Zephaniah Prophesies Judgment on Judah
(Matthew 13:36–43)
1 דְּבַר־ (The word) יְהוָ֣ה׀ (of YHWH) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) הָיָ֗ה (came to be) אֶל־ (to) צְפַנְיָה֙ (Zephaniah) בֶּן־ (son) כּוּשִׁ֣י (of Cushi) בֶן־ (son) גְּדַלְיָ֔ה (of Gedaliah), בֶּן־ (son) אֲמַרְיָ֖ה (of Amariah), בֶּן־ (son) חִזְקִיָּ֑ה (of Hezekiah), בִּימֵ֛י (in the days) יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ (of Josiah) בֶן־ (son) אָמ֖וֹן (of Amon), מֶ֥לֶךְ (king) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (of Judah).
2 אָסֹ֨ף (Removing) אָסֵ֜ף (I will bring to an end)
כֹּ֗ל (everything) מֵעַ֛ל (from) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) הָאֲדָמָ֖ה (of the earth),
נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).
3 אָסֵ֨ף (I will bring to an end) אָדָ֜ם (man) וּבְהֵמָ֗ה (and beast);
אָסֵ֤ף (I will bring to an end) עוֹף־ (the birds) הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ (of the heavens),
וּדְגֵ֣י (and the fish) הַיָּ֔ם (of the sea),
וְהַמַּכְשֵׁל֖וֹת (and the stumbling blocks) אֶת־ (with) הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים (the wicked);
וְהִכְרַתִּ֣י (and I will cut off) אֶת־ (-) הָאָדָ֗ם (mankind)
מֵעַ֛ל (from) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) הָאֲדָמָ֖ה (of the earth),
נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).
4 וְנָטִ֤יתִי (And I will stretch out) יָדִי֙ (My hand) עַל־ (against) יְהוּדָ֔ה (Judah),
וְעַ֖ל (and against) כָּל־ (all) יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י (those dwelling) יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (in Jerusalem);
וְהִכְרַתִּ֞י (and I will cut off) מִן־ (from) הַמָּק֤וֹם (the place), הַזֶּה֙ (this) אֶת־ (-) שְׁאָ֣ר (the remnant) הַבַּ֔עַל (of Baal) אֶת־ (-)
שֵׁ֥ם (and the names) הַכְּמָרִ֖ים (of the idolatrous priests) עִם־ (with) הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (the priests);
5 וְאֶת־ (and) הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים (those bowing down) עַל־ (on) הַגַּגּ֖וֹת (the housetops);
לִצְבָ֣א (to the host) הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens)
וְאֶת־ (and) הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ (those bowing down) הַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים (swearing) לַֽיהוָ֔ה (to YHWH),
וְהַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים (and swearing) בְּמַלְכָּֽם׃ (to Milcom);
6 וְאֶת־ (and) הַנְּסוֹגִ֖ים (those having turned)
מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י (from after) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH)
וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר (and who) לֹֽא־ (not) בִקְשׁ֥וּ (have sought) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH)
וְלֹ֥א (and not) דְרָשֻֽׁהוּ׃ (having inquired of Him).
The Day of Yahweh
(Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Peter 3:8–13)
7 הַ֕ס (Be silent) מִפְּנֵ֖י (before the face) אֲדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH);
כִּ֤י (for) קָרוֹב֙ (is near), י֣וֹם (the day) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH)
כִּֽי־ (for) הֵכִ֧ין (has prepared) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) זֶ֖בַח (a sacrifice),
הִקְדִּ֥ישׁ (He has consecrated) קְרֻאָֽיו׃ (those called by Him).
8 וְהָיָ֗ה (And it will come to pass) בְּיוֹם֙ (in the day) זֶ֣בַח (of the sacrifice), יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH)
וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י (that I will visit punishment) עַל־ (on) הַשָּׂרִ֖ים (the princes),
וְעַל־ (and on) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons), הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (of the king)
וְעַ֥ל (and on) כָּל־ (all) הַלֹּבְשִׁ֖ים (those clothing themselves) מַלְבּ֥וּשׁ (apparel) נָכְרִֽי׃ (foreign).
9 וּפָקַדְתִּ֗י (And I will visit punishment) עַ֧ל (on) כָּל־ (all) הַדּוֹלֵ֛ג (those leaping) עַל־ (over) הַמִּפְתָּ֖ן (the threshold),
בַּיּ֣וֹם (on the day) הַה֑וּא (that)
הַֽמְמַלְאִ֛ים (those filling) בֵּ֥ית (the house) אֲדֹנֵיהֶ֖ם (of their masters)
חָמָ֥ס (with violence) וּמִרְמָֽה׃ס (and deceit).
