Zephaniah 1:7-18 ▼

7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH}, for the Day of the LORD {Yowm YHWH} is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.

8 “On the Day of the LORD’s {YHWH} sacrifice I will punish the princes, the sons of the king, and all who are dressed in foreign apparel.

9 On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold <1Sa 5:5>, who fill the house of their master (the temple of their gods) with violence and deceit.

10 On that day,” declares the LORD {YHWH}, “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second District (the Second Quarter), and a loud crashing from the hills.

11 Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow (the market district), for all your merchants (all the people of Canaan) (lowland) will be silenced; all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

12 And at that time I will search Jerusalem (city of peace) with lamps and punish the men settled in complacency (thickening on the dregs), who say to themselves, ‘The LORD {YHWH} will do nothing, either good or bad.’

13 Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

14 The great Day of the LORD {Yowm YHWH} is near—near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.

15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

16 a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.

17 I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD {YHWH}. 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 {YHWH} wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth (of all the people living in the land).