Zephaniah

Zephaniah 2 ©

1 An exhortation to repentance. 4 The judgment of the Philistines, 8 of Moab and Ammon, 12 of Ethiopia 13 and Assyria.

1

GATHER ayourselves together, yea, gather together, O bnation 1not desired;

2

cBefore the decree bring forth, before the day pass das the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, ebefore the day of the LORD's anger come upon you.

3

fSeek ye the LORD, all ye gmeek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: hit may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.

4

iFor Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod jat the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

5

Woe unto the inhabitants of kthe sea coast, the nation of the lCherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

6

And the sea coast shall be mdwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

7

And nthe coast shall be for othe remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: 2for the LORD their God pshall visit them, and turn away their captivity.

8

¶I have heard qthe reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

9

Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, rSurely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon sas Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: tthe residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.

10

This shall they have ufor their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.

11

The LORD will be terrible unto them: for vhe will 3famish all the gods of the earth; and wmen shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.

12

¶Ye xEthiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

13

And yhe will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and zwill make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.

14

And aflocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the 4cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper 5lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: 6for he shall uncover bthe cedar work.

15

This cis the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: dhow is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! eevery one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.