Logos Bible Study

Zephaniah 2:8–10

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2:8“I have heard Moab’s taunts

and the Ammonites’ insults.

They30 taunted my people

and verbally harassed those living in Judah.31

2:9Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel,

“be certain that Moab will become like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.

They will be overrun by weeds,32

filled with salt pits,33

and permanently desolate.

Those of my people who are left34 will plunder their belongings;35

those who are left in Judah36 will take possession of their land.”

2:10This is how they will be repaid for their arrogance,37

for they taunted and verbally harassed38 the people of the Lord who commands armies.

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Footnotes

  1. 30 Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  2. 31 Heb “and they made great [their mouth?] against their territory.” Other possible translation options include (1) “they enlarged their own territory” (cf. ) and (2) “they bragged about [the size] of their own territory.”
  3. 32 The Hebrew text reads מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל (mimshaq kharul, “[?] of weeds”). The meaning of the first word is unknown. The present translation (“They will be overrun by weeds”) is speculative, based on the general sense of the context. For a defense of “overrun” on linguistic grounds, see R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (), 347. Cf. “a pile of weeds”; “a place of weeds”; “a land possessed by nettles.”
  4. 33 The Hebrew text reads וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח (umikhreh-melakh, “and a [?] of salt”). The meaning of the first word is unclear, though “pit” (, , ; “saltpit”), “mine,” and “heap” (cf. “a rotting heap of saltwort”) are all options. The words “filled with” are supplied for clarification.
  5. 34 Or “The remnant of my people.”
  6. 35 Heb “them.” The actual object of the plundering, “their belongings,” has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  7. 36 Heb “[the] nation.” For clarity the “nation” has been specified as “Judah” in the translation.
  8. 37 Heb “this is for them in place of their arrogance.”
  9. 38 Heb “made great [their mouth?] against” (cf. the last phrase of v. 8).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“I have heard the taunts of Moab

and the revilings of the Ammonites,

how they have taunted my people

and made boasts against their territory.

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.”

This shall be their lot in return for their pride,

because they taunted and boasted

against the people of the Lord of hosts.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“I have heard the insults of Moab

and the taunts of the Ammonites,

who insulted my people

and made threats against their land.

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.”

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

for insulting and mocking

the people of the Lord Almighty.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I have heard the taunting of Moab

and the insults of the Ammonites,

who have taunted my people

and threatened their territory.

Therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies,

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.

This is what they get for their pride,

because they have taunted and acted arrogantly

against the people of the Lord of Armies.

NLTNew Living Translation

“I have heard the taunts of the Moabites

and the insults of the Ammonites,

mocking my people

and invading their borders.

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.”

They will receive the wages of their pride,

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

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

I have heard the reproaches of Moab

and the scorning of the Ammonites,

with which they have taunted my nation

and made boasts against their territory.

“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.”

This shall be for them in place of their pride

because they mocked and boasted

against the people of Yahweh of hosts.

KJV 1900King James Version

I have heard the reproach of Moab,

And the revilings of the children of Ammon,

Whereby they have reproached my people,

And magnified themselves against their border.

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.

This shall they have for their pride,

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