1 This|strong="H1697" is|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0834" message|strong="H1697" that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068" gave|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0413" Zephaniah|strong="H6846". He|strong="H0834" received|strong="H1961" this|strong="H1697" message|strong="H1697" during|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0834" time|strong="H3117" that|strong="H0834" Josiah|strong="H2977" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Amon|strong="H0526" was|strong="H1961" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H1121" Judah|strong="H3063". Zephaniah|strong="H6846" was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0834" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Cush, who|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0834" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Gedaliah|strong="H1436". Gedaliah|strong="H1436" was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0834" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Amariah|strong="H0568", who|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0834" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Hezekiah|strong="H2396".
2 The|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" says|strong="H5002", “I|strong="H5921" will|strong="H3068" destroy|strong="H3605" everything|strong="H3605" on|strong="H5921" earth|strong="H0127".
3 I|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" destroy|strong="H3772" all|strong="H0622" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H0120" and|strong="H3068" all|strong="H0622" the|strong="H0853" animals|strong="H0929". I|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" destroy|strong="H3772" the|strong="H0853" birds|strong="H5775" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" air and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" fish|strong="H1709" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" sea|strong="H3220". I|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" destroy|strong="H3772" the|strong="H0853" evil|strong="H7563" people|strong="H0120" and|strong="H3068" everything that|strong="H3068" makes|strong="H3772" them|strong="H0853" sin. I|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" remove|strong="H6440" all|strong="H0622" people|strong="H0120" from|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" earth|strong="H0127".” This|strong="H3068" is|strong="H3068" what|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" said.
4 “I|strong="H2088" will|strong="H3027" punish Judah|strong="H3063" and|strong="H3063" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H3427" living|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" Jerusalem|strong="H3389". I|strong="H2088" will|strong="H3027" remove from|strong="H4480" this|strong="H2088" place|strong="H4725" any|strong="H3605" signs of|strong="H3027" Baal|strong="H1168" worship. No|strong="H4480" one|strong="H2088" will|strong="H3027" remember the|strong="H3605" priests|strong="H3548" who|strong="H3605" serve the|strong="H3605" idols there|strong="H2088".
5 And|strong="H3068" those|strong="H5921" who|strong="H3068" go up|strong="H5921" on|strong="H5921" their|strong="H3068" roofs|strong="H1406" to|strong="H5921" worship|strong="H7812" the|strong="H0853" stars will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" forgotten. They|strong="H5921" worship|strong="H7812" me|strong="H5921", the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068", but|strong="H5921" they|strong="H5921" also|strong="H3068" use the|strong="H0853" name of|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" false god|strong="H3068" Milcom|strong="H4445" to|strong="H5921" make promises|strong="H7650".
6 They|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" turned|strong="H5472" away|strong="H0310" from|strong="H3068" me|strong="H0310", the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068". They|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" stopped following|strong="H0310" me|strong="H0310". They|strong="H0834" no|strong="H3808" longer|strong="H3808" ask|strong="H1875" me|strong="H0310", the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068", for|strong="H3068" help.”
7 Be|strong="H3068" silent|strong="H2013" before|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" Lord|strong="H3068" GOD|strong="H3068", because|strong="H3588" the|strong="H6440" LORD’S|strong="H3068" day|strong="H3117" for|strong="H3588" judging the|strong="H6440" people is|strong="H3068" coming soon|strong="H7138". The|strong="H6440" LORD|strong="H3068" has|strong="H3068" prepared|strong="H3559" his|strong="H3068" sacrifice|strong="H2077", and|strong="H3068" he|strong="H3588" has|strong="H3068" told his|strong="H3068" invited|strong="H7121" guests|strong="H7121" to|strong="H3068" get|strong="H3559" ready|strong="H3559".
8 The|strong="H3605" Lord|strong="H3068" said, “On|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" LORD’S|strong="H3068" day|strong="H3117" of|strong="H1121" sacrifice|strong="H2077", I|strong="H3117" will|strong="H3068" punish|strong="H6485" the|strong="H3605" king’s|strong="H4428" sons|strong="H1121" and|strong="H1121" other|strong="H3605" leaders|strong="H8269". I|strong="H3117" will|strong="H3068" punish|strong="H6485" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H1121" wearing clothes|strong="H3847" from|strong="H5921" other|strong="H3605" countries.
9 At|strong="H5921" that|strong="H3605" time|strong="H3117" I|strong="H3117" will|strong="H1004" punish|strong="H6485" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H1931" who|strong="H3605" jump over|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" threshold|strong="H4670" and|strong="H1004" those|strong="H3605" who|strong="H3605" fill|strong="H4390" their|strong="H3605" master’s|strong="H0113" house|strong="H1004" with|strong="H4390" lies|strong="H4820" and|strong="H1004" violence|strong="H2555".”
