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[This is Zephaniah from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version, copyright 2011. (Amazon.com) It has been revised from the King James Version into modern English by Frederick Hoehn.] ___Zephaniah chapter 1 1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. 2 "I will completely consume all things from off the land, says the Lord. 3 I will consume man and beast, I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked, and I will cut off man from off the land, says the Lord. 4 I will also stretch out my hand on Judah, and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests, 5 And those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, and those who worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham, 6 And those who are turned back from the Lord, and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of him. 7 Be quiet at the presence of the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has invited his guests. 8 And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice, I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all of those who are clothed with strange apparel. 9 In the same day I'll also punish all those that jump on the threshold, who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. 10 And in that day, says the Lord, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and a howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. 11 Howl, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people have been cut down, all of those who carry silver are cut off. 12 And at that time, I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, the Lord will not do good, nor will he do evil. 13 Therefore their goods shall become a spoil, and their houses a desolation, they shall also build houses, but not live in them, and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine from them. 14 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hurries greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord, the mighty man shall cry bitterly there. 15 That day is a day of anger, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17 And I will bring distress on men, so they'll walk like blind men, because they've sinned against the Lord, and their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like feces. 18 Nor shall their silver nor their gold be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's anger, but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy, for he shall make a speedy riddance of all of those who live in the land." ___Zephaniah chapter 2 1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O nation not desired, 2 Bring forth before the decree, before the day passes like the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes on you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes on you. 3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have kept his judgment, seek righteousness, seek meekness, perhaps you'll be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. 4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation, they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be uprooted. 5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will destroy you, so that there'll be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah, they shall feed on it, in the houses of Ashkelon they'll lie down in the evening, for the Lord their God shall visit them, and undo their captivity. 8 I've heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, by which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9 Therefore as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall be like Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation, the remainder of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 10 They'll have this for their pride, because they've reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts. 11 The Lord will be terrible to them, for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and men shall worship him, everyone from his place, all the islands of the heathen. 12 You Ethiopians also, you shall be killed by my sword. 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. 14 And flocks shall lie down in the middle of her, all the beasts of the nations, both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it, their voice shall sing in the windows, desolation shall be in the thresholds, for he shall uncover the cedar work. 15 This is the rejoicing city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me, how has she become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone that passes by her shall hiss, and wag his hand. ___Zephaniah chapter 3 1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! 2 She didn't obey the voice, she didn't receive correction, she didn't trust in the Lord, she didn't draw near to her God. 3 Her princes inside her are roaring lions, her judges are evening wolves, they don't gnaw the bones 'til the next day. 4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons, her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they've done violence to the law. 5 The just Lord is in the middle of it, he won't do sin, every morning he brings his judgment to light, he doesn't fail, but the unjust knows no shame. 6 I have cut off the nations, their towers are desolate, I made their streets waste, so no one passes by, their cities are destroyed, so that there's no man, that there is no inhabitant. 7 I said, surely you'll fear me, you will receive instruction, so their dwelling wouldn't be cut off, however I punished them, but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. 8 Therefore wait on me, says the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, so I can assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 9 For then I'll turn to the people a pure language, so they'll all call on the name of the Lord, to serve him unanimously. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring my offering. 11 In that day you won't be ashamed for all your doings, in which you've transgressed against me, for then I'll take away from among you those who rejoice in your pride, and you'll no more be full of pride because of my holy mountain. 12 I'll also leave in the middle of you an afflicted and poor people, and they'll trust in the name of the Lord. 13 The remnant of Israel shall not sin, nor speak lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they shall feed and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid. 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 The Lord has taken away your judgments, he has thrown out your enemy, the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the middle of you, you shall not see evil anymore. 16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, “Don't be afraid,” and to Zion, “Don't let your hands be slack.” 17 The Lord your God who's among you is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over you with singing. 18 I will gather those who are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of you, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. 19 See, at that time, I will undo all that afflict you, and I will save her that halts, and gather her that was driven out, and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they've been put to shame. 20 At that time I'll bring you again, at the time that I gather you, for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I undo your captivity before your eyes, says the Lord.
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