Zephaniah 3:1-10 ▼

1 Woe to the city that is rebellious and defiled, the oppressive city!

2 She has not obeyed; she has not accepted discipline. She has not trusted in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God.

3 The princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the night, which leave nothing for the morning.

4 Her prophets are reckless — treacherous men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to instruction.

5 The righteous LORD is in her; he does no wrong. He applies his justice morning by morning; he does not fail at dawn, yet the one who does wrong knows no shame.

6 I have cut off nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have laid waste their streets, with no one to pass through. Their cities lie devastated, without a person, without an inhabitant.

7 I said: You will certainly fear me and accept correction. Then her dwelling place would not be cut off based on all that I had allocated to her. However, they became more corrupt in all their actions.

8 Therefore, wait for me — this is the LORD’s declaration — until the day I rise up for plunder. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, in order to pour out my indignation on them, all my burning anger; for the whole earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy.

9 For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with a single purpose.

10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my supplicants, my dispersed people, will bring an offering to me.