Zephaniah 3:1–20
3 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,
To the oppressing city!
2 She has not obeyed His voice,
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her God.
3 aHer princes in her midst are roaring lions;
Her judges are bevening wolves
That leave not a bone till morning.
4 Her cprophets are insolent, treacherous people;
Her priests have 1polluted the sanctuary,
They have done dviolence to the law.
5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.
2Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He never fails,
But ethe unjust knows no shame.
Their fortresses are devastated;
I have made their streets desolate,
With none passing by.
Their cities are destroyed;
There is no one, no inhabitant.
7 fI said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
You will receive instruction’—
So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
Despite everything for which I punished her.
But 3they rose early and gcorrupted all their deeds.
8 “Therefore hwait for Me,” says the Lord,
“Until the day I rise up 4for plunder;
My determination is to igather the nations
To My assembly of kingdoms,
To pour on them My indignation,
All My fierce anger;
All the earth jshall be devoured
With the fire of My jealousy.
9 “For then I will restore to the peoples ka pure 5language,
That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him with one accord.
10 lFrom beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers,
The daughter of My dispersed ones,
Shall bring My offering.
11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds
In which you transgress against Me;
For then I will take away from your midst
Those who mrejoice in your pride,
And you shall no longer be haughty
In My holy mountain.
nA meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 oThe remnant of Israel pshall do no unrighteousness
qAnd speak no lies,
Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
For rthey shall feed their flocks and lie down,
And no one shall make them afraid.”
14 sSing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
tThe King of Israel, the Lord, uis in your midst;
You shall 6see disaster no more.
16 In that day vit shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, wlet not your hands be weak.
17 The Lord your God xin your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
yHe will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 “I will gather those who zsorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the alame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time bI will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you 7fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.