Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

Zephaniah Prophesies Judgment on Judah

The word of Jehovah that came unto 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.

1

The LORD gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah.
Coming Judgment against Judah

2

I will utterly take away everything from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah:

2

“I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,” says the LORD.

3

I will take away man and beast; I will take away the fowl of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked, and I will cut off mankind from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.

3

“I will sweep away people and animals alike.
I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea.
I will reduce the wicked to heaps of rubble,a
and I will wipe humanity from the face of the earth,” says the LORD.

4

And I will stretch forth my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the Chemarim with the priests;

4

“I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with my fist
and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship.
I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests,
so that even the memory of them will disappear.

5

and them that bow down to the host of the heavens upon the housetops; and them that bow down to Jehovah, that swear by [him], and swear by Malcham;

5

For they go up to their roofs
and bow down to the sun, moon, and stars.
They claim to follow the LORD,
but then they worship Molech,b too.

6

and them that turn back from after Jehovah, and that do not seek Jehovah, nor inquire for him.

6

And I will destroy those who used to worship me
but now no longer do.
They no longer ask for the LORD’s guidance
or seek my blessings.”

7

The Day of the Lord

Be silent at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath hallowed his guests.

7

Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD,
for the awesome day of the LORD’s judgment is near.
The LORD has prepared his people for a great slaughter
and has chosen their executioners.c

8

And it shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.

8

“On that day of judgment,”
says the LORD,
“I will punish the leaders and princes of Judah
and all those following pagan customs.

9

And in that day will I punish all those that leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.

9

Yes, I will punish those who participate in pagan worship ceremonies,
and those who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.

10

And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate, and a howling from the second [quarter], and a great crashing from the hills.

10

“On that day,” says the LORD,
“a cry of alarm will come from the Fish Gate
and echo throughout the New Quarter of the city.d
And a great crash will sound from the hills.

11

Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh; for all the people of Canaan are cut down, all they that are laden with silver are cut off.

11

Wail in sorrow, all you who live in the market area,e
for all the merchants and traders will be destroyed.

12

And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil.

12

“I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners
to punish those who sit complacent in their sins.
They think the LORD will do nothing to them,
either good or bad.

13

And their wealth shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation; and they shall build houses, and not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and not drink the wine thereof.

13

So their property will be plundered,
their homes will be ransacked.
They will build new homes
but never live in them.
They will plant vineyards
but never drink wine from them.

14

The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly. The voice of the day of Jehovah: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

14

“That terrible day of the LORD is near.
Swiftly it comes —
a day of bitter tears,
a day when even strong men will cry out.

15

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness,

15

It will be a day when the LORD’s anger is poured out —
a day of terrible distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,

16

a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fenced cities and against the high battlements.

16

a day of trumpet calls and battle cries.
Down go the walled cities
and the strongest battlements!

17

And I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men; for they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung:

17

“Because you have sinned against the LORD,
I will make you grope around like the blind.
Your blood will be poured into the dust,
and your bodies will lie rotting on the ground.”

18

their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for a full end, yea, a sudden [end], shall he make of all them that dwell in the land.

18

Your silver and gold will not save you
on that day of the LORD’s anger.
For the whole land will be devoured
by the fire of his jealousy.
He will make a terrifying end
of all the people on earth.f

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New Living Translation

Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah 1