Zephaniah 3
The Lord condemns Jerusalem for its corruption and refusal to heed discipline, with leaders like roaring lions and prophets who are crazed and faithless. Despite this, the Lord remains just and will bring judgment in the morning, and though He has dispersed the nations, Jerusalem's dwelling place will not perish. The Lord promises a future day of resurrection and judgment, when He will restore a chosen people to serve Him and will take away the arrogant boasters, leaving a poor and needy people who will hope in His name. In that day, the remnant of Israel will be innocent and truthful, and the Lord will rejoice over Jerusalem with gladness and love.
1Woe to the provocatrix and the redeemed city, the dove2She has not heeded the voice, nor has she accepted discipline. She has not trusted in the Lord; she did not draw near to her God3Her leaders are in her midst like roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing for the morning4Her prophets are crazed; men without faith. Her priests have polluted what is holy; they have acted unjustly against the law5The just Lord is in their midst; he will not do iniquity. In the morning, in the morning, he will bring his judgment into the light, and it will not be hidden. But the impious one has not known shame6I have dispersed the nations, and their towers have been torn down. I have made their ways deserts, until there were none who passed through. Their cities have become desolate, with no man remaining, nor any inhabitant7I said: Nevertheless, you will fear me; you will accept discipline. And her dwelling place will not perish, despite all the things about which I have visited her. Yet truly, they arose with the dawn and corrupted all their thoughts8Because of this, expect me, says the Lord, in the day of my resurrection in the future, for my judgment is to gather together the Gentiles, and to collect the kingdoms, and to pour out over them my indignation, all the fury of my anger. For by the fire of my zeal, all the earth will be devoured9For then I will restore to the people a chosen lip, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and may serve him with one shoulder10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my supplicants, the sons of my diaspora, will carry a gift to me11In that day, you will not be ashamed over all of your inventions, by which you have transgressed against me. For then I will take away from your midst your arrogant boasters, and you will no longer be exalted on my holy mountain12And I will bequeath into your midst a poor and needy people, and they will hope in the name of the Lord13The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. For they will pasture and will recline, and there will be no one to strike them with terror14Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem15The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil16In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Do not be afraid," and to Zion, "Do not let your hands be weakened.17The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise18The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them19Behold, I will execute all who have afflicted you in that time, and I will save those who are lame, and I will gather together her who had been cast out. And I will place them in praise and in renown, in all the land where they had been put to shame20in that time, when I will lead to you, and in the time when I will gather for you. For I will deliver you into renown and into praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I will have converted your captivity before your very eyes, says the Lord
Share this chapter