1The Day of the LORD Against Judah
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
1This is the message the LORD gave to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.
2I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
2"I will completely clear away everything from the surface of the land," says the LORD.
3I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
3"I will clear away people and animals; I will clear away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, along with the stumbling blocks and the wicked people who trip over them. I will cut the human race off from the land," says the LORD.
4I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;
4"I will raise my hand against Judah and against everyone who lives in Jerusalem. I will wipe out from this place whatever is left of Baal, and the very name of the idol-priests along with the priests,
5And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
5those who bow down on their rooftops to the stars of heaven, those who bow down and swear loyalty to the LORD and at the same time swear by Malcham,
6And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.
6those who have turned their backs on the LORD, and those who never look for the LORD or ask him for anything."
7Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.
7Hush before the Lord GOD, for the day of the LORD is almost here. The LORD has made a sacrifice ready; he has set apart the guests he invited.
8And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
8"When the day of the LORD's sacrifice comes, I will punish the officials and the royal princes and everyone who dresses in foreign fashions.
9In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.
9On that same day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill their masters' houses with violence and lies.
10And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.
10On that day," says the LORD, "there will be the sound of shouting from the Fish Gate, howling from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills.
11Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.
11Howl, you who live in the Mortar, for all the merchants are finished; everyone who counts out silver is cut off.
12And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.
12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the people who sit settled like wine left on its dregs, who say to themselves, 'The LORD will neither help nor harm.'
13Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
13So their possessions will be carried off as loot and their houses left empty. They will build houses and never move in; they will plant vineyards and never taste the wine."
14The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
14The LORD's great day is close; it is close and rushing toward us. Listen, the sound of the day of the LORD! Even the strong soldier will cry out bitterly there.
15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
15That day is a day of anger, a day of hardship and distress, a day of wreckage and emptiness, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and deep shadow,
16A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
16a day of the trumpet's blast and the war-cry against the walled cities and the tall towers.
17And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
17"I will bring people such misery that they will feel their way along like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like manure."
18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
18Their silver and gold will not be able to rescue them on the day of the LORD's anger. The whole land will be eaten up by the fire of his jealousy, for he will bring a sudden and complete end to everyone who lives in the land.
2Oracles Against the Surrounding Nations
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
1Come together and gather yourselves, you nation nobody wants,
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’s anger come upon you.
2before the sentence is carried out and the day blows away like chaff, before the LORD's burning anger reaches you, before the day of the LORD's anger reaches 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’s anger.
3Look to the LORD, all you gentle people of the land who have carried out his rulings. Look for what is right; look for a humble heart. It may be that you will find a hiding place on the day of the LORD's 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.
4For Gaza will be deserted and Ashkelon left a wasteland; Ashdod will be driven out in broad daylight, and Ekron torn up by the roots.
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.
5How terrible for you who live along the seacoast, you nation of Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you: "Canaan, land of the Philistines, I will destroy you until no one is left living there."
6And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
6The seacoast will become open pasture, with huts for shepherds and pens for their 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.
7That coast will go to the survivors of the house of Judah; they will pasture their flocks there and settle down for the night in the houses of Ashkelon, for the LORD their God will come to them and bring back what they lost.
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.
8"I have heard Moab's sneering and the Ammonites' abuse, how they mocked my people and boasted against their borders.
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.
9So as surely as I am alive," says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Moab is going to end up like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a field of nettles and salt pits, a ruin for all time. What is left of my people will loot them, and the survivors of my nation will take over their land."
10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
10That is what their pride will earn them, because they sneered and boasted 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.
11The LORD will be terrifying to them, for he will starve all the gods of the earth. Then people will worship him, each from his own place, even all the far-off islands of the nations.
12Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
12"You Ethiopians too will be killed 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.
13He will reach out his hand toward the north and wipe out Assyria; he will leave Nineveh a wasteland, parched like a desert.
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.
14Flocks will lie down in the middle of her, along with animals of every kind; the pelican and the hedgehog will roost on the tops of her pillars. Their voices will sing in the window frames; ruin will sit on the doorsteps, for he will lay the cedar woodwork bare.
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.
15This is the party-loving city that felt so safe, that said to herself, "It's me, and no one else counts." How she has turned into a ruin, a bed for wild animals! Everyone who walks past hisses and waves a fist.
3Jerusalem Rebuked and Restored
📜 The old Bible words
💬 In today’s words
1Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
1How terrible for the filthy, defiled city, the city that bullies and oppresses!
2She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
2She would not listen to any voice; she would not take correction. She put no trust in the LORD; she never came close to her God.
3Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
3Her leaders in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are wolves at dusk that don't save a bone until morning.
4Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
4Her prophets are careless show-offs who can't be trusted; her priests have made the holy place unclean and handled the law with violence.
5The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
5The LORD in her midst is just; he does no wrong. Each morning he brings his justice into the open; he does not miss a day. Yet the unjust know no shame.
6I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
6"I have cut off nations; their corner towers are in ruins. I have emptied their streets so that no one passes through; their cities are destroyed, with no one left, not a single person living there.
7I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
7I said, 'Surely you will fear me now; you will accept correction.' Then her home would not be cut off, no matter how I had punished them. But they got up early to make all their deeds corrupt."
8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
8"So wait for me," says the LORD, "wait for the day I rise up to take the spoil. I have made up my mind to gather the nations and bring the kingdoms together, so I can pour out on them my fury, every bit of my burning anger. The whole earth will be swallowed up by the fire of my jealousy.
9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
9Then I will give the peoples pure lips, so that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him together as one.
10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, the people who pray to me, the daughter of my scattered ones, will bring me an offering.
11In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
11On that day you will not feel shame for all the ways you rebelled against me, because then I will remove from among you those who gloat in their pride, and you will never again be arrogant on my holy mountain.
12I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
12But I will leave among you a people who are lowly and poor, and they will find their safety in the name of the LORD.
13The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
13The survivors of Israel will not act wickedly or speak falsehood; no lying tongue will be found among them. They will graze and rest like a flock, and nobody will frighten them."
14Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
14Sing out, daughter of Zion! Raise a shout, Israel! Be glad and celebrate with your whole heart, daughter of Jerusalem!
15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
15The LORD has lifted the sentence against you; he has thrown out your enemy. The king of Israel, the LORD himself, is right there among you; you will not see trouble again.
16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
16On that day Jerusalem will be told, "Don't be afraid," and Zion, "Don't let your hands go slack."
17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
17The LORD your God is there in the middle of you, mighty to save. He will be glad over you with real joy; he will rest content in his love; he will celebrate over you with singing.
18I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
18"I will gather those of you who grieve because they cannot keep the appointed feasts; the shame of it weighed on them like a burden.
19Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
19Watch: at that time I will put an end to everyone who mistreated you. I will save the one who limps and bring back the one who was chased away, and I will win them praise and a good name in every land where they were humiliated.
20At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.
20At that time I will bring you back, at the very time I gather you in. I will make you famous and admired among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back what you lost right in front of your eyes," says the LORD.