Zephaniah 2

A Call to Repentance
(Joel 1:13–20; Amos 5:4–15; Luke 13:1–5)

1Gather yourselves, gather together,

O shameful nation,

2before the decree takes effect \is given birth/a

and the day passes like chaff,

before the burning anger of the LORD {YHWH} comes upon you⁺,

before the Day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you⁺.

3Seek the LORD {YHWH}, all you humble of the earth

who carry out His justice.

Seek righteousness; seek humility.

Perhaps you⁺ will be sheltered

on the day of the LORD’s anger.

Judgment on the Philistines
(Jeremiah 47:1–7)

4For Gaza (the strong) will be abandoned,

and Ashkelon (the fire of infamy) left in ruins.

Ashdod (powerful) will be driven out at noon,

and Ekron (torn up by the roots) will be uprooted.

5Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast,

O nation of the Cherethites (executioners)!

The word of the LORD {YHWH} is against you⁺,

O Canaan (lowland), land of the Philistines (immigrants):

“I will destroy you,

and no one will be left.”

6So the seacoast will become a land of pastures,

with wells (caves)b for shepherds and folds for sheep.

7The coast will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah (praised);

there they will find pasture.

They will lie down in the evening

among the houses of Ashkelon (the fire of infamy),

for the LORD their God {YHWH Elohehem} will attend to them

and restore their captives (their fortunes).c

Judgment on Moab and Ammon
(Isaiah 16:1–14; Jeremiah 48:1–47)

8“I have heard the reproach of Moab (of his father)

and the insults of the Ammonites (tribal),

who have taunted My people

and threatened their borders.

9Therefore, as surely as I live,”

declares the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts,

the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God),

“surely Moab (of his father) will be like Sodom (burning)

and the Ammonites (tribal) like Gomorrah (submersion)

a place of weeds and salt pits,

a perpetual wasteland.

The remnant of My people will plunder them;

the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.”

10This they shall have in return for their pride,

for taunting and mocking the people

of the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts.

11The LORD {YHWH} will be terrifying to them

when He starves all the gods of the earth.

Then the nations of every shore

will bow in worship to Him,

each in its own place.

Judgment on Cush and Assyria

12“You⁺ too, O Cushites (people from the upper Nile region),d

will be slain by My sword.”

13And He will stretch out His hand against the north

and destroy Assyria (a step);

He will make Nineveh (abode of Ninus) a desolation,

as dry as a desert.

14Herds will lie down in her midst,

creatures (nations) of every kind \beasts of every nation/.e

Both the desert owl and screech owlf

will roost atop her pillars.

Their calls will sound from the window,

but desolation will lie on the threshold,

for He will expose the beams of cedar.

15This carefree city

that dwells securely,

that thinks to herself:

“I am it, and there is none besides me,”

what a ruin she has become,

a resting place for beasts.

Everyone who passes by her

hisses and shakes his fist.


The Berean Annotated Bible (BAB) is the Annotated version of the Berean Standard Bible (BSB). The BAB includes over 50,000 points of emphasis using the following system:

(Emphasis and Names)
{Hebrew and Greek}
[Alternate Manuscripts]
\Literal translation/
<Measurements and Crossrefs>
Second Person Plural: you⁺ your⁺ yours⁺

This version is an early draft and is now in the stage of proofing, consistency checking, and public comment. Please note that meanings for Biblical names are based on Hebrew and Greek roots and can be somewhat subjective. Feel free to Contact us with suggestions or corrections. We are still adding points of emphasis wherever helpful.



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