Zep 3 | LEB | STEP | Woe to you , O rebellious and defiled one! The oppressing city!

‏ Zephaniah 3

Judgment of Jerusalem and the Nations

1 Woe to you, O rebellious and defiled one!
The oppressing city!
2 She listens to no voice;
she does not accept correction.
In Yahweh she does not trust;
to her God she does not draw near.
3 Her officials in her midst are roaring lions;
her judges are evening wolves;
they leave nothing until the morning.
4 Her prophets are arrogant men of treachery;
her priests have defiled that which is holy;
they do violence to the law.
5 Yahweh is righteous in her midst;
he does not do wickedness.
⌞Morning by morning⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “In the morning, in the morning”} he renders his judgment;
at dawn he does not fail,
but an evil one knows no shame.
6 “I have cut off nations;
their strongholds are deserted.
I have laid waste their streets,
so that none pass through.
Their cities have been destroyed
and are without a man, without an inhabitant.
7 I have said, ‘Surely she will fear me;
she will accept discipline.
Then her dwelling place will not be cut down,
nor all that I have brought upon her.’
Surely they rise early;
they make all their deeds corrupt.
8 “Therefore, wait for me”—a declaration of Yahweh—
“for the day of my rising as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble ^{▼▼The traditional Hebrew has “assemble me”; this translation follows LXX} kingdoms,
to pour out my wrath upon them, all my burning anger.
For by the fire of my anger all the land shall be consumed.
9 Because then I will ⌞make the speech of the nations pure⌟; ^{▼▼Literally “I will turn to the nations a purged lip”}
that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh,
to serve him ⌞in unison⌟. ^{▼▼Literally “with one shoulder”}
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones
shall bring my offering.
11 On that day you shall not be humiliated
on account of all your deeds
by which you have rebelled against me.
For then I shall remove from your midst
those exulting in your pride,
and you shall no longer be haughty
in ⌞my holy mountain⌟. ^{▼▼Literally “the mountain of my holiness”}
12 And I will leave in your midst
a people afflicted and poor,
and they shall take refuge
in the name of Yahweh.
13 The remnant of Israel
shall not do wickedness;
they shall not speak deception,
nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.
For they shall graze and lie down,
and none shall frighten them.”
14 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion!
Cry aloud, O Israel!
Rejoice and be jubilant with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 Yahweh has annulled your judgments;
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst;
you shall no longer fear misfortune.
16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem,
“Fear not, O Zion;
your hands shall not hang limp.
17 Yahweh your God is in your midst;
a mighty warrior who saves.
He shall rejoice over you with joy;
he renews ^{▼▼The translation follows the LXX text; the traditional Hebrew text reads “he will silence you in his love”} you in his love;
he will exult over you with singing.
18 I will gather those of you grieving on account of the feast;
they were raising against her a reproach.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors;
I will save the lame and gather the outcast.
I will change ^{▼▼Or “make”} them from shame
to glory and ⌞renown⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “a name”} throughout the whole world.
20 At that time I will bring you in;
at the time of my gathering you together.
For I will make you ⌞renowned⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “a name”} and praised
among all the nations of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
says Yahweh.