers of Cush # 3:10 Is 18:1–3

my supplicants, my dispersed people,

will bring an offering to me.

11On that day you # 3:11 = Israel will not be put to shame # 3:11 Gn 2:25; 2Sm 19:5; Ps 25:3

because of everything you have done

in rebelling # 3:11 Is 1:2 against me.

For then I will remove

from among you your jubilant, # 3:11 Jr 48:29 arrogant people,

and you will never again be haughty

on my holy mountain. # 3:11 Is 11:9

12I will leave

a meek and humble people # 3:12 Is 66:2 among you,

and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.

13The remnant # 3:13 Gn 45:7; 2Kg 19:31; Jr 23:3 of Israel will no longer

do wrong or tell lies;

a deceitful tongue will not be found

in their mouths.

They will pasture and lie down,

with nothing to make them afraid. # 3:13 Gn 42:28; Jr 50:19; Ezk 34:14; Mc 4:4; 7:14

14Sing for joy, Daughter Zion;

shout loudly, Israel!

Be glad and celebrate with all your heart,

Daughter Jerusalem!

15The Lord has removed your punishment;

he has turned back your enemy.

The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you;

you need no longer fear harm.

16On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:

“Do not fear;

Zion, do not let your hands grow weak. # 3:16 Jr 6:24; 50:43

17The Lord your God is among you,

a warrior # 3:17 Jos 1:14; Jb 16:14; Ps 78:65 who saves.

He will rejoice over you # 3:17 Dt 28:63; 30:9 with gladness.

He will be quiet # 3:17 LXX, Syr read He will renew you in his love.

He will delight in you with singing.” # 3:17 Ps 30:5

18I will gather those who have been driven # 3:18 Lm 1:4–5; 3:33

from the appointed festivals;

they will be a tribute from you # 3:18 = Jerusalem

and a reproach on her. # 3:18 Hb obscure

19Yes, at that time

I will deal with all who oppress you.

I will save the lame # 3:19 Ex 14:30 and gather the outcasts; # 3:19 Mc 4:6

I will make those who were disgraced

throughout the earth

receive praise and fame.

20At that time I will bring you # 3:20 = people of Israel back,

yes, at the time I will gather you.

I will give you fame and praise

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes # 3:20 Jb 42:10; Jr 29:14; Ezk 39:25; Hs 6:11; Jl 3:1 before your eyes.

The Lord has spoken.

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Zephaniah 3: CSB

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Tzefanyah 3

1Hoy (woe) to her that is filthy and polluted,

to the oppressing city!#3:1 i.e., Jerusalem

2She obeyed not the voice;

she received not musar (correction);

her bitachon (trust) was not in Hashem;

she drew not near to her G-d.

3Her sarim (princes) within her are roaring arayot;

her shofetim are evening wolves;

they leave nothing for the boker (morning).

4Her nevi'im are arrogant, anshei bogedot (treacherous persons);

her kohanim have profaned the kodesh,

they have done violence to the torah.#3:4 T.N. which they were ordained to faithfully observe and teach

5 Hashem Tzaddik is in the midst thereof;

He will do no injustice;

boker by boker doth Hashem dispense mishpat;

He faileth not;

but the unjust knoweth no boshet (shame).

6I have cut off the Goyim;

their towers are desolate;

I made their streets waste,

that none passeth by;

their cities are destroyed,

so that there is no ish (man), that there is no inhabitant.

7I said: Surely thou wilt fear Me,

thou wilt accept musar (correction, instruction);

so that her dwelling place should not be cut off,

despite everything for which I punished her;

but they rose early,#3:7 i.e., eagerly

and corrupted all their doings.

8Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith Hashem,

until the Yom that I rise up for a prey;

My determination is to gather the Goyim,

that I may assemble the mamlachot,

to pour upon them Mine indignation,

even all My charon af;

for kol ha'aretz (all the earth) shall be devoured

with the eish of My kina (jealousy).

9For then will I restore to the people

a safah berurah (pure language, purified lip), that they may all call upon the Shem Hashem,

to serve Him with shekhem echad (one shoulder, one accord).

10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants,

even the daughter of My dispersed,

shall bring Mine minchah.

11In that Yom shalt thou not be ashamed

for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against Me;

for then I will take away out of the midst of thee

them that rejoice in thy ga'avah (pride),

and thou shalt no more be haughty

because of My Har Hakodesh.

12I will also leave in the midst of thee

an afflicted and poor people,

and they shall take refuge in the Shem Hashem.

13The she'erit Yisroel shall not do iniquity,

nor speak lies;

neither shall a leshon tarmit (tongue of deceitfulness)

be found in their mouth;

for they shall feed and lie down,

and none shall make them afraid.

14Sing, O Bat Tziyon;

shout, O Yisroel;

be glad and rejoice with all the lev,

O Bat Yerushalayim.

15 Hashem hath taken away thy judgments,

he hath cast out thine enemy.

The Melech Yisroel, even Hashem, is in the midst of thee;

thou shalt not fear evil any more.

16In that Yom it shall be said to Yerushalayim:

Fear thou not;

and to Tziyon: Let not thine hands hang limp.

17 Hashem thy G-d in the midst of thee is gibbor;

He will save,

He will rejoice over thee with simchah;

He will quiet [you] in His ahavah (love),

He will joy over thee with singing.

18They that mourn I will gather for the mo'ed (time of the feast),

who are of thee [O Tziyon],

to whom the cherpah (reproach)#3:18 of the Golus presses upon them.#3:18 See 2C 7:10

19Hinei, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee;

and I will save her that is lame,

and gather her that was driven out;

and I will get them praise and fame

in every land of their boshet (shame).

20At that time will I bring you again,

even in the time that I gather you;

for I will make you a shem and a tehillah

among Kol Amei Ha'aretz (all the peoples of the earth),

when I turn back your captivity and restore your fortunes

before your eyes, saith Hashem.

THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE

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