1The word of GOD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.
2I will sweep everything awayFrom the face of the earth—declares GOD.
3I will sweep away human and animal;I will sweep away the birds of the skyAnd the fish of the sea.I will make the wicked stumble,aI will make the wicked stumble Meaning of Heb. uncertain. And I will destroy humankindFrom the face of the earth—declares GOD.
4I will stretch out My arm against JudahAnd against all who dwell in Jerusalem;And I will wipe out from this placeEvery vestige of Baal,And the name of the priestlingsbpriestlings Heb. kemarim, a term used only of priests of heathen gods. along with the priests;
5And those who bow down on the roofsTo the host of heaven;And those who bow down and swear to GOD But also swear by Malcam;cMalcam Apparently identical with “Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites”; cf. 1 Kings 11.5.
6And those who have forsaken GOD,And those who have not sought GOD And have not made inquiry.
7Be silent before my Sovereign GOD,For the day of GOD is approaching;For GOD has prepared a sacrificial feast,dsacrificial feast I.e., a slaughter of sinners. Has bidden the guests purify themselves.ebidden the guests purify themselves I.e., invitations have already been issued in anticipation; cf. 1 Sam. 16.5.
8And on the day of GOD’s sacrificeI will punish the officialsAnd the king’s sons,fking’s sons Apparently brothers of King Amon, who exercised influence during the minority of King Josiah (2 Kings 22.1). And all who don a foreign vestment.
9I will also punish on that dayEveryone who steps over the threshold,gdon a foreign vestment … steps over the threshold Apparently two customs of heathen worship; cf. 2 Kings 10.22 and 1 Sam. 5.5. Who fill their master’shtheir master’s I.e., King Josiah’s. palaceWith lawlessness and fraud.
10In that day there shall be—declares GOD—A loud outcry from the Fish Gate,And howling from the Mishneh,iMishneh A quarter of Jerusalem; cf. 2 Kings 22.14. And a sound of great anguish from the hills.
11The dwellers of the MachteshjMachtesh Another quarter of Jerusalem. howl;For all the traders have perished,All who weigh silver are wiped out.
12At that time,I will search Jerusalem with lamps;And I will punish all thoseWho rest untroubled on their lees,Who say to themselves,“ GOD will do nothing, good or bad.”
13Their wealth shall be plunderedAnd their homes laid waste.They shall build houses and not dwell in them,Plant vineyards and not drink their wine.
14The great day of GOD is approaching,Approaching most swiftly.Hark, the day of GOD!It is bitter:There a warrior shrieks!kHark, the day of GOD! / It is bitter: / There a warrior shrieks! Emendation yields: “The day of GOD is faster than a runner, / Fleeter than a warrior”; cf. Ps. 19.6.
15That day shall be a day of wrath,A day of trouble and distress,A day of calamity and desolation,A day of darkness and deep gloom,A day of densest clouds,
16A day of horn blasts and alarms—Against the fortified townsAnd the lofty corner towers.
17I will bring distress on the people,And they shall walk like the blind,Because they sinned against GOD;Their blood shall be spilled like dust,And their fatlfat Or “marrow”; meaning of Heb. uncertain. like dung.
18Moreover, their silver and goldShall not avail to save them.On the day of GOD’s wrath,In the fire of such passion,The whole land shall be consumed;For [God] will make a terrible endOf all who dwell in the land.