Zephaniah 3
King James Version
3 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.
Zephaniah 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 4 Against the governors of Jerusalem. 8 Of the calling of all the Gentiles. 13 A comfort to the residue of Israel.
1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the robbing [a]city.
2 She heard not the voice: she received not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are as roaring (A)lions: her judges are as (B)wolves in the evening, which [b]leave not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light, and wicked persons: her priests have polluted the Sanctuary: they have wrested the Law.
5 The [c]just Lord is in the midst thereof: he will do none iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not: but the wicked will not learn to be ashamed.
6 I have [d]cut off the nations: their towers are desolate: I have made their streets waste, that none shall pass by, their cities are destroyed without man, and without inhabitant.
7 I said, surely thou wilt fear me: thou wilt receive instruction: so their dwelling should not be destroyed howsoever I visited them, but [e]they rose early, and corrupted all their works.
8 Therefore [f]wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for I am determined to gather the nations, and that I will assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce wrath: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 Surely [g]then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him [h]with one consent.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, the [i]daughter of my dispersed, praying unto me, shall bring me an offering.
11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for [j]all thy works, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then will I take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice of thy pride, and thou shalt no more be proud of mine holy mountain.
12 Then will I leave in the midst of thee an humble and poor people: and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel shall do none iniquity, nor speak lies: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall be fed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14 Rejoice, O daughter Zion: be ye joyful, O Israel: be glad and rejoice with all thine heart, O daughter Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy [k]judgments: he hath cast out thine [l]enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord is in the midst of [m]thee: thou shalt see no more evil.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not, O Zion, let not thine hands be faint.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will quiet himself in [n]his love: he will rejoice over thee with joy.
18 After a certain time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee, and them that bare the reproach for [o]it.
19 Behold, at that time I will bruise all that afflict thee, and I will [p]save her that halteth, and gather her that was cast out, and I will get them praise and fame in all the [q]lands of their shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, and then will I gather you: for I will give you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.
Footnotes
- Zephaniah 3:1 That is, Jerusalem.
- Zephaniah 3:3 They are so greedy that they eat up bones and all.
- Zephaniah 3:5 The wicked thus boasted that God was ever among them, but the Prophet answereth that that cannot excuse their wickedness: for God will not bear with their sins: yet that he did patiently abide and sent his Prophets continually to call them to repentance, but he profited nothing.
- Zephaniah 3:6 By the destruction of other nations he showeth that the Jews should have learned to fear God.
- Zephaniah 3:7 They were most earnest and ready to do wickedly.
- Zephaniah 3:8 Seeing ye will not repent, you shall look for my vengeance as well as other nations.
- Zephaniah 3:9 Lest any should think then that God’s glory should have perished when Judah was destroyed, he showeth that he will publish his grace through all the world.
- Zephaniah 3:9 Hebrew, with one shoulder, as Hos. 6:9.
- Zephaniah 3:10 That is, the Jews shall come as well as the Gentiles: which is to be understood under the time of the Gospel.
- Zephaniah 3:11 For they shall have full remission of their sins, and the hypocrites which boasted of the Temple, which was also thy pride in times past, shall be taken from thee.
- Zephaniah 3:15 That is, the punishment for thy sin.
- Zephaniah 3:15 As the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Egyptians and other nations.
- Zephaniah 3:15 To defend thee as by thy sins thou hast put him away, and left thyself naked, as Exod. 32:25.
- Zephaniah 3:17 Signifying, that God delighteth to show his love and great affection toward his Church.
- Zephaniah 3:18 That is, them that were had in hatred and reviled for the Church, and because of their religion.
- Zephaniah 3:19 I will deliver the Church, which now is afflicted, as Mic. 4:6.
- Zephaniah 3:19 As among the Assyrians and Chaldeans which did mock them and put them to shame.
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