Zephaniah 2

1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

Search yourselves; yea, search, O nation without shame!

2 Before 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.

Before the decree bring forth, Before the day come upon you like chaff; Before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, Before the day of the anger of Jehovah come upon you.

3 Seek 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.

Seek ye Jehovah, all ye lowly of the land, Ye, who obey his commands! Seek righteousness; seek lowliness; It may be that ye shall be hid in the day of the anger of Jehovah.

4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

For Gaza shall be forsaken, And Askelon a desolation; Ashdod shall be driven out at noonday, And Ekron shall be rooted up.

5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! 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.

Woe to the inhabitants of the sea-coasts, the nation of the Cherethites! This is the word of Jehovah against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.”

6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings [and] cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

And the sea-coast shall be pastures full of habitations for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.

The coast shall be for the residue of the house of Judah; Thereon shall they feed; In the houses of Askelon shall they lie down in the evening; For Jehovah their God will look upon them, and bring back their captives.

8 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.

I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, With which they have reproached my people, And exalted themselves against their borders.

9 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 Gomorrah, [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.

Therefore, as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall be as Sodom, And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, A possession for thorns, and a pit for salt, and a perpetual desolation. The residue of my people shall spoil them, And the remainder of my nation shall possess them.

10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified [themselves] against the people of the LORD of hosts.

This shall come upon them for their pride, Because they have uttered reproaches, and exalted themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.

11 The 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.

Jehovah will be terrible against them; For he will destroy all the gods of the earth; And before him shall worship, every one from his place, All the islands of the nations.

12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye [shall be] slain by my sword.

Ye, also, O Ethiopians! Ye shall be slain by my sword!

13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, [and] dry like a wilderness.

He will also stretch out his hand against the North, And destroy Assyria, And make Nineveh a desolation, Even dry like a desert.

14 And 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.

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, Yea, all the tribes of wild beasts; The pelican and the hedgehog shall lodge in the capitals of her pillars; A cry shall resound in the window; Desolation shall be upon the threshold; For her cedar-work shall be laid bare.

15 This [is] the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I [am], and [there is] none beside 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.

This is the rejoicing city that dwelt in security, That said in her heart, “I, and none besides me!” Now is she become a desolation, a resting-place for wild beasts! Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.