Zephaniah 2

1 Gather your selues, euen gather you, O nation not worthie to be loued,

Come together, yes, gather together, you worthless nation—

2 Before the decree come foorth, and ye be as chaffe that passeth in a day, and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come vpon you, and before the day of the Lords anger come vpon you.

before the decree is issued, before you wither and die like a flower, before the burning anger of the Lord falls on you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes on you.

3 Seeke yee the Lord all the meeke of the earth, which haue wrought his iudgement: seeke righteousnesse, seeke lowlinesse, if so bee that ye may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath.

Look to the Lord, all you people of the land who are humble and who follow his commands. Look to do what is right; look to live in humility. Perhaps you will be protected on the day of the Lord's anger.

4 For Azzah shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon desolate: they shall driue out Ashdod at the noone day, and Ekron shalbe rooted vp.

Gaza will be abandoned, Ashkelon will become desolate, Ashdod will be emptied by noon, Ekron will be ripped up.

5 Wo vnto the inhabitants of the sea coast. the nation of the Cherethims, the worde of the Lord is against you: O Canaan, the lande of the Philistims, I will euen destroye thee without an inhabitant.

What disaster is coming to you Philistines, you sea-people who live along the coast and in the land of Canaan! The Lord has passed judgment on you. I will destroy you—there will be no survivors.

6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cotages for shepheardes and sheepefoldes.

Your seacoast will become pastures, with meadows for shepherds and sheep pens for flocks.

7 And that coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Iudah, to feede thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lodge toward night: for the Lord their God shall visite them, and turne away their captiuitie.

It will belong to those who remain of the people of Judah. They will graze their flocks there, and the shepherds will sleep in the abandoned houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord their God will be with them and make them prosperous again.

8 I haue heard the reproch of Moab, and the rebukes of the children of Ammon, whereby they vpbraided my people, and magnified themselues against their borders.

I have heard the mocking taunts of the Moabites and the scornful derision of the Ammonites who have insulted my people and made threats against their territory.

9 Therefore, as I liue, saith the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall bee as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorah, euen the breeding of nettels and salt pittes, and a perpetuall desolation: the residue of my folke shall spoyle them, and the remnant of my people shall possesse them.

Consequently, as I live, declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, the Moabites will become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah. Their land will become a place of weeds and salt pits and ruins forever. Those who remain of my people will plunder them and occupy their land.

10 This shall they haue for their pride, because they haue reproched and magnified themselues against the Lord of hostes people.

This is what they will receive for their pride because they mocked and threatened the people of the Lord Almighty.

11 The Lord will be terrible vnto them: for he wil consume all the gods of the earth, and euery man shall worship him from his place, euen all the yles of the heathen.

The Lord will make them terribly afraid as he starves to death all the gods of the land. Every nation will worship the Lord wherever they are—all around the world.

12 Ye Morians also shalbe slaine by my sword with them.

You Ethiopians will be killed by the sword.

13 And he wil stretch out his hand against the North, and destroy Asshur, and will make Nineueh desolate, and waste like a wildernesse.

The Lord will strike the Assyrians in the north and destroy them. He will make Nineveh desolate, a dry wasteland like the desert.

14 And flockes shall lie in the middes of her, and all the beastes of the nations, and the pelicane, and the owle shall abide in the vpper postes of it: the voyce of birdes shall sing in the windowes, and desolations shalbe vpon the postes: for the cedars are vncouered.

Herds will lie down in the middle of the city. It will become the home for every kind of wild animal. Eagle owls and screech owls will roost on its columns. Their calls will echo through the windows. Rubble will block the doors, and the cedar woodwork will be exposed.

15 This is the reioycing citie that dwelt carelesse, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she made waste, and the lodging of the beastes! euery one that passeth by her, shall hisse and wagge his hand.

This is what will happen to this triumphant city that thought it was so secure. “Look at me!” it said proudly to itself. “There is no city as great as me!” But it has become a desolate place—just a home for wild animals. Everyone who passes by will point their finger and laugh in derision.