Zephaniah 2

1 Bend yourselves, indeed, bend, O nation not desired,

Collect yourselves and gather together, O nation without shame,

2 Before the bringing forth of a statute, The day has passed on as chaff, While the heat of the anger of YHWH has not yet come in on you, While [the] Day of the anger of YHWH has not yet come in on you,

before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass away as chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you.

3 Seek YHWH, all you humble of the land, Who have done His judgment, Seek righteousness, seek humility, It may be you are hidden in the Day of the anger of YHWH.

Seek Jehovah, all ye meek of the land, who have performed his ordinance; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.

4 For Gaza is forsaken, And Ashkelon [is] for a desolation, Ashdod! At noon they cast her forth, And Ekron is rooted up.

For Gazah shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon shall be a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

5 Behold! O inhabitants of the seacoast, Nation of the Cherethites, A word of YHWH [is] against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines, “And I have destroyed you without an inhabitant.”

Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant;

6 And the seacoast has been habitations, Cottages [for] shepherds, and folds [for] a flock.

and the sea-coast shall be cave-dwellings for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

7 And the coast has been for the remnant of the house of Judah, By them they have pleasure, In houses of Ashkelon they lie down at evening, For their God YHWH inspects them, And He has turned back [to] their captivity.

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

8 “I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, With which they reproached My people, And magnify [themselves] against their border.

I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

9 Therefore, [as] I live,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel, “Surely Moab is as Sodom, And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, An overrunning of nettles and salt-pits, And a desolation for all time. A remnant of My people seizes them, And a remnant of My nation inherits them.”

Therefore, [as] I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them.

10 This [is] to them for their arrogancy, Because they have reproached, And they magnify [themselves] against the people of YHWH of Hosts.

This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.

11 Fearful [is] YHWH against them, For He made all gods of the land bare, And all islanders of the nations bow themselves to Him, Each from his place.

Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and all the isles of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place.

12 “Also you, O Cushim, they [are] pierced of My sword.”

Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be the slain of my sword.

13 And He stretches His hand against the north, And destroys Asshur, And He sets Nineveh for a desolation, A dry land like a wilderness.

And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, a place of drought like the wilderness.

14 And droves have crouched in her midst, Every beast of the nation, Both pelican and hedgehog lodge in her knobs, A voice sings at the window, “Destruction [is] at the threshold, For the cedar-work is exposed.”

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the crowd of beasts; both the pelican and the bittern shall lodge in the chapiters thereof; a voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be on the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar work.

15 This [is] the exulting city that is dwelling confidently, That is saying in her heart, “I [am], and there is none beside me,” How she has been for a desolation, A crouching-place for beasts, Everyone passing by her hisses, He shakes his hand!

This is the rejoicing city that dwelt in security, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none else beside me: how is she become a desolation, a couching-place for beasts! Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, shall wave his hand.