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

The Coming Judgement on Judah

2I will utterly sweep away everything

from the face of the earth, says the LORD.

3I will sweep away humans and animals;

I will sweep away the birds of the air

and the fish of the sea.

I will make the wicked stumble.1.3 Cn: Heb sea, and those who cause the wicked to stumble

I will cut off humanity

from the face of the earth, says the LORD.

4I will stretch out my hand against Judah,

and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

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

and the name of the idolatrous priests;1.4 Compare Gk: Heb the idolatrous priests 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,

but also swear by Milcom;1.5 Gk Mss Syr Vg: Heb Malcam (or, their king)

6those who have turned back from following the LORD,

who have not sought the LORD or inquired of him.

7Be silent before the Lord GOD!

For the day of the LORD is at hand;

the LORD has prepared a sacrifice,

he has 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 dress themselves in foreign attire.

9On that day I will punish

all who leap over the threshold,

who fill their master's house

with violence and fraud.

10On that day, says the LORD,

a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,

a wail from the Second Quarter,

a loud crash from the hills.

11The inhabitants of the Mortar wail,

for all the traders have perished;

all who weigh out silver are cut off.

12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

and I will punish the people

who rest complacently1.12 Heb who thicken on their dregs,

those who say in their hearts,

‘The LORD will not do good,

nor will he do harm.’

13Their wealth 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.

The Great Day of the LORD

14The great day of the LORD is near,

near and hastening fast;

the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter,

the warrior cries aloud there.

15That day will be a day of wrath,

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 such distress upon people

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

will be able to save them

on the day of the LORD's wrath;

in the fire of his passion

the whole earth shall be consumed;

for a full, a terrible end

he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.