Moab’s Destruction
(Zephaniah 2:8–11)

1  שִׁלְחוּ־ (Send) כַ֥ר (the lamb)

מֹשֵֽׁל־ (to the ruler) אֶ֖רֶץ (of the land),

מִסֶּ֣לַע (from Sela) מִדְבָּ֑רָה (in the wilderness),

אֶל־ (to) הַ֖ר (the mountain) בַּת־ (of the daughter) צִיּֽוֹן׃ (of Zion).

2  וְהָיָ֥ה (And it will come to pass that) כְעוֹף־ (like a bird) נוֹדֵ֖ד (fluttering),

קֵ֣ן (or a nestling) מְשֻׁלָּ֑ח (cast out);

תִּֽהְיֶ֙ינָה֙ (so shall be) בְּנ֣וֹת (the daughters) מוֹאָ֔ב (of Moab)

מַעְבָּרֹ֖ת (at the fords) לְאַרְנֽוֹן׃ (of the Arnon):

3  הָבִיאוּ (Bring in) עֵצָה֙ (counsel),

עֲשׂ֣וּ (make) פְלִילָ֔ה (judgment);

שִׁ֧יתִי (set) כַלַּ֛יִל (like the night)

צִלֵּ֖ךְ (your shadow) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the middle) צָהֳרָ֑יִם (of noontime).

סַתְּרִי֙ (Hide) נִדָּחִ֔ים (those driven away);

נֹדֵ֖ד (the one fleeing) אַל־ (do not) תְּגַלִּֽי׃ (uncover).

4  יָג֤וּרוּ (Let sojourn) בָךְ֙ (among you) נִדָּחַ֔י (the outcasts); מוֹאָ֛ב (of Moab)

הֱוִי־ (be) סֵ֥תֶר (a shelter) לָ֖מוֹ (for them) מִפְּנֵ֣י (the face) שׁוֹדֵ֑ד (of the destroyer). כִּֽי־ (For)

אָפֵ֤ס (comes to an end) הַמֵּץ֙ (the extortioner); כָּ֣לָה (and ceases) שֹׁ֔ד (destruction); תַּ֥מּוּ (are finished off)

רֹמֵ֖ס (the tramplers) מִן־ (from) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (the land).

5  וְהוּכַ֤ן (And will be established) בַּחֶ֙סֶד֙ (in loyal devotion) כִּסֵּ֔א (a throne),

וְיָשַׁ֥ב (and one will sit) עָלָ֛יו (on it) בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת (in faithfulness) בְּאֹ֣הֶל (in the tent) דָּוִ֑ד (of David),

שֹׁפֵ֛ט (one judging) וְדֹרֵ֥שׁ (and seeking) מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (justice)

וּמְהִ֥ר (and hastening) צֶֽדֶק׃ (righteousness).

6  שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ (We have heard) גְאוֹן־ (of the pride) מוֹאָ֖ב (of Moab);

גֵּ֣א (pride) מְאֹ֑ד (exceeding)

גַּאֲוָת֧וֹ (of his arrogance), וּגְאוֹנ֛וֹ (and his pride) וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹ (and his wrath);

לֹא־ (not) כֵ֥ן (so) בַּדָּֽיו׃ס (are his lies).

7  לָכֵ֗ן (Therefore) יְיֵלִ֥יל (will wail) מוֹאָ֛ב (Moab);

לְמוֹאָ֖ב (for Moab) כֻּלֹּ֣ה (everyone) יְיֵלִ֑יל (letwail).

לַאֲשִׁישֵׁ֧י (For the raisin-cakes) קִיר־ (of Kir-) חֲרֶ֛שֶׂת (Hareseth)

תֶּהְגּ֖וּ (you⁺ will mourn), אַךְ־ (utterly) נְכָאִֽים׃ (stricken).

8  כִּ֣י (For) שַׁדְמוֹת֩ (the fields) חֶשְׁבּ֨וֹן (of Heshbon) אֻמְלָ֜ל (languish),

גֶּ֣פֶן (and the vine) שִׂבְמָ֗ה (of Sibmah).

