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 Yahweh; 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 thought: 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 Yahweh 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.