Judah’s Impending Judgment

1 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 son of Amon, king of Judah.

• 2 from the face of the earth”—a declaration of Yahweh.
• 3  I will destroy the birds of the sky
• and the fish of the sea,
• and the stumbling blocks[fn] with the wicked.
• And I will cut off humankind
  • from the face of the earth”—a declaration of Yahweh.
  • 4  and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
• And I will cut off from this place
  • the remnant of Baal,
  • and the name of idolatrous priests with the priests,[fn]
  • 5  to the host of heaven,
• and those who bow down, swearing to Yahweh
  • but also swearing by Milkom,[fn]
  • 6 [fn] Yahweh, and who did not seek Yahweh,
  • and did not inquire of him.”
  • 7  for the day of Yahweh draws near,
• for Yahweh has provided a sacrifice
  • and has consecrated his guests.
• 8 that on the day of the sacrifice of Yahweh, I will punish the officials
  • and the sons of the king
  • and those who dress in foreign clothing.
  • 9  all who leap over the threshold,
• who fill up the house of their master
  • with violence and deceit.
  • 10  “a[fn] from the Fish Gate,
• and a wailing from the Second District,
  • and a loud[fn] crashing from the hills.
  • 11  for all the traders have perished;
  • all who trade with silver have been cut off.
• 12 that at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
• and I will punish the men
  • [fn]
• who say in their hearts,
  • ‘Yahweh will not do good, nor will he do evil.’
  • 13  and their homes as desolation.
• And they shall build their houses and not inhabit them,
  • and they shall plant vineyards and not drink their wine.”
  • 14  it is near and coming very swiftly.
• The sound of the day of Yahweh is bitterness;
  • there, a warrior cries out!
  • 15 will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress,
  • a day of disaster and ruination,
  • a day of darkness and deep gloom,
  • a day of clouds[fn] and thick clouds,[fn]
  • 16 trumpet blast against the fortified cities
  • and against the high corner towers.
  • 17  and they shall walk about like the blind,
• for they sinned against Yahweh;
  • their blood shall be poured out like dust
  • and their entrails like dung.
  • 18  will not be able to save them
  • on the day of the wrath of Yahweh.
• And in the fire of his zeal,
  • the whole land shall be consumed,
• for a terrifying end he shall make
  • for all the inhabitants of the land.