1A message from the LORD came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi. Cushi was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of King Hezekiah. The LORD spoke to Zephaniah during the rule of Josiah. He was king of Judah and the son of Amon.
The Lord will judge the whole world
2‘I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,’ announces the LORD.3‘I will destroy people and animals alike. I will wipe out the birds in the sky and the fish in the waters. I will destroy the statues of gods that cause evil people to sin. That will happen when I destroy all human beings on the face of the earth,’ announces the LORD.4‘I will reach out my powerful hand against Judah. I will punish all those who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy from this place what is left of Baal worship. The priests who serve other gods will be removed.5I will destroy those who bow down on their roofs to worship all the stars. I will destroy those who make promises not only in my name but also in the name of Molek.6I will destroy those who stop following the LORD. They no longer look to him or ask him for advice.7Be silent in front of him. He is the LORD and King. The day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice. He has set apart for himself the people he has invited.8When the LORD’s sacrifice is ready to be offered, I will punish the officials and the king’s sons. I will also judge all those who follow the practices of other nations.9At that time I will punish all those who worship other gods. They fill the temples of their gods with lies and other harmful things.10‘At that time people at the Fish Gate in Jerusalem will cry out,’ announces the LORD. ‘So will those at the New Quarter. The buildings on the hills will come crashing down with a loud noise.11Cry out, you who live in the market places. All your merchants will be wiped out. Those who trade in silver will be destroyed.12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish those who are so contented. They are like wine that has not been shaken up. They think, “The LORD won’t do anything. He won’t do anything good or bad.”13Their wealth will be stolen. Their houses will be destroyed. They will build houses. But they will not live in them. They will plant vineyards. But they will not drink the wine they produce.14The great day of the LORD is near. In fact, it is coming quickly. The cries on that day are bitter. The Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.15At that time I will pour out my anger. There will be great suffering and pain. It will be a day of horrible trouble. It will be a time of darkness and gloom. It will be filled with the blackest clouds.16Trumpet blasts and battle cries will be heard. Soldiers will attack cities that have forts and corner towers.17I will bring great trouble on all people. So they will feel their way around like blind people. They have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust. Their bodies will lie rotting on the ground.18Their silver and gold won’t save them on the day the LORD pours out his anger. The whole earth will be burned when his jealous anger blazes out. Everyone who lives on earth will come to a sudden end.’
Zephaniah 1
English Standard Version
1The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. (2Ki 22:1; Jer 1:2)
The Coming Judgment on Judah
2“I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. (2Ki 22:16; Jer 8:13; Zep 1:18)3“I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble[1] with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. (Eze 7:19; Eze 14:17; Ho 4:3)4“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, (2Ki 23:4)5those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,[2] (1Ki 11:5; 1Ki 11:33; 1Ki 18:21; 2Ki 17:33; 2Ki 17:41; Jer 19:13)6those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.” (Jer 2:13; Jer 2:17; Jer 5:24; Jer 15:6; Heb 11:6)
The Day of the Lord Is Near
7Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. (1Sa 16:5; Isa 34:6; Jer 46:10; Eze 39:17; Eze 39:19; Joe 1:15; Hab 2:20; Zep 1:14)8And on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice— “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. (2Ki 24:12; 2Ki 24:14; 2Ki 25:7; Mt 22:11)9On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s[3] house with violence and fraud. (1Sa 5:5)10“On that day,” declares the Lord, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills. (2Ki 22:14; 2Ch 33:14; Zec 11:3)11Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders[4] are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off. (Zec 11:2; Jas 5:1)12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent,[5] those who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ (Ps 94:7; Jer 48:11; Eze 8:12; Am 6:1; Am 9:3; Mal 2:17; Mal 3:14)13Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.” (Isa 42:22; Am 5:11; Mic 6:15)14The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. (Isa 33:7; Eze 7:7; Eze 7:12; Zep 1:7)15A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, (Job 30:3; Joe 1:15; Joe 2:2)16a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. (Isa 2:15; Jer 4:19)17I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. (De 28:29; Ps 79:3; Ps 83:10; Isa 59:10; Jer 10:18)18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. (Pr 11:4; Eze 7:19; Eze 36:5; Zep 1:2; Zep 3:8)