Zephaniah 3:1-20

  • Jerusalem, a rebellious and corrupt city (1-7)

  • Judgment and restoration (8-20)

    • A change to a pure language (9)

    • A humble and lowly people to be saved (12)

    • Jehovah will exult over Zion (17)

3  Woe to the rebellious, the polluted, the oppressive city!+   She has obeyed no voice;+ she has accepted no discipline.+ In Jehovah she has not trusted;+ she has not drawn near to her God.+   Her princes within her are roaring lions.+ Her judges are wolves in the night;They do not leave even a bone to gnaw until morning.   Her prophets are insolent, treacherous men.+ Her priests defile what is holy;+They do violence to the law.+   Jehovah is righteous in her midst;+ he does no wrong. Morning by morning he makes known his judgments,+As unfailing as the daylight. But the unrighteous one knows no shame.+   “I destroyed nations; their corner towers were left desolate. I devastated their streets, so that no one was passing through. Their cities were left in ruins, without a man, without an inhabitant.+   I said, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept discipline,’*+ So that her dwelling place might not be destroyed+—I must call her to account for* all these things. But they were all the more eager to act corruptly.+   ‘So keep yourselves in expectation of* me,’+ declares Jehovah,‘Until the day when I rise up to take plunder,*For my judicial decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms,To pour out on them my indignation, all my burning anger;+For by the fire of my zeal the whole earth will be consumed.+   For then I will change the language of the peoples to a pure language,So that all of them may call on the name of Jehovah,To serve him shoulder to shoulder.’*+ 10  From the region of the rivers of E·thi·oʹpi·a,Those entreating me, the daughter of my scattered ones, will bring a gift to me.+ 11  On that day you will not be put to shameBecause of all your deeds with which you rebelled against me,+For then I will remove the haughty boasters from among you;And you will never again be haughty in my holy mountain.+ 12  I will allow a humble and lowly people to remain in your midst,+And they will take refuge in the name of Jehovah. 13  Those remaining of Israel+ will practice no unrighteousness;+They will not speak a lie, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths;They will feed* and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”+ 14  Shout joyfully, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel!+ Be joyful and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!+ 15  Jehovah has removed the judgments against you.+ He has turned away your enemy.+ The King of Israel, Jehovah, is in your midst.+ You will fear calamity no more.+ 16  On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, O Zion.+ Do not let your hands drop down. 17  Jehovah your God is in your midst.+ As a mighty One, he will save. He will exult over you with great joy.+ He will become silent* in his love. He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. 18  I will gather together those grieving over their absence from your festivals;+They were absent from you because of bearing reproach for her.+ 19  Look! At that time I will act against all those oppressing you;+And I will save the one limping,+And I will gather together the dispersed.+ I will make them an object of praise and fame*In all the land of their shame. 20  At that time I will bring you in,At the time I gather you together. For I will make you an object of fame* and praise+ among all the peoples of the earth,When I gather back your captives before your eyes,” says Jehovah.+

Footnotes

Or “punish her for.”
Or “correction.”
Or “wait patiently for.”
Or possibly, “rise up as a witness.”
Or “worship him in unity.”
Or “graze.”
Or “quiet; at ease; satisfied.”
Lit., “a name.”
Lit., “a name.”