Zephaniah 1

Modern English Version

⁴ I will stretch out my hand against Judah,
    and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal,
    and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
⁵ and those who bow down on the roofs
    to the host of heaven;
those who worship and swear oaths by the Lord
    and yet swear by Milcom;
⁶ those who have turned back from following the Lord,
    who have not sought the Lord nor inquired of Him.

⁷ Be silent before the Lord God!
    For the day of the Lord is at hand;
the Lord has prepared the sacrifice;
    He has consecrated His guests.

⁸ On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
    I will punish the officials
    and the king’s sons,
and all who clothe themselves
    with foreign attire.
⁹ On that day I will punish
    all who step over the threshold,
who fill their masters’ houses
    with violence and deceit.

¹⁰ On that day, says the Lord,
    a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
    a wail from the Second Quarter,
    and a loud crash from the hills.
¹¹ Wail, you inhabitants of the Mortar!
    For all the merchants are cut down;
    all those who weigh out silver are cut off.
¹² At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
    and I will punish the men
    who are settled on their lees,
who say in their heart,
    “The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.”
¹³ Their goods will be plundered,
    and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
    they will not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
    they will not drink from their wine.

¹⁷ I will bring distress on men,
    so that they will walk like blind men.
Because they have sinned against the Lord,
    their blood will be poured out like dust,
    and their flesh like dung.
¹⁸ Neither their silver nor their gold
    will be able to deliver them
    on the day of the Lord’s wrath.

But the whole earth will be consumed
    by the fire of His jealousy,
for He will make a sudden end
    of all those who dwell on the earth.