Zephaniah 2

New International Version

Judah and Jerusalem Judged Along With the Nations

Judah Summoned to Repent

2 Gather together,^(A) gather yourselves together,
    you shameful^(B) nation,
²before the decree takes effect
    and that day passes like windblown chaff,^(C)
before the Lord’s fierce anger^(D)
    comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath^(E)
    comes upon you.
³Seek^(F) the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness,^(G) seek humility;^(H)
    perhaps you will be sheltered^(I)
    on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Philistia

⁴Gaza^(J) will be abandoned
    and Ashkelon^(K) left in ruins.
At midday Ashdod will be emptied
    and Ekron uprooted.
⁵Woe to you who live by the sea,
    you Kerethite^(L) people;
the word of the Lord is against you,^(M)
    Canaan, land of the Philistines.
He says, “I will destroy you,
    and none will be left.”^(N)
⁶The land by the sea will become pastures
    having wells for shepherds
    and pens for flocks.^(O)
⁷That land will belong
    to the remnant^(P) of the people of Judah;
    there they will find pasture.
In the evening they will lie down
    in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will care for them;
    he will restore their fortunes.^[a]^(Q)

Moab and Ammon

⁸“I have heard the insults^(R) of Moab^(S)
    and the taunts of the Ammonites,^(T)
who insulted^(U) my people
    and made threats against their land.^(V)
⁹Therefore, as surely as I live,”
    declares the Lord Almighty,
    the God of Israel,
“surely Moab^(W) will become like Sodom,^(X)
    the Ammonites^(Y) like Gomorrah—
a place of weeds and salt pits,
    a wasteland forever.
The remnant of my people will plunder^(Z) them;
    the survivors^(AA) of my nation will inherit their land.^(AB)”

¹⁰This is what they will get in return for their pride,^(AC)
    for insulting^(AD) and mocking
    the people of the Lord Almighty.^(AE)
¹¹The Lord will be awesome^(AF) to them
    when he destroys all the gods^(AG) of the earth.^(AH)
Distant nations will bow down to him,^(AI)
    all of them in their own lands.

Cush

¹²“You Cushites,^[b]^(AJ) too,
will be slain by my sword.^(AK)”

Assyria

¹³He will stretch out his hand against the north
    and destroy Assyria,^(AL)
leaving Nineveh^(AM) utterly desolate
    and dry as the desert.^(AN)
¹⁴Flocks and herds^(AO) will lie down there,
    creatures of every kind.
The desert owl^(AP) and the screech owl^(AQ)
    will roost on her columns.
Their hooting will echo through the windows,
    rubble will fill the doorways,
    the beams of cedar will be exposed.
¹⁵This is the city of revelry^(AR)
    that lived in safety.^(AS)
She said to herself,
    “I am the one! And there is none besides me.”^(AT)
What a ruin she has become,
    a lair for wild beasts!^(AU)
All who pass by her scoff^(AV)
    and shake their fists.^(AW)