Dual Panel1This is the prophetic message <01697> that <0834> the Lord <03068> gave <01961> to <0413> Zephaniah <06846> son <01121> of Cushi <03569>, son <01121> of Gedaliah <01436>, son <01121> of Amariah <0568>, son <01121> of Hezekiah <02396>. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of <03117> King <04428> Josiah <02977> son <01121> of Amon <0526> of Judah <03063>:
2“I will destroy everything <03605> from <05921> the face <06440> of the earth <0127>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
3“I will destroy <0622> people <0120> and animals <0929>; I will destroy <0622> the birds <05775> in the sky <08064> and the fish <01709> in the sea <03220>. (The idolatrous images of these creatures <04384> will be destroyed along with <0854> evil people <07563>.) I will remove <03772> humanity <0120> from <05921> the <0853> face <06440> of the earth <0127>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
4“I will attack <05921> <03027> <05186> Judah <03063> and all <03605> who live <03427> in Jerusalem <03389>. I will remove <03772> from <04480> this <02088> place <04725> every trace <07605> of Baal <01168> worship, as well as the very memory <08034> of the pagan priests <03649>.
5I will remove those who worship <07812> the stars in the sky <08064> <06635> from <05921> their rooftops <01406>, those who swear allegiance <07650> to the Lord <03068> while taking oaths <07650> in the name of their ‘king <04445>,’
6and those who turn <05472> their backs <05472> on <0310> the Lord <03069> and do not <03808> want <01245> the Lord’s <03069> help or <03808> guidance <01875>.”
7Be silent <02013> before <06440> the Lord <0136> God <03069>, for <03588> the Lord’s <03068> day <03117> of judgment is almost here <07138>. The Lord <03068> has prepared <03559> a sacrificial meal <02077>; he has ritually purified <06942> his guests <07121>.
8“On the day <03117> of the Lord’s <03068> sacrificial <02077> meal, I will punish <06485> the princes <08269> and the king’s <04428> sons <01121>, and all <03605> who wear <03847> foreign <05237> styles of clothing <04403>.
9On <05921> that day <03117> I <01931> will punish <06485> all <03605> who leap <01801> over <05921> the threshold <04670>, who fill <04390> the house <01004> of their master <0113> with wealth taken by violence <02555> and deceit <04820>.
10On that day <03117>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>, “a loud <06963> cry <06818> will go up from the Fish <01709> Gate <08179>, wailing <03215> from <04480> the city’s newer district <04932>, and a loud <01419> crash <07667> from the hills <01389>.
11Wail <03213>, you who live in <03427> the market district <04389>, for <03588> all <03605> the merchants <03667> <05971> will disappear <01820> and those who <03605> count <05187> money <03701> will be removed <03772>.
12At that time <06256> I <01931> will search <02664> through Jerusalem <03389> with lamps <05216>. I will punish <06485> the people <0376> who are entrenched <07087> in <05921> their sin <08105>, those who think <0559> to themselves <03824>, ‘The Lord <03068> neither <03808> rewards <03190> nor <03808> punishes <07489>.’
13Their wealth <02428> will be <01961> stolen <04933> and their houses <01004> ruined <08077>! They will not <03808> live <03427> in the houses <01004> they have built <01129>, nor <03808> will they drink <08354> the wine <03196> from the vineyards <03754> they have planted <05193>.
14The Lord’s <03068> great <01419> day <03117> of judgment is almost here <07138>; it is approaching <07138> very <03966> rapidly <04118>! There will be a bitter <04751> sound <06963> on the Lord’s <03068> day <03117> of judgment; at that time <08033> warriors <01368> will cry out <06873> in battle.
15That day <03117> will be a day <03117> of God’s anger <05678>, a day <03117> of distress <06869> and hardship <04691>, a day <03117> of devastation <07722> and ruin <04875>, a day <03117> of darkness <02822> and gloom <0653>, a day <03117> of clouds <06051> and dark skies <06205>,
16a day <03117> of trumpet <07782> blasts <08643> and battle cries. Judgment will fall on <05921> the fortified <01219> cities <05892> and the high <01364> corner <06438> towers <05921>.
17I will bring distress <06887> on the people <0120> and they will stumble <01980> like blind <05787> men, for <03588> they have sinned <02398> against the Lord <03068>. Their blood <01818> will be poured out <08210> like dirt <06083>; their flesh <03894> will be scattered like manure <01561>.
18Neither <01571> their silver <03701> nor <01571> their gold <02091> will be able <03201> to deliver <05337> them in the day <03117> of the Lord’s <03068> angry <05678> judgment. The whole <03605> earth <0776> will be consumed <0398> by his fiery <0784> wrath <07068>. Indeed <03588>, he will bring <06213> terrifying <0926> destruction <03617> on all <03605> who live <03427> on the earth <0776>.”