Zephaniah 2

1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nationH1471 that hath no shame; 2before the decreeH2706 bringH935 forthH3205, before the dayH3117 passH5674 as the chaffH4671, before the fierce angerH639 of Jehovah comeH935 upon you, before the dayH3117 of Jehovah’s angerH639 comeH935 upon you. 3SeekH1245 ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earthH776, that have kept his ordinancesH4941; seekH1245 righteousnessH6664, seekH1245 meekness: it may be ye will be hidH5641 in the dayH3117 of Jehovah’s angerH639.

4For GazaH5804 shall beH1961 forsaken, and AshkelonH831 a desolationH8077; they shall driveH1644 out AshdodH795 at noonday, and EkronH6138 shall beH1961 rooted up. 5WoeH1945 unto the inhabitantsH3427 of the sea-coast, the nationH1471 of the Cherethites! The wordH1697 of Jehovah is against you, O CanaanH3667, the landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430; I will destroyH6 thee, that there shall be no inhabitantH3427. 6And the sea-coast shall beH1961 pastures, with cottages for shepherdsH7462 and foldsH1448 for flocksH6629. 7And the coast shall beH1961 for the remnantH7611 of the houseH1004 of JudahH3063; they shall feedH7462 their flocks thereupon; in the housesH1004 of AshkelonH831 shall they lieH7257 down in the eveningH6153; for Jehovah their GodH430 will visitH6485 them, and bringH7725 backH7725 their captivityH7622.

8I have heardH8085 the reproachH2781 of MoabH4124, and the revilings of the children of AmmonH5983, wherewith they have reproached my peopleH5971, and magnifiedH1431 themselves against their borderH1366. 9ThereforeH3651 as I live, saith Jehovah of hostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, Surely MoabH4124 shall beH1961 as SodomH5467, and the children of AmmonH5983 as GomorrahH6017, a possessionH5157 of nettlesH2738, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolationH8077: the residue of my peopleH5971 shall make a prey of them, and the remnantH7611 of my nationH1471 shall inheritH5157 them. 10This shall they have for their prideH1347, because they have reproached and magnifiedH1431 themselves against the peopleH5971 of Jehovah of hostsH6635. 11Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the godsH430 of the earthH776; and menH376 shall worship him, every oneH376 from his placeH4725, even all the isles of the nationsH1471.

12Ye Ethiopians alsoH1571, ye shall be slainH2491 by my swordH2719. 13And he will stretchH5186 out his handH3027 against the northH6828, and destroyH6 AssyriaH804, and will makeH7760 NinevehH5210 a desolationH8077, and dryH6723 like the wildernessH4057. 14And herdsH5739 shall lieH7257 down in the midstH8432 of her, all the beasts of the nationsH1471: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the capitals thereof; their voiceH6963 shall singH7891 in the windowsH2474; desolation shall be in the thresholdsH5592: for he hath laidH6168 bareH6168 the cedar-work. 15This is the joyous cityH5892 that dweltH3427 carelessly, that saidH559 in her heartH3824, I am, and there is none besides me: howH349 is she becomeH1961 a desolationH8047, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hissH8319, and wag his handH3027.