Zephaniah
2:1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2:2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before
the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD's
anger come upon you.
2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his
judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid
in the day of the LORD's anger.
2:4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive
out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
2:5 Woe unto 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 even destroy thee, that there shall be no
inhabitant.
2:6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and
folds for flocks.
2:7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall
feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the
evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their
captivity.
2:8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of
Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves
against their border.
2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely
Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the
breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the
residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people
shall possess them.
2:10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and
magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
2:11 The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of
the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all
the isles of the heathen.
2:12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.
2:13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria;
and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst 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.
2:15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her
heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a
desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by
her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
