Zephaniah 2

1 You people [of Judah] who ought to be ashamed, gather together [DOU].

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

2 Yahweh is extremely angry with you, [so gather together now], before it is time for him to punish [MTY] you and blow you away like [SIM] [the wind blows away] chaff.

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 All you people in Judah who are humble, worship Yahweh, and obey what he has commanded. Try to do what is right and to be humble. [If you do that], perhaps Yahweh will protect/spare you on the day when he punishes [MTY] people.

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 [When Yahweh punishes Philistia], Gaza and Ashkelon [cities] will be deserted/abandoned. Ashdod [city] will be attacked and the people expelled at noon [when people are resting]; the [people of Ekron city] will [also] be driven out.

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

5 And terrible things will happen to you people of Philistia who live near the sea, because Yahweh has decided [MTY] that he will punish [MTY] you, [also]. He will get rid of all of you; not one person will (survive/remain alive).

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 The land [of Philistia] near the sea will become a pasture, a place for shepherds and their sheep pens.

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

7 The people of Judah who (survive/are still alive) will possess that land. At night they will sleep in the [deserted] houses in Ashkelon. Yahweh will take care of them; he will enable them to prosper again.

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 The Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israeli people [belong], says [this]: “I have heard the people of Moab and Ammon when they insulted [DOU] my people, and when they said that they would conquer my people’s country.

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 So now, [as surely] as I live, [I will destroy] Moab and Ammon like [SIM] [I destroyed] Gomorrah [city]. Their land will be a place were there are nettles and salt pits; it will be ruined forever. My Israeli people who survive will take away all their valuable possessions and [also] occupy their land.”

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 The people of Moab and Ammon will get what they deserve for being proud, because they made fun of the people who belong to the Commander of the armies of angels.

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

11 Yahweh will cause them to be terrified [when] he destroys all the gods of their countries. Then [even the people who live on] islands throughout the world will worship Yahweh, each in their own countries.

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 [Yahweh says that] he will also slaughter the people of Ethiopia.

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

13 Yahweh will punish [IDM] and destroy Assyria, [that land] northeast of us. He will cause [its capital] Nineveh to become ruined and deserted, a place that will be as dry as the desert.

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

14 [Flocks of sheep and] herds [of cattle] and many kinds of wild animals will lie down there. Owls and crows will sit on the columns/pillars [of the destroyed buildings], and they will (hoot/cry out) through the windows. There will be rubble in the doorways, and the [valuable] cedar boards will be taken [from the ruined houses].

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 [The people of] Nineveh were [previously] happy and proud, thinking that they were very safe. They were [always] saying, “Our city is the greatest city; there is no city as great as ours!” But now it will become a ruins, a place where wild animals make their dens. And everyone who passes by there will hiss [and scorn/ridicule that city], and shake their fists [to show that they detest that city very much].

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.