Zephaniah 1

The Coming Judgment on Judah

1 The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, during the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.

2 “I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

3 “I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem

4 “I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against everyone living in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place the last trace of Baal, the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,

5 those who bow down on the rooftops to worship the stars, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,

6 those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor ask for Him.”

The Day of the LORD Is Near

7 Be silent before the Lord GOD, because the day of the LORD is near. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has set apart His guests.

8 “On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the officials, the king’s sons, and all who dress in foreign clothes.

9 On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, those who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.

10 On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will come from the Fish Gate, wailing from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills.

11 Wail, you who live in the market district, because all the merchants will be wiped out, all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are settled in complacency, who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good or evil.’

13 Their wealth will be plundered, their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.”

The Great Day of the LORD

14 The great day of the LORD is near, near and coming quickly. The sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the warrior cries out there.

15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and trouble, a day of destruction and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified cities and against the high corner towers.

17 “I will bring such distress on people that they will walk like the blind because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath.” In the fire of His jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, because He will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth.