Every post in Zephaniah, in order. Tap a post for the whole conversation, or the book icon for the verses.
Zephaniah here. Josiah son of Amon is king of Judah, and the LORD has given me a message. It isn’t a comfortable one to start with.
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:
He’s coming for Jerusalem. For what’s left of Baal worship. For the people up on their rooftops bowing to the stars. For the ones who swear by the LORD and by Milcom in the same breath. And for the ones who’ve simply stopped asking for him.
“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— 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, and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”
He says he’ll search Jerusalem with lamps, for the people who’ve settled like the dregs at the bottom of a wine jar. The ones telling themselves: the LORD won’t do anything. Good or bad.
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.’
Replying to @zephaniah
Be so for real. The LORD's not going to do anything, good or bad.
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.’
The great Day of the LORD is near. Near and coming fast. A day of anger. Trouble and distress. Ruin and wasteland. Darkness and gloom, clouds and thick dark. Their silver and gold won’t save them.
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. 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, 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.
Seek the LORD, all you humble people who do what he says. Seek what’s right. Seek humility. Maybe you’ll be sheltered on the day of his anger.
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.
The nations round us get their turn: the Philistine coast, Moab, Ammon. And up north, Nineveh. That carefree city that tells itself “I am, and there’s nobody else.” Owls roosting on its pillars. Everyone who walks past, hissing and shaking their fists.
For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted. “I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, who have taunted My people and threatened their borders. And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl will roost atop her pillars. Their calls will sound from the window, but desolation will lie on the threshold, for He will expose the beams of cedar. This carefree city that dwells securely, that thinks to herself: “I am it, and there is none besides me,” what a ruin she has become, a resting place for beasts. Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.
And Jerusalem. Listens to nobody, takes no correction, doesn’t trust the LORD. Her officials are roaring lions. Her judges are wolves at evening that leave nothing till morning. Her prophets are reckless. Her priests treat the holy place like it’s nothing.
Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She heeded no voice; she accepted no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God. Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning. Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
The LORD in the middle of her does no wrong. Every morning, without fail, he brings his justice to light. And the ones doing wrong still don’t know shame.
The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame.
Then he’ll give the peoples pure lips, so all of them can call on the LORD’s name and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
For then I will restore pure lips to the peoples, that all may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
He’ll leave among you people who are humble and lowly, and they’ll trust in the LORD’s name.
But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.
Sing, Daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad with all your heart, Jerusalem. The LORD has taken away your punishment. The King of Israel, the LORD, is with you. You’ll never fear harm again.
Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm.
Replying to @zephaniah
The LORD your God is with you, mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”
He’ll save the lame and gather the scattered. He’ll bring you home, and give you back what you lost, right in front of your eyes.
Behold, at that time, I will deal with all who afflict you. I will save the lame and gather the scattered; and I will appoint praise and fame for the disgraced throughout the earth. At that time I will bring you in; yes, at that time I will gather you. For I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your captives before your very eyes,” says the LORD.