1Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, (Jer 6:15)2before the decree takes effect[1] —before the day passes away like chaff— before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord. (2Ki 23:26; Ps 1:4; Zep 3:8)3Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands;[2] seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord. (Ps 76:9; Isa 2:10; Isa 11:4; Isa 26:20; Am 5:6; Am 5:14)4For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted. (Jer 47:5; Am 1:6; Zec 9:5)5Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left. (Jos 13:3; 1Sa 30:14; Jer 47:7; Eze 25:16; Na 2:13; Zep 3:6)6And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows[3] for shepherds and folds for flocks. (Isa 65:10; Zep 2:7)7The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes. (Jos 19:29; Ob 1:19; Zep 2:6; Zep 3:13; Zep 3:20; Zec 10:3; Lu 1:68)8“I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory. (Jer 48:27; Jer 49:1; Eze 25:3; Eze 25:6)9Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.” (De 29:23; Isa 13:19; Isa 49:18; Eze 16:48)10This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts. (Isa 16:6)11The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations. (Ge 10:5; Ps 22:27; Isa 17:4)12You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword. (Zep 3:10)13And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert. (Isa 10:12; Na 3:7)14Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts;[4] even the owl and the hedgehog[5] shall lodge in her capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare. (Isa 13:21; Isa 34:11; Isa 34:14; Jer 22:14)15This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist. (Isa 47:8; Jer 19:8; Eze 25:5; Na 3:19)
Zephaniah 2
New International Version
Judah and Jerusalem judged along with the nations
Judah summoned to repent
1Gather together, gather yourselves together, you shameful nation,2before the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you.3Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.
Philistia
4Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied and Ekron uprooted.5Woe to you who live by the sea, you Kerethite people; the word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines. He says, ‘I will destroy you, and none will be left.’6The land by the sea will become pastures having wells for shepherds and sheepfolds for flocks.7That land will belong to the remnant of the people of Judah; there they will find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The Lord their God will care for them; he will restore their fortunes.[1]
Moab and Ammon
8‘I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land.9Therefore, as surely as I live,’ declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, ‘surely Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah – a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland for ever. The remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.’10This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the Lord Almighty.11The Lord will be awesome to them when he destroys all the gods of the earth. Distant nations will bow down to him, all of them in their own lands.12‘You Cushites,[2] too, will be slain by my sword.’
Cush Assyria
13He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, leaving Nineveh utterly desolate and dry as the desert.14Flocks and herds will lie down there, creatures of every kind. The desert owl and the screech owl will roost on her columns. Their hooting will echo through the windows, rubble will fill the doorways, the beams of cedar will be exposed.15This is the city of revelry that lived in safety. She said to herself, ‘I am the one! And there is none besides me.’ What a ruin she has become, a lair for wild beasts! All who pass by her scoff and shake their fists.
Zephaniah 2
King James Version
1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;2Before 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' anger come upon you.3Seek 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' anger.4For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.5Woe 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.6And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.7And 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.8I 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.9Therefore 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.10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.11The 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.12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.14And 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.15This 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.
Zephaniah 2
New International Reader’s Version
The Lord will judge Judah and Jerusalem along with the nations
God calls Judah to turn away from their sins
1Gather together, you shameful nation of Judah! Gather yourselves together!2Come together before the LORD’s judgment arrives. The day of the LORD’s judgment will sweep in like straw blown by the wind. Soon the LORD’s great anger will come against you. The day of his wrath will come against you.3So look to him, all you people in the land who worship him faithfully. You always do what he commands you to do. Continue to do what is right. Don’t be proud. Then perhaps the LORD will keep you safe on the day he pours out his anger on the world.
A message about Philistia
4Gaza will be deserted. Ashkelon will be destroyed. Ashdod will be emptied out at noon. Ekron will be pulled up by its roots.5How terrible it will be for you Kerethites who live by the Mediterranean Sea! Philistia, the LORD has spoken against you. What happened to Canaan will happen to you. The LORD says, ‘I will destroy you. No one will be left.’6The land by the sea will become grasslands. It will have wells for shepherds and pens for flocks.7That land will belong to those who are still left alive among the people of Judah. They will find grasslands there. They will take over the houses in Ashkelon and live in them. The LORD their God will take care of them. He will bless them with great success again.
A message about Moab and Ammon
8The LORD says, ‘I have heard Moab make fun of my people. The Ammonites also laughed at them. They told them that bad things would happen to their land.9So Moab will become like Sodom,’ announces the LORD who rules over all. ‘Ammon will be like Gomorrah. Weeds and salt pits will cover those countries. They will be dry and empty deserts for ever. Those who are still left alive among my people will take all their valuable things. So they will receive those lands as their own. And that is just as sure as I am alive.’ The LORD is the God of Israel.10Moab and Ammon will be judged because they are so proud. They made fun of the LORD’s people. They laughed at them.11The LORD who rules over all will terrify Moab and Ammon. He will destroy all the gods on earth. Then distant nations will bow down to him. All of them will serve him in their own lands.12The LORD says, ‘People of Cush, you too will die by my sword.’
A message about Cush A message about Assyria
13The LORD will reach out his powerful hand against the north. He will destroy Assyria. He’ll leave Nineveh totally empty. It will be as dry as a desert.14Flocks and herds will lie down there. So will creatures of every kind. Desert owls and screech owls will rest on its pillars. The sound of their hooting will echo through the windows. The doorways will be full of rubble. The cedar beams will be showing.15Nineveh was a carefree city. It lived in safety. It said to itself, ‘I am the one! No one is greater than I am.’ But it has been destroyed. Wild animals make their home there. All those who pass by laugh and shake their fists at it.