The word of Yahweh that came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
The Coming Judgment on Judah
“I will sweep, yes, sweep everything off of the face of the earth,” says Yahweh.
“I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. I will cut off humankind from the face of the earth,” says Yahweh.
“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the idolatrous priests and pagan priests,
those who worship the army of heaven on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by their “king,”
those who have turned away from following after Yahweh, and those who have not sought Yahweh or asked anything of him.”
The Day of the Lord Is Near
Be silent in the presence of the Lord Yahweh! For the Day of Yahweh is at hand; for Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests.
It will happen in the Day of Yahweh’s sacrifice, that— “I will punish the officials, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing.
In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their Lord with violence and deceit.
In that day,” says Yahweh, “there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter and a great crashing from the hills.
Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar, for all the merchant people will be destroyed! All those who weigh out silver will be cut off.
It will happen at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are like wine comfortably settled on the lees, who say in their heart, ‘Yahweh will not do good, nor will he do evil.’
Their wealth will become plunder and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but will not inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but will not drink their wine.”
Near is the great Day of Yahweh. Near, and very swiftly approaching. The sound of the Day of Yahweh! The mighty man cries out bitterly.
A day of wrath is that day. A day of distress and anguish. A day of trouble and ruin. A day of darkness and gloom. A day of clouds and thick darkness,
a day of the shofar and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers.
I will bring distress on people such that they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their bowels like dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole earth will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end of all those who live on the earth.