10 וְהָיָה֩ (And it will come to pass) בַיּ֨וֹם (on the day), הַה֜וּא (that)
נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH), ק֤וֹל (The voice) צְעָקָה֙ (of an outcry) מִשַּׁ֣עַר (from the Gate), הַדָּגִ֔ים (of the Fish)
וִֽילָלָ֖ה (and a wailing) מִן־ (from), הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה (the Mishneh),
וְשֶׁ֥בֶר (and a crashing) גָּד֖וֹל (great) מֵהַגְּבָעֽוֹת׃ (from the hills).
11 הֵילִ֖ילוּ (Wail), יֹשְׁבֵ֣י (O dwellers) הַמַּכְתֵּ֑שׁ (of the Maktesh),
כִּ֤י (for) נִדְמָה֙ (are destroyed); כָּל־ (all) עַ֣ם (people) כְּנַ֔עַן (the merchant)
נִכְרְת֖וּ (are cut off). כָּל־ (All) נְטִ֥ילֵי (bearers) כָֽסֶף׃ (of silver).
12 וְהָיָה֙ (And it will come to pass) בָּעֵ֣ת (at the time), הַהִ֔יא (that) אֲחַפֵּ֥שׂ (that I will search) אֶת־ (-) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (Jerusalem) בַּנֵּר֑וֹת (with lamps),
וּפָקַדְתִּ֣י (and I will visit punishment) עַל־ (upon) הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים (the men) הַקֹּֽפְאִים֙ (settled) עַל־ (in) שִׁמְרֵיהֶ֔ם (their dregs),
הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ (those saying) בִּלְבָבָ֔ם (in their heart),
לֹֽא־ (Not) יֵיטִ֥יב (does good), יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH)
וְלֹ֥א (and not) יָרֵֽעַ׃ (will He bring evil).
13 וְהָיָ֤ה (And will become) חֵילָם֙ (their wealth) לִמְשִׁסָּ֔ה (as plunder),
וּבָתֵּיהֶ֖ם (and their houses) לִשְׁמָמָ֑ה (as a desolation);
וּבָנ֤וּ (and they will build) בָתִּים֙ (houses), וְלֹ֣א (not) יֵשֵׁ֔בוּ (will they dwell)
וְנָטְע֣וּ (and they will plant) כְרָמִ֔ים (vineyards), וְלֹ֥א (not) יִשְׁתּ֖וּ (will they drink) אֶת־ (-) יֵינָֽם׃ (their wine).
14 קָר֤וֹב (Near is), יוֹם־ (the day) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) הַגָּד֔וֹל (great)
קָר֖וֹב (near), וּמַהֵ֣ר (and hastening) מְאֹ֑ד (exceedingly),
ק֚וֹל (the noise) י֣וֹם (of the day) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH)! מַ֥ר (Is bitter).
צֹרֵ֖חַ (Cries out) שָׁ֥ם (then) גִּבּֽוֹר׃ (the mighty).
15 י֥וֹם (A day) עֶבְרָ֖ה (of wrath),
הַיּ֣וֹם (is the day) הַה֑וּא (that)
י֧וֹם (a day) צָרָ֣ה (of adversity) וּמְצוּקָ֗ה (and distress),
י֤וֹם (a day) שֹׁאָה֙ (of devastation) וּמְשׁוֹאָ֔ה (and desolation),
י֥וֹם (a day) חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ (of darkness) וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה (and gloom),
י֥וֹם (a day) עָנָ֖ן (of cloud) וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃ (and thick darkness),
16 י֥וֹם (a day) שׁוֹפָ֖ר (of shofar) וּתְרוּעָ֑ה (and battle cry)
עַ֚ל (against) הֶעָרִ֣ים (the cities), הַבְּצֻר֔וֹת (fortified)
וְעַ֖ל (and against) הַפִּנּ֥וֹת (the corners) הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃ (high).
17 וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי (And will I bring distress) לָאָדָ֗ם (to mankind),
וְהָֽלְכוּ֙ (and they will walk) כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים (like the blind),
כִּ֥י (for) לַֽיהוָ֖ה (against YHWH); חָטָ֑אוּ (they have sinned)
וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ (and will be poured out) דָּמָם֙ (their blood) כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר (like the dust),
וּלְחֻמָ֖ם (and their flesh) כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃ (like dung).
18 גַּם־ (Even) כַּסְפָּ֨ם (their silver) גַּם־ (even) זְהָבָ֜ם (their gold)
לֹֽא־ (not) יוּכַ֣ל (will be able) לְהַצִּילָ֗ם (to deliver them)
בְּיוֹם֙ (on the day) עֶבְרַ֣ת (of the wrath); יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH)
וּבְאֵשׁ֙ (and by the fire) קִנְאָת֔וֹ (of His jealousy), תֵּאָכֵ֖ל (will be consumed)
כָּל־ (all) הָאָ֑רֶץ (the earth)
כִּֽי־ (for) כָלָ֤ה (an end) אַךְ־ (indeed) נִבְהָלָה֙ (sudden) יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה (He will make of)
אֵ֥ת (-) כָּל־ (all) יֹשְׁבֵ֖י (those dwelling) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ס (on the earth).
