1The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The Coming Judgement on Judah

2“I will utterly sweep away everything

from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

3“I will sweep away man and beast;

I will sweep away the birds of the heavens

and the fish of the sea,

and the rubble1:3 Or stumbling blocks (that is, idols) with the wicked.

I will cut off mankind

from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.

4“I will stretch out my hand against Judah

and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal

and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,

5those who bow down on the roofs

to the host of the heavens,

those who bow down and swear to the LORD

and yet swear by Milcom,1:5 Or their king

6those who have turned back from following the LORD,

who do not seek the LORD or enquire of him.”

The Day of the LORD Is Near

7Be silent before the Lord GOD!

For the day of the LORD is near;

the LORD has prepared a sacrifice

and consecrated his guests.

8And on the day of the LORD's sacrifice—

“I will punish the officials and the king's sons

and all who array themselves in foreign attire.

9On that day I will punish

everyone who leaps over the threshold,

and those who fill their master's1:9 Or their Lord's house

with violence and fraud.

10“On that day,” declares the LORD,

“a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,

a wail from the Second Quarter,

a loud crash from the hills.

11Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar!

For all the traders1:11 Or all the people of Canaan are no more;

all who weigh out silver are cut off.

12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

and I will punish the men

who are complacent,1:12 Hebrew are thickening on the dregs [of their wine]

those who say in their hearts,

‘The LORD will not do good,

nor will he do ill.’

13Their goods shall be plundered,

and their houses laid waste.

Though they build houses,

they shall not inhabit them;

though they plant vineyards,

they shall not drink wine from them.”

14The great day of the LORD is near,

near and hastening fast;

the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter;

the mighty man cries aloud there.

15A day of wrath is that day,

a day of distress and anguish,

a day of ruin and devastation,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16a day of trumpet blast and battle cry

against the fortified cities

and against the lofty battlements.

17I will bring distress on mankind,

so that they shall walk like the blind,

because they have sinned against the LORD;

their blood shall be poured out like dust,

and their flesh like dung.

18Neither their silver nor their gold

shall be able to deliver them

on the day of the wrath of the LORD.

In the fire of his jealousy,

all the earth shall be consumed;

for a full and sudden end

he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.