I will sweep away people and animals;(A)
I will sweep away the birds of the sky
and the fish of the sea,
and the ruins[a] along with the wicked.(B)
I will cut off mankind
from the face of the earth.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will stretch out my hand(C) against Judah
and against all the residents of Jerusalem.
I will cut off every vestige of Baal(D)
from this place,
the names of the pagan priests(E)
along with the priests;
those who bow in worship on the rooftops(F)
to the stars in the sky;
those who bow and pledge loyalty to the Lord(G)
but also pledge loyalty to Milcom;[b](H)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:3 Perhaps objects connected with idolatry
  2. 1:5 Some LXX mss, Syr, Vg; MT, other LXX mss read their king

“I will sweep away both man and beast;(A)
    I will sweep away the birds in the sky(B)
    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,”(C)
declares the Lord,(D)
“I will stretch out my hand(E) against Judah
    and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,(F)
    the very names of the idolatrous priests(G)
those who bow down on the roofs
    to worship the starry host,(H)
those who bow down and swear by the Lord
    and who also swear by Molek,[b](I)

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 1:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  2. Zephaniah 1:5 Hebrew Malkam

I 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.

I 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;

And 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;

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