בַּעֲלֵ֤י (The lords) גוֹיִם֙ (of the nations)

הָלְמ֣וּ (have struck down) שְׂרוּקֶּ֔יהָ (its choicest vines)

עַד־ (which as far as) יַעְזֵ֥ר (Jazer), נָגָ֖עוּ (had reached)

תָּ֣עוּ (and wandered) מִדְבָּ֑ר (to the desert).

שְׁלֻ֣חוֹתֶ֔יהָ (Her branches) נִטְּשׁ֖וּ (stretched out);

עָ֥בְרוּ (and passed over) יָֽם׃ (the sea).

9  עַל־ (For) כֵּ֡ן (thus) אֶבְכֶּ֞ה (I weep) בִּבְכִ֤י (with the weeping) יַעְזֵר֙ (of Jazer)

גֶּ֣פֶן (for the vine) שִׂבְמָ֔ה (of Sibmah).

אֲרַיָּ֙וֶךְ֙ (I will drench you) דִּמְעָתִ֔י (with my tears)

חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן (O Heshbon) וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה (and Elealeh),

כִּ֧י (for) עַל־ (over) קֵיצֵ֛ךְ (your summer fruit)

וְעַל־ (and over) קְצִירֵ֖ךְ (your summer fruit) הֵידָ֥ד (the shouting) נָפָֽל׃ (have fallen silent).

10  וְנֶאֱסַ֨ף (And are gathered up), שִׂמְחָ֤ה (gladness) וָגִיל֙ (and rejoicing) מִן־ (from) הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל (the field of planting),

וּבַכְּרָמִ֥ים (and in the vineyards) לֹֽא־ (not) יְרֻנָּ֖ן (is there singing), לֹ֣א (and not) יְרֹעָ֑ע (is there shouting);

יַ֗יִן (and the wine) בַּיְקָבִ֛ים (in the presses) לֹֽא־ (not) יִדְרֹ֥ךְ (does tread) הַדֹּרֵ֖ךְ (the treader);

הֵידָ֥ד (their shouting) הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃ (I have made cease).

11  עַל־ (Upon) כֵּן֙ (thus) מֵעַ֣י (my bowels) לְמוֹאָ֔ב (for Moab) כַּכִּנּ֖וֹר (like a harp) יֶֽהֱמ֑וּ (do moan),

וְקִרְבִּ֖י (and my inmost being) לְקִ֥יר (for Kir-) חָֽרֶשׂ׃ (heres).

12  וְהָיָ֧ה (And it will come to pass), כִֽי־ (when) נִרְאָ֛ה (it is seen) כִּֽי־ (that) נִלְאָ֥ה (has become weary) מוֹאָ֖ב (Moab)

עַל־ (on) הַבָּמָ֑ה (the high place),

וּבָ֧א (that he will come) אֶל־ (to) מִקְדָּשׁ֛וֹ (his sanctuary) לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל (to pray);

וְלֹ֥א (not) יוּכָֽל׃ (he will prevail).

13  זֶ֣ה (This is) הַדָּבָ֗ר (the word) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) דִּבֶּ֧ר (has spoken) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מוֹאָ֖ב (Moab) מֵאָֽז׃ (from that time). 14  וְעַתָּ֗ה (And) דִּבֶּ֣ר (has spoken) יְהוָה֮ (YHWH), לֵאמֹר֒ (saying), בְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁ (In three) שָׁנִים֙ (years), כִּשְׁנֵ֣י (according to the years) שָׂכִ֔יר (of a hireling), וְנִקְלָה֙ (then will be turned to dishonor) כְּב֣וֹד (the glory) מוֹאָ֔ב (of Moab) בְּכֹ֖ל (with all) הֶהָמ֣וֹן (multitude) הָרָ֑ב (the great), וּשְׁאָ֥ר (and the remnant) מְעַ֛ט (is little) מִזְעָ֖ר (small), ל֥וֹא (not) כַבִּֽיר׃ס (mighty).