Zephaniah 3
1 Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!
Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,
2 She heeded no voice; she accepted no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God.
She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
3 Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.
Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,
4 Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.
5 The 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.
The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But 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.
“I have cut off nations, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.”
7 I 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.
I said: “Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.”
8 Therefore 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.
Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be consumed.
9 For 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.
For then I will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering.
From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.
11 On 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.
On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.
12 But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.
But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The 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.”
They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
14 Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The 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.
The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear evil no more.
16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!
17 The 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.”
The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult 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.
as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.
19 Behold, 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.
I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.
20 At 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,”
I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.
