Zephaniah 2:9–13

9 Therefore, as surely as I live,”

declares the Lord Almighty,

the God of Israel,

“surely Moab will become like Sodom,

the Ammonites like Gomorrah—

a place of weeds and salt pits,

a wasteland forever.

The remnant of my people will plunder them;

the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.”

10 This is what they will get in return for their pride,

for insulting and mocking

the people of the Lord Almighty.

11 The Lord will be awesome to them

when he destroys all the gods of the earth.

Distant nations will bow down to him,

all of them in their own lands.

12 “You Cushites, too,

will be slain by my sword.”

13 He will stretch out his hand against the north

and destroy Assyria,

leaving Nineveh utterly desolate

and dry as the desert.

9 Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts,

the God of Israel,

“Moab shall become like Sodom,

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah,

a land possessed by nettles and salt pits,

and a waste forever.

The remnant of my people shall plunder them,

and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.”

10 This shall be their lot in return for their pride,

because they taunted and boasted

against the people of the Lord of hosts.

11 The Lord will be awesome against them;

for he will famish all the gods of the earth,

and to him shall bow down,

each in its place,

all the lands of the nations.

12 You also, O Cushites,

shall be slain by my sword.

13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north

and destroy Assyria,

and he will make Nineveh a desolation,

a dry waste like the desert.

9 Therefore 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.

10 This shall they have for their pride,

Because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.

11 The 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.

12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria;

And will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.

9 Now, as surely as I live,”

says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel,

“Moab and Ammon will be destroyed—

destroyed as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah.

Their land will become a place of stinging nettles,

salt pits, and eternal desolation.

The remnant of my people will plunder them

and take their land.”

10 They will receive the wages of their pride,

for they have scoffed at the people of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

11 The Lord will terrify them

as he destroys all the gods in the land.

Then nations around the world will worship the Lord,

each in their own land.

12 “You Ethiopians will also be slaughtered

by my sword,” says the Lord.

13 And the Lord will strike the lands of the north with his fist,

destroying the land of Assyria.

He will make its great capital, Nineveh, a desolate wasteland,

parched like a desert.

9 Therefore, as I live,”

Says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,

“Surely Moab shall be like Sodom,

And the people of Ammon like Gomorrah—

Overrun with weeds and saltpits,

And a perpetual desolation.

The residue of My people shall plunder them,

And the remnant of My people shall possess them.”

10 This they shall have for their pride,

Because they have reproached and made arrogant threats

Against the people of the Lord of hosts.

11 The Lord will be awesome to them,

For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth;

People shall worship Him,

Each one from his place,

Indeed all the shores of the nations.

12 “You Ethiopians also,

You shall be slain by My sword.”

13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north,

Destroy Assyria,

And make Nineveh a desolation,

As dry as the wilderness.

9 So the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says,

“As surely as I live,

Moab will be destroyed like Sodom,

and Ammon will be destroyed like Gomorrah —

a heap of weeds, a pit of salt,

and a ruin forever.

Those of my people who are left alive will take whatever they want from them;

those who are left from my nation will take their land.”

10 This is what Moab and Ammon get for being proud,

because they insulted and made fun of the people of the Lord All-Powerful.

11 The Lord will frighten them,

because he will destroy all the gods of the earth.

Then everyone in faraway places

will worship him wherever they are.

12 “You Cushites also

will be killed by my sword.”

13 Then the Lord will turn against the north

and destroy Assyria.

He will make Nineveh

a ruin as dry as a desert.

9 Therefore as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall make a prey of them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them. 10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. 11 Jehovah 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 nations.

12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.

9 Therefore, as I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them. 10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. 11 Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and all the isles of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place.

12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be the slain of my sword. 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, a place of drought like the wilderness.

9 Therefore, I solemnly swear, as I live,” 

declares the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, 

“Moab will become like Sodom, and Ammon will become like Gomorrah: 

a place of weeds, salt pits, and ruins forever. 

The faithful few of my people will loot them, 

and those who are left in my nation will take possession of them.” 

10 This is what they will get for their sinful pride, 

because they insulted the people who belong to the Lord of Armies 

and made themselves greater than them. 

11 The Lord will terrify them, 

because he will make all the gods of the earth waste away. 

So every person from every coast and nation will bow to him. 

12 “Even you, the people from Sudan, 

you will also die by my sword.” 

13 The Lord will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria. 

He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin, 

a dried up wasteland like the desert. 

9 Therefore, as I live—

this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts,

the God of Israel—

Moab will be like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah —

a place overgrown with weeds,

a salt pit, and a perpetual wasteland.

The remnant of My people will plunder them;

the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.

10 This is what they get for their pride,

because they have taunted and acted arrogantly

against the people of the Lord of Hosts.

11 The Lord will be terrifying to them

when He starves all the gods of the earth.

Then all the distant coastlands of the nations

will bow in worship to Him,

each in its own place.

12 You Cushites will also be slain by My sword.

13 He will also stretch out His hand against the north

and destroy Assyria;

He will make Nineveh a desolate ruin,

dry as the desert.

9 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts,

the God of Israel,

Moab shall become like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah,

a land possessed by nettles and salt pits

and a waste forever.

The remnant of my people shall plunder them,

and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.

10 This shall be their lot in return for their pride,

because they scoffed and boasted

against the people of the Lord of hosts.

11 The Lord will be terrible against them;

he will shrivel all the gods of the earth,

and to him shall bow down

each in its place,

all the coasts and islands of the nations.

12 You also, O Cushites,

shall be killed by my sword.

13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north

and destroy Assyria,

and he will make Nineveh a desolation,

a dry waste like the desert.

9 “Therefore, as I live”—a declaration of Yahweh of hosts,

the God of Israel—

“Moab shall be as Sodom,

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah,

a place of weeds and salt pits

and a desolation forever.

The remnant of my people shall plunder them,

and the remainder of my nation shall possess them.”

10 This shall be for them in place of their pride

because they mocked and boasted

against the people of Yahweh of hosts.

11 Yahweh will be awesome against them,

for he will destroy all the gods of the earth

and all the lands of the nations;

each in its place will bow down to him.

12 You also, O Cushites,

they shall be killed by my sword.

13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north,

and he will destroy Assyria

and will make Nineveh a desolation,

a dry wasteland like the desert.

9 So Moab will become like Sodom,”

announces the Lord who rules over all.

“Ammon will be like Gomorrah.

Weeds and salt pits will cover those countries.

They will be dry and empty deserts forever.

Those who are still left alive among my people

will take all of their valuable things.

So they will receive those lands as their own.

And that is just as sure as I am alive.”

The Lord is the God of Israel.

10 Moab and Ammon will be judged

because they are so proud.

They made fun of the Lord’s people.

They laughed at them.

11 The Lord who rules over all will terrify Moab and Ammon.

He will destroy all of the gods on earth.

Then the nations on every shore will worship him.

All of them will serve him in their own lands.

12 The Lord says, “People of Cush,

you too will be killed with my sword.”

13 The Lord will reach out his powerful hand against the north.

He will destroy Assyria.

He’ll leave Nineveh totally empty.

It will be as dry as a desert.