10 The|strong="H5002" LORD|strong="H3068" also|strong="H3068" said, “At|strong="H3068" that|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" people|strong="H1931" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H1961" calling for|strong="H3117" help at|strong="H3068" Fish|strong="H1709" Gate|strong="H8179" in|strong="H3068" Jerusalem and|strong="H3068" mourning in|strong="H3068" the|strong="H5002" new part|strong="H4480" of|strong="H3068" town|strong="H8179". They|strong="H3117" will|strong="H3068" hear|strong="H6963" the|strong="H5002" sound|strong="H6963" of|strong="H3068" destruction|strong="H7667" in|strong="H3068" the|strong="H5002" hills|strong="H1389" around the|strong="H5002" city|strong="H8179".
11 You|strong="H3588" people|strong="H5971" living|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H3605" lower part of|strong="H3427" town will|strong="H3427" cry, because|strong="H3588" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" traders and|strong="H3701" rich merchants will|strong="H3427" be|strong="H3605" destroyed|strong="H3772".
12 “At|strong="H5921" that|strong="H1931" time|strong="H6256" I|strong="H6256" will|strong="H3068" take|strong="H6485" a|strong="H1961" lamp|strong="H5216" and|strong="H3068" search|strong="H2664" through|strong="H5921" Jerusalem|strong="H3389". I|strong="H6256" will|strong="H3068" find all|strong="H0376" those|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0376" are|strong="H0376" satisfied|strong="H3190" to|strong="H0559" live their|strong="H3068" own|strong="H1961" way|strong="H5921". They|strong="H5921" say|strong="H0559", ‘The|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" does|strong="H3808" nothing|strong="H3808". He|strong="H1931" does|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" help, and|strong="H3068" he|strong="H1931" does|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" hurt!’ I|strong="H6256" will|strong="H3068" find them|strong="H0853", and|strong="H3068" I|strong="H6256" will|strong="H3068" punish|strong="H6485" them|strong="H0853".
13 Then|strong="H1961" others will|strong="H1961" take|strong="H1961" their|strong="H1961" wealth|strong="H2428" and|strong="H1004" destroy their|strong="H1961" houses|strong="H1004". Those|strong="H0853" who|strong="H3427" built|strong="H1129" houses|strong="H1004" will|strong="H1961" not|strong="H3808" live|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" them|strong="H0853", and|strong="H1004" those|strong="H0853" who|strong="H3427" planted|strong="H5193" vineyards|strong="H3754" will|strong="H1961" not|strong="H3808" drink|strong="H8354" the|strong="H0853" wine|strong="H3196" from|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" grapes.”
14 The|strong="H3068" LORD’S|strong="H3068" special day|strong="H3117" for|strong="H3117" judging is|strong="H3068" coming soon|strong="H7138"! It|strong="H8033" is|strong="H3068" near|strong="H7138" and|strong="H3068" coming fast. People will|strong="H3068" hear|strong="H6963" very|strong="H3966" sad sounds|strong="H6963" on|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3068" LORD’S|strong="H3068" special day|strong="H3117" of|strong="H3068" judgment. Even strong|strong="H1419" soldiers|strong="H1368" will|strong="H3068" cry|strong="H6963".
15 The|strong="H3117" Lord will|strong="H3117" show his|strong="H1931" anger|strong="H5678" at|strong="H3117" that|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117". It|strong="H1931" will|strong="H3117" be|strong="H3117" a|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" of|strong="H3117" terrible troubles and|strong="H3117" a|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" of|strong="H3117" destruction|strong="H7722". It|strong="H1931" will|strong="H3117" be|strong="H3117" a|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" of|strong="H3117" darkness|strong="H2822"—a|strong="H3117" black, cloudy|strong="H6051", and|strong="H3117" stormy day|strong="H3117".
16 It|strong="H5921" will|strong="H3117" be|strong="H3117" like|strong="H5921" a|strong="H5921" time|strong="H3117" of|strong="H3117" war|strong="H8643" when|strong="H3117" people hear horns|strong="H7782" and|strong="H3117" trumpets|strong="H7782" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" defense towers|strong="H6438" and|strong="H3117" protected cities|strong="H5892".
17 The|strong="H3588" Lord|strong="H3068" said, “I|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" make|strong="H3588" life|strong="H1818" very|strong="H1980" hard on|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3588" people|strong="H0120". They|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" walk|strong="H1980" around|strong="H1980" like|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3588" blind|strong="H5787" who|strong="H3068" don’t know where they|strong="H3588" are|strong="H3068" going|strong="H1980". That|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" happen because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" sinned|strong="H2398" against|strong="H2398" the|strong="H3588" LORD|strong="H3068". Their|strong="H3068" blood|strong="H1818" will|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3068" spilled|strong="H8210" on|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3588" ground|strong="H6083". Their|strong="H3068" dead bodies will|strong="H3068" lie like|strong="H1980" dung|strong="H1561" on|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3588" ground|strong="H6083".
18 Their|strong="H3605" gold|strong="H2091" and|strong="H3068" silver|strong="H3701" will|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" help them|strong="H0853"! At|strong="H3427" that|strong="H3588" time|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3605" Lord|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" become very|strong="H1571" upset and|strong="H3068" angry|strong="H5678". The|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" will|strong="H3068" destroy|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" whole|strong="H3605" world|strong="H0776"! He|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" completely|strong="H3617" destroy|strong="H3605" everyone|strong="H3605" on|strong="H3117" earth|strong="H0776"!”