Zephaniah 2

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

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

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 as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yhwh come upon you, before the day of Yhwh'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 ye Yhwh, 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 Yhwh'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 Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, 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 Yhwh is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even 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 dwellings and cottages 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 thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for Yhwh their God shall visit them, and turn away 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, whereby 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 Yhwh of Armies, 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.

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 Yhwh of Armies.

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.

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

Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by 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, and dry like a 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 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.

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 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.