Zephaniah 2

1 Rally yourselves together and gather, unashamed nation—

Assemble, be gathered together, O people not worthy to be loved.

2 before the decree takes effect and that day passes like the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh's wrath comes upon you, before the day of the wrath of Yahweh comes upon you.

Until the decree settles accounts, the day like dust is passing away, before which the wrath of the fury of the Lord may overcome you, before which the day of the anger of the Lord may overcome you.

3 Seek Yahweh, all you humble people on earth who obey his decrees! Seek righteousness. Seek humility, and perhaps you will be protected in the day of Yahweh's wrath.

Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth; you who have been working are his judgment. Seek the just, seek the meek. So then, in some way, you might be hidden in the day of the fury of the Lord.

4 For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon will turn into a devastation. They will drive out Ashdod at noon, and they will uproot Ekron!

For Gaza will be destroyed, and Ashkelon will be in the desert; they will expel Ashdod at midday, and Ekron will be eradicated.

5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Kerethites! Yahweh has spoken against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until no inhabitant remains.

Woe to you who inhabit the coast of the sea, you people of perdition. The word of the Lord is over you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines, and I will disperse you, so that not one inhabitant will be left.

6 So the seacoast will become pastures for shepherds and for sheep pens.

And the coastline of the sea will be a resting place for shepherds and a fence line for cattle.

7 The coastal region will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah, who will shepherd their flocks there. Their people will lie down in the evening in the houses of Ashkelon, for Yahweh their God will care for them and restore their fortunes.

And it will be the line of him who will remain from the house of Judah. There they will pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will rest towards evening. For the Lord their God will visit them, and he will turn away their captivity.

8 “I have heard the taunts of Moab and the reviling of the people of Ammon when they taunted my people and violated their borders.

I have heard about the disgrace of Moab and the blasphemies of the sons of Ammon, by which they have defamed my people and have been magnified beyond their borders.

9 Therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel— Moab will become like Sodom, and the people of Ammon like Gomorrah; a place of nettles and a salt pit, deserted forever. But the remnant of my people will plunder them, and the remainder of my nation will take possession of them.”

Because of this, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab will be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah, like the dryness of thorns, and piles of salt, and a desert, all the way to eternity. The remnant of my people will despoil them, and the residue of my nation will possess them.

10 This will happen to Moab and Ammon because of their pride, since they taunted and mocked the people of Yahweh of hosts.

This will come upon them for their arrogance, because they have blasphemed and have been magnified over the people of the Lord of hosts.

11 Then they will fear Yahweh, for he will taunt all the gods of the earth. Everyone will worship him, everyone from his own place, from every seashore.

The Lord will be a horror over them, and he will reduce all the gods of the earth. And they will adore him, each man from his own place, all the islands of the Gentiles.

12 You Cushites also will be pierced by my sword,

Even so, you Ethiopians, you will be executed by my sword.

13 and God's hand will attack the north and destroy Assyria, so that Nineveh will become an abandoned devastation, as dry as the desert.

And he will extend his hand over the North, and he will destroy Assur. And he will set the Beautiful in the wilderness, and in an impassable place, and like a desert.

14 Then herds will lie down there, every animal of the nations, both the desert owl and the screech owl will rest in the top of her columns. A call will sing out from the windows; rubble will be in the doorways; her carved cedar beams will be exposed.

And flocks will lie down in its midst, all the beasts of the Gentiles. And the pelican and the hedgehog will stay at its threshold; the voice of the singing bird will be at the window, with the crow above its threshold, for I will diminish her strength.

15 This is the exultant city that lived without fear, that said in her heart, “I am, and nothing is my equal.” How she has become a horror, a place for beasts to lie down in. Everyone that passes by her will hiss and shake his fist at her.

This is the glorious city, dwelling in trust, which said in her heart, “I am and there is no one other than me.” How has she become a lair for beasts in the desert? All who pass through her will hiss and wag their hand.