Zephaniah 2
2
Turn to the Lord
1You disgraceful nation,
gather around,
2before it's too late.
The Lord has set a time
when his fierce anger
will strike like a storm
and sweep you away.
3If you humbly obey the Lord,
then come and worship him.
If you do right and are humble,
perhaps you will be safe
on that day when the Lord
turns loose his anger.
Judgment on Philistia
4 #
Is 14.29-31; Jr 47.1-7; Ez 25.15-17; Jl 3.4-8; Am 1.6-8; Zec 9.5-7. Gaza and Ashkelon
will be deserted
and left in ruins.
Ashdod will be emptied
in broad daylight,
and Ekron#2.4 Gaza … Ekron: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (not mentioned because it was already destroyed) were the five major Philistine towns. uprooted.
5To you people of Philistia#2.5 people of Philistia: The Hebrew text also mentions “Canaan” and “Cherethites,” which are other ways of referring to the Philistines.
who live along the coast,
the Lord has this to say:
“I am now your enemy,
and I'll wipe you out!”
6Your seacoast will be changed
into pastureland
and sheep pens.#2.6 pens: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
7The Lord God hasn't forgotten
those survivors in Judah,
and he will help them—
his people will take your land
to use for pasture.
And when evening comes,
they will rest
in houses at Ashkelon.#2.7 Ashkelon: A Philistine town; see the note at 2.4.
Judgment on Moab and Ammon
* 8#Is 15.1—16.14; 25.10-12; Jr 48.1-47; Ez 25.8-11; Am 1.13-15; Jr 49.1-6; Ez 21.28-32; 25.1-7; Am 1.13-15. The Lord All-Powerful,
the God of Israel, said:
I've heard Moab and Ammon
insult my people
and threaten their nation.#2.8 threaten their nation: Or “boast about their own nation.”
9 #
Gn 19.24. And so, I swear by my very life
that Moab and Ammon will end up
like Sodom and Gomorrah—
covered with thornbushes
and salt pits forever.
Then my people who survive
will take their land.
10This is how Moab and Ammon
will at last be repaid
for their pride—
and for sneering at the nation
that belongs to me,
the Lord All-Powerful.
11I will fiercely attack.
Then every god on this earth
will shrink to nothing,
and everyone of every nation
will bow down to me,
right where they are.
Judgment on Ethiopia
12 #
Is 18.1-7. People of Ethiopia,#2.12 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has “Cush,” which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
the sword of the Lord
will slaughter you!
Judgment on Assyria
13 #
Is 10.5-34; 14.24-27; Nh 1.1—3.19. The Lord will reach to the north
to crush Assyria
and overthrow Nineveh.#2.13 Nineveh: The capital of Assyria; Nineveh was protected by a moat filled with water from the nearby Tigris River.
14Herds of wild animals
will live in its rubble;
all kinds of desert owls
will perch on its stones
and hoot in the windows.
Noisy ravens will be heard
inside its buildings,
stripped bare of cedar.#2.14 stripped … cedar: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
15This is the glorious city
that felt secure and said,
“I am the only one!”
Now it's merely ruins,
a home for wild animals.
Every passerby simply sneers
and makes vulgar signs.
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Zephaniah 2: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Zephaniah 2
2
The Doom of the Surrounding Nations
1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; 2before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. 3Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. 4#Isa 14.29-31; Jer 47.1-7; Ezek 25.15-17; Joel 3.4-8; Amos 1.6-8; Zech 9.5-7. For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ash´kelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5Woe unto the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cher´ethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6And the seacoast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ash´kelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
8 #
Isa 15.1—16.14; 25.10-12; Jer 48.1-47; Ezek 25.8-11; Amos 2.1-3. #
Jer 49.1-6; Ezek 21.28-32; 25.1-7; Amos 1.13-15. I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9#Gen 19.24. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomor´rah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts. 11The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
12 #
Isa 18.1-7. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13#Isa 10.5-34; 14.24-27; Nah 1.1—3.19. And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nin´eveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. 14And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work. 15This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.