1 The Hebrew text combines a Hitpolel imperative of קָשַׁשׁ (qashash) with a Qal imperative of the same root. Elsewhere this root appears in the polel stem with the meaning “gather stubble.” Zephaniah’s command is ironic, implying the people are like stubble or straw. As such, they are vulnerable to the Lord’s fiery judgment that will quickly consume them (see 1:18). See Adele Berlin, Zephaniah ( 25A), .
2 Some relate this word to an Aramaic cognate meaning “to be ashamed.” With the negative particle it would then mean “unashamed” (cf. “shameful”; “shameless”). However, elsewhere in biblical Hebrew the verb means “to desire,” or with the negative particle “undesirable.” Cf. also “unruly.”
3 Heb “before the giving birth of a decree.” For various alternative readings, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (), 187–88.
4 The second half of the line reads literally, “like chaff it passes by a day.” The translation above assumes the “day” is the brief time God is giving the nation to repent. The comparison of this quickly passing opportunity to chaff is consistent with the straw imagery of v. 1.
5 Heb “the fury of the anger of the Lord.” The synonyms are combined to emphasize the extreme degree of the Lord’s anger.
6 Heb “comes upon.” This phrase occurs twice in this verse.

In other versions

Gather together, yes, gather,

O shameless nation,

before the decree takes effect

—before the day passes away like chaff—

before there comes upon you

the burning anger of the Lord,

before there comes upon you

the day of the anger of the Lord.

Gather together, gather yourselves together,

you shameful nation,

before the decree takes effect

and that day passes like windblown chaff,

before the Lord’s fierce anger

comes upon you,

before the day of the Lord’s wrath

comes upon you.

Gather yourselves together;

gather together, undesirable nation,

before the decree takes effect

and the day passes like chaff,

before the burning of the Lord’s anger overtakes you,

before the day of the Lord’s anger overtakes you.

Gather together—yes, gather together,

you shameless nation.

Gather before judgment begins,

before your time to repent is blown away like chaff.

Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls

and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins.

Gather yourselves together! Now gather together,

O nation having no shame!

Before the birth of the decree,

the day flies away like chaff;

before the fierce anger of Yahweh overtakes you;

before the day of the anger of Yahweh overtakes you.

Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

Before 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.

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