Zephaniah Prophesies Judgment on Judah
(Matthew 13:36–43)

1The word of YHWH that came to be to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah.

2“Removing I will bring to an end

everything from the face of the earth,”

a declaration of YHWH.

3“I will bring to an end man and beast;

I will bring to an end the birds of the heavens

and the fish of the sea

and the stumbling blocks with the wicked;†

and I will cut off mankind

from the face of the earth,”

a declaration of YHWH.

4“And I will stretch out My hand against Judah,

and against all those dwelling in Jerusalem;

I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal,

and the names of the idolatrous priests, with the priests,

5and those bowing down on the housetops

to the host of the heavens,

and those bowing down swearing to YHWH,

and swearing to Milcom,†

6and those having turned

from after YHWH,

and who have not sought YHWH

and not having inquired of Him.”

The Day of Yahweh
(Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Peter 3:8–13)

7Be silent before the face of the Lord YHWH,

for the day of YHWH is near,

for YHWH has prepared a sacrifice;

He has consecrated those called by Him.

8“And it will come to pass in the day of the sacrifice of YHWH

that I will visit punishment on the princes

and on the sons of the king

and on all those clothing themselves with foreign apparel.

9And I will visit punishment on all those leaping over the threshold

on that day,†

those filling the house of their masters†

with violence and deceit.

10And it will come to pass on that day,”

a declaration of YHWH, “The voice of an outcry from the Gate of the Fish,

and a wailing from the Mishneh,†

and a great crashing from the hills.

11Wail, O dwellers of the Maktesh!†

For all the merchant people† are destroyed;

all the bearers of silver are cut off.

12And it will come to pass, at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

and I will visit punishment upon the men settled in their dregs,†

those saying in their heart,

‘YHWH does no good,

and He will not bring evil.’

13And their wealth will become as plunder,

and their houses as a desolation;

they will build houses, and they will not dwell;

they will plant vineyards, and they will not drink their wine.

14Near is the great day of YHWH—

near, and hastening exceedingly;

the noise of the day of YHWH is bitter,

then cries out the mighty.

15A day of wrath

is that day,

a day of adversity and distress,

a day of devastation and desolation,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of cloud and thick darkness,

16a day of shofar and battle cry

against the fortified cities

and against the high corners.

17And I will bring distress to mankind,

and they will walk like the blind,

for against YHWH they have sinned;

and their blood will be poured out like the dust,

and their flesh like dung!

18Even their silver, even their gold,

will not be able to deliver them

on the day of the wrath of YHWH;

and by the fire of His jealousy will be consumed

all the earth,

for indeed He will make a sudden end

of all those dwelling on the earth!†”