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The Devar Hashem which came unto Tzephanyah ben Cushi, ben Gedalyah, ben Amaryah, ben Chizkiyah, in the yamim of Yoshiyahu (Josiah) ben Amon, Melech Yehudah.

I will utterly sweep away all things from off the adamah, saith Hashem.

I will sweep away Adam (humankind) and Behemah (beast, animal, cattle); I will sweep away Oph HaShomayim (Birds of the Air) and the Dagim of HaYam (Fish of the Sea), and the michsholim (stumbling blocks, what causes to fall into sin) with the resha’im; and I will cut off adam from off the adamah, saith Hashem.

I will also stretch out Mine hand against Yehudah, and against all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim; and I will cut off from this place the she’ar HaBa’al (remnant of Baal), and the shem (name) of the Kemarim (the idolatrous priests; see 2Kgs 23:5) with the [idolatrous] kohanim;

And those that worship the Tz’va HaShomayim (Army of Heaven, star g-ds) upon the rooftops; and those that worship and that swear [oaths] by Hashem, but also swear by Milcom (i.e., Their King [Baal]);

And those that turned back from following Hashem; and those that have not sought Hashem, nor inquired of Him.

Hold thy peace (keep silent) at the presence of Adonai Hashem: for the Yom Hashem is at hand; for Hashem hath prepared a zevach (sacrifice), Hashem hath consecrated His guests [i.e., made HaKeru’im (the Invited ones) of Him His Mequddashim, Consecrated ones, i.e., the nations set apart to consume His apostate people, see Yeshayah 13:3].

And it shall come to pass in the Yom Zevach Hashem, that I will punish the sarim (princes), and Bnei HaMelech, and all such as are clothed with malbush nochri (foreign apparel).

In the same Yom also will I visit to punish all those that leap over the threshold [See 1 Sm 5:5], which fill their masters’ batim (houses) with chamas (violence) and mirmah (deceit).

10 And it shall come to pass in that Yom, saith Hashem, that there shall be the noise of a cry from Sha’ar HaDagim, and a wail from the Second Quarter of the city, and a loud crash from the hills.

11 Howl, ye inhabitants of HaMakhtesh [a locality in Yerushalayim], for all the merchants are cut down; all they that weigh out kesef are cut off.

12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Yerushalayim with nerot (lamps), and visit to punish the [proud] men that are [complacently] settled on their lees [wine dregs]; that say in their lev, Hashem will not do tov, neither will Hashem do rah.

13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their batim a desolation; they shall also build batim, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant kramim (vineyards), but not drink the yayin thereof.

14 The Yom Hashem HaGadol is near, near and hastening quickly; the sound of the Yom Hashem is mar (bitter); there the gibbor (mighty man, warrior) cries aloud.

15 That Yom is a Yom Evrah (day of wrath), a Yom Tzarah and Metzukah (a day of trouble and distress, pressure), a Yom of Sho’ah (catastrophe) and Meshoah (desolation), a Yom of Choshech and Afelah (gloom), a Yom of Anan and Arafel (thick darkness),

16 A Yom of the Shofar and Teruah (battle cry) against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements.

17 And I will bring distress upon adam, that they shall walk like ivrim, because they have sinned against Hashem; and their dahm shall be poured out like dust, and their bowels like dung.

18 Neither their kesef nor their zahav shall be able to save them in the Yom Evrat Hashem (Day of Hashem’s Wrath); but kol ha’aretz (the whole earth) shall be devoured by the eish of Hashem’s kina (jealousy, zeal, passion); for He shall make a complete end, a terrible end, of kol yoshvei ha’aretz (all them that dwell on the earth).

The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah(A) son of Amon(B) king of Judah:

Judgment on the Whole Earth in the Day of the Lord

“I will sweep away everything
    from the face of the earth,”(C)
declares the Lord.
“I will sweep away both man and beast;(D)
    I will sweep away the birds in the sky(E)
    and the fish in the sea—
    and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”[a]

“When I destroy all mankind
    on the face of the earth,”(F)
declares the Lord,(G)
“I will stretch out my hand(H) against Judah
    and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,(I)
    the very names of the idolatrous priests(J)
those who bow down on the roofs
    to worship the starry host,(K)
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
    and who also swear by Molek,[b](L)
those who turn back from following(M) the Lord
    and neither seek(N) the Lord nor inquire(O) of him.”

Be silent(P) before the Sovereign Lord,
    for the day of the Lord(Q) is near.
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;(R)
    he has consecrated those he has invited.

“On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice
    I will punish(S) the officials
    and the king’s sons(T)
and all those clad
    in foreign clothes.
On that day I will punish
    all who avoid stepping on the threshold,[c](U)
who fill the temple of their gods
    with violence and deceit.(V)

10 “On that day,(W)
    declares the Lord,
“a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,(X)
    wailing(Y) from the New Quarter,
    and a loud crash from the hills.
11 Wail,(Z) you who live in the market district[d];
    all your merchants will be wiped out,
    all who trade with[e] silver will be destroyed.(AA)
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
    and punish those who are complacent,(AB)
    who are like wine left on its dregs,(AC)
who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing,(AD)
    either good or bad.’(AE)
13 Their wealth will be plundered,(AF)
    their houses demolished.
Though they build houses,
    they will not live in them;
though they plant vineyards,
    they will not drink the wine.”(AG)

14 The great day of the Lord(AH) is near(AI)
    near and coming quickly.
The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter;
    the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
15 That day will be a day of wrath—
    a day of distress and anguish,
        a day of trouble and ruin,
    a day of darkness(AJ) and gloom,
        a day of clouds and blackness(AK)
16     a day of trumpet and battle cry(AL)
against the fortified cities
    and against the corner towers.(AM)

17 “I will bring such distress(AN) on all people
    that they will grope about like those who are blind,(AO)
    because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out(AP) like dust
    and their entrails like dung.(AQ)
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
    will be able to save them
    on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”(AR)

In the fire of his jealousy(AS)
    the whole earth will be consumed,(AT)
for he will make a sudden end
    of all who live on the earth.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 1:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  2. Zephaniah 1:5 Hebrew Malkam
  3. Zephaniah 1:9 See 1 Samuel 5:5.
  4. Zephaniah 1:11 Or the Mortar
  5. Zephaniah 1:11 Or in