Shared Word Translation
Zephaniah 2
Gather yourselves, yes, gather,
nation without shame,
before the decree gives birth—
the day passes like chaff—
before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,
before the day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you.
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,
who carry out his justice;
seek righteousness,
seek humility;
perhaps you will be hidden
on the day of the LORD’s anger.
For Gaza will be abandoned,
and Ashkelon a desolation;
at noon they will drive out Ashdod,
and Ekron will be uprooted.
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,
the nation of the Cherethites!
The word of the LORD is against you:
Canaan, land of the Philistines,
I will destroy you until no inhabitant remains.
The seacoast will become pastures,
meadows for shepherds
and enclosures for flocks.
The coastland will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah;
they will pasture there.
In the houses of Ashkelon
they will lie down at evening,
for the LORD their God will attend to them
and restore their fortunes.
“I have heard the reproach of Moab
and the insults of the Ammonites,
with which they reproached my people
and made themselves great against their border.”
Therefore, as I live,
declares the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel,
Moab will become like Sodom,
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah:
a possession of nettles,
a pit of salt,
and a desolation forever.
The remnant of my people will plunder them,
and what remains of my nation will possess them.
This will be theirs in return for their pride,
because they reproached
and made themselves great
against the people of the LORD of Hosts.
The LORD will be terrifying against them,
for he will make all the gods of the earth waste away;
then each one, from their own place,
will bow down to him—
all the coastlands of the nations.
You Cushites also,
you will be slain by my sword.
He will stretch out his hand against the north
and destroy Assyria;
he will make Nineveh a desolation,
dry as the wilderness.
Flocks will lie down in her midst,
every beast of the nation;
both desert owl and hedgehog
will spend the night among her capitals.
A voice will sing in the window;
desolation will be on the threshold,
for cedarwork has been laid bare.
This is the jubilant city,
dwelling secure,
saying in her heart,
“I am, and there is none besides me.”
How she has become a desolation,
a resting place for wild animals!
Everyone who passes by her
will hiss
and shake a hand.