Berean Standard Bible

Zephaniah 2

(Joel 1:13–20; Amos 5:4–15; Luke 13:1–5)

1Gather yourselvesH7197, gather togetherH7197,O shamefulH3808 H3700 nationH1471,2beforeH2962 the decreeH2706 takes effectH3205 1and the dayH3117 passesH5674 like chaffH4671,beforeH2962 H3808 the burningH2740 angerH639 of the LORDH3068 comesH935 upon youH5921,beforeH2962 H3808 the DayH3117 of the LORD’sH3068 angerH639 comesH935 upon youH5921.

3SeekH1245 the LORDH3068, allH3605 you humbleH6035 of the earthH776 whoH834 carry outH6466 His justiceH4941. SeekH1245 righteousnessH6664; seekH1245 humilityH6038. PerhapsH194 you will be shelteredH5641 on the dayH3117 of the LORD’sH3068 angerH639.

4ForH3588 GazaH5804 will beH1961 abandonedH5800,and AshkelonH831 left in ruinsH8077.AshdodH795 will be driven outH1644 at noonH6672,and EkronH6138 will be uprootedH6131.5WoeH1945 to the dwellersH3427 ofH2256 the seacoastH3220,O nationH1471 of the CherethitesH3774!The wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 is against youH5921,O CanaanH3667, landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430:“I will destroy youH6,and no one will beH369 leftH3427.”6So the seacoastH2256 H3220 will becomeH1961 a land of pasturesH5116,with wellsH3741 2 for shepherdsH7462 and foldsH1448 for sheepH6629.

7The coast will belongH2256 toH1961 the remnantH7611 of the houseH1004 of JudahH3063; thereH5921 they will find pastureH7462. They will lie downH7257 in the eveningH6153 among the housesH1004 of AshkelonH831, forH3588 the LORDH3068 their GodH430 will attend to themH6485 and restoreH7725 their captivesH7622.3

8“I have heardH8085 the reproachH2781 of MoabH4124and the insultsH1421 of the AmmonitesH1121 H5983,whoH834 have tauntedH2778 My peopleH5971and threatenedH1431 H5921 their bordersH1366.9ThereforeH3651, as surely as IH589 liveH2416,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635,the GodH430 of IsraelH3478,“surelyH3588 MoabH4124 will beH1961 like SodomH5467and the AmmonitesH1121 H5983 like GomorrahH6017—a placeH4476 of weedsH2738 andH4379 salt pitsH4417,a perpetualH5704 H5769 wastelandH8077.The remnantH7611 of My peopleH5971 will plunder themH962;the remainderH3499 of My nationH1471 will dispossess themH5157.”

10ThisH2063 they shall have in return forH8478 their prideH1347,forH3588 tauntingH2778 and mockingH1431 H5921 the peopleH5971of the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635.

11The LORDH3068 will be terrifyingH3372 to themH5921 whenH3588 He starvesH7329 allH3605 the godsH430 of the earthH776. Then the nationsH1471 of everyH3605 shoreH339 will bow in worshipH7812 to Him, eachH376 in its own placeH4725.

12“You tooH859, O CushitesH3569,4willH1571 be slainH2491 by My swordH2719 H1992.”

13And He will stretch outH5186 His handH3027 againstH5921 the northH6828and destroyH6 AssyriaH804;He will makeH7760 NinevehH5210 a desolationH8077,as dryH6723 as a desertH4057.14HerdsH5739 will lie downH7257 in her midstH8432,creaturesH2416 H1471 of every kindH3605.5BothH1571 the desert owlH6893 andH1571 screech owlH7090 6will roostH3885 atop herH3730 pillars.Their callsH6963 will soundH7891 from the windowH2474,but desolationH2721 will lie on the thresholdH5592,forH3588 He will exposeH6168 the beams of cedarH731.

15ThisH2063 carefreeH5947 cityH5892that dwellsH3427 securelyH983,that thinksH559 to herselfH3824:“IH589 am it, and there is noneH657 besides meH5750,”whatH349 a ruinH8047 she has becomeH1961,a resting placeH4769 for beastsH2416.EveryoneH3605 who passesH5674 by herH5921hissesH8319 and shakesH5128 his fistH3027.

1. Zephaniah 2:2 Hebrew is given birth ↩
2. Zephaniah 2:6 Or caves or camps ↩
3. Zephaniah 2:7 Or their fortunes ↩
4. Zephaniah 2:12 That is, people from the upper Nile region ↩
5. Zephaniah 2:14 Hebrew beasts of every nation ↩
6. Zephaniah 2:14 The precise identification of the animals rendered desert owl and screech owl is uncertain. ↩