A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Zephaniah 1
Zephaniah 1 is the opening chapter of the thirty-sixth book of the Bible. The 18-verse chapter opens the prophet's sustained warning of the coming Day of the Lord, beginning with universal judgment and narrowing to Judah and Jerusalem.
The chapter opens by identifying the prophet: Zephaniah son of Cushi, traced back through several generations to King Hezekiah, suggesting royal ancestry. He prophesied during the reign of King Josiah of Judah in the late seventh century BC.
The opening image is one of the strongest in the Bible. God declares that he will sweep away everything from the face of the earth: men and animals, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, the wicked together with their idols. The judgment is universal in scope.
The focus then narrows to Judah and Jerusalem. God will stretch out his hand against the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He will cut off every remnant of Baal worship and the names of the pagan priests who go up to the rooftops to worship the stars. Those who swear by both the Lord and by other gods are condemned. Those who have turned back from following the Lord, and those who have not sought him at all, are condemned.
The chapter closes with a series of escalating descriptions of the Day of the Lord. It is a day of distress and anguish, of trouble and ruin, of darkness and gloom, of clouds and thick darkness, of trumpet and battle cry. Wealth will not save anyone. The whole land will be consumed by the fire of God's jealousy.
Verse 1. This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
Verse 2. “I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
Verse 3. “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
Verse 4. “I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests—
Verse 5. those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,
Verse 6. and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”
Verse 7. Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.
Verse 8. “On the Day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the princes, the sons of the king, and all who are dressed in foreign apparel.
Verse 9. On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.
Verse 10. On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills.
Verse 11. Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow, for all your merchants will be silenced; all who weigh out silver will be cut off.
Verse 12. And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the men settled in complacency, who say to themselves, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’
Verse 13. Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.
Verse 14. The great Day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.
Verse 15. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,
Verse 16. a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.
Verse 17. I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.
Verse 18. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.
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