Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, leaving Nineveh utterly desolate and dry as the desert. New Living Translation And the LORD will strike the lands of the north with his fist, destroying the land of Assyria. He will make its great capital, Nineveh, a desolate wasteland, parched like a desert. English Standard Version And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert. Berean Standard Bible And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. Berean Literal Bible And He will stretch out His hand against the north, and He will destroy Assyria; and He will set Nineveh as a desolation, as dry as the desert. King James Bible And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. New King James Version And He will stretch out His hand against the north, Destroy Assyria, And make Nineveh a desolation, As dry as the wilderness. New American Standard Bible And He will stretch out His hand against the north And eliminate Assyria, And He will make Nineveh a desolation, Parched like the wilderness. NASB 1995 And He will stretch out His hand against the north And destroy Assyria, And He will make Nineveh a desolation, Parched like the wilderness. NASB 1977 And He will stretch out His hand against the north And destroy Assyria, And He will make Nineveh a desolation, Parched like the wilderness. Legacy Standard Bible And He will stretch out His hand against the north And cause Assyria to perish, And He will make Nineveh a desolation, Parched like the wilderness. Amplified Bible And the LORD will stretch out His hand against the north And destroy Assyria, And He will make Nineveh a desolation [a wasteland], Parched as the desert. Berean Annotated Bible And 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. Christian Standard Bible He will also stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria; he will make Nineveh a desolate ruin, dry as the desert. Holman Christian Standard Bible He will also stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolate ruin, dry as the desert. American Standard Version And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness. Contemporary English Version The LORD will reach to the north to crush Assyria and overthrow Nineveh. English Revised Version And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria. He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin, a dried up wasteland like the desert. Good News Translation The LORD will use his power to destroy Assyria. He will make the city of Nineveh a deserted ruin, a waterless desert. International Standard Version "And the LORD will attack the north, destroying Assyria. He will turn Nineveh into a desolate ruin, as dry as a desert wilderness. NET Bible The LORD will attack the north and destroy Assyria. He will make Nineveh a heap of ruins; it will be as barren as the desert. New Heart English Bible He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness. Webster's Bible Translation And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. World English Bible He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd He stretches His hand against the north, "" And destroys Asshur, "" And He sets Nineveh for a desolation, "" A dry land like a wilderness. Berean Literal Bible And He will stretch out His hand against the north, and He will destroy Assyria; and He will set Nineveh as a desolation, as dry as the desert. Young's Literal Translation And He stretcheth His hand against the north, And doth destroy Asshur, And he setteth Nineveh for a desolation, A dry land like a wilderness. Smith's Literal Translation And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and he will destroy Assur; and he will set Nineveh for a desolation, a dryness as the desert. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he will stretch out his hand upon the north, and will destroy Assyria: and he will make the beautiful city a wilderness, and as a place not passable, and as a desert. Catholic Public Domain Version And he will extend his hand over the North, and he will destroy Assur. And he will set the Beautiful in the wilderness, and in an impassable place, and like a desert. New American Bible He will stretch out his hand against the north, to destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a waste, dry as the desert. New Revised Standard Version And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy the Assyrian, and will make Nineveh a desolation and dry like a wilderness. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he shall raise his hand against the North and he shall destroy the Assyrian and he shall make Nineva destruction and a desolation as a wilderness OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And He will stretch out His hand against the north, And destroy Assyria; And will make Nineveh a desolation, And dry like the wilderness. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he shall stretch forth his hand against the north and destroy the Assyrian, and make Nineve a dry wilderness, even as a desert. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Judgment on Cush and Assyria12“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.” 13And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. 14Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl 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.… Cross References And He will stretch out His hand against the north Jeremiah 1:14 Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land. Jeremiah 6:22 This is what the LORD says: “Behold, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is stirred up from the ends of the earth. Jeremiah 50:3 For a nation from the north will come against her; it will make her land a desolation. No one will live in it; both man and beast will flee.” and destroy Assyria; Isaiah 31:8-9 “Then Assyria will fall, but not by the sword of man; a sword will devour them, but not one made by mortals. They will flee before the sword, and their young men will be put to forced labor. / Their rock will pass away for fear, and their princes will panic at the sight of the battle standard,” declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem. 2 Kings 19:35 And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! Isaiah 10:12-19 So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes. / For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, for I am clever. I have removed the boundaries of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their rulers. / My hand reached as into a nest to seize the wealth of the nations. Like one gathering abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth. No wing fluttered, no beak opened or chirped.’” … He will make Nineveh a desolation, Nahum 2:8-10 Nineveh has been like a pool of water throughout her days, but now it is draining away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one turns back. / “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing. / She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale! Nahum 3:5-7 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms. / I will pelt you with filth and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you. / Then all who see you will recoil from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated; who will grieve for her?’ Where can I find comforters for you?” Nahum 3:18-19 O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber; your officers sleep. Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them. / There is no healing for your injury; your wound is severe. All who hear the news of you applaud your downfall, for who has not experienced your constant cruelty? as dry as a desert. Jeremiah 50:12-13 your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who bore you will be disgraced. Behold, she will be the least of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. / Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds. Psalm 107:33-35 He turns rivers into deserts, springs of water into thirsty ground, / and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers. / He turns a desert into pools of water and a dry land into flowing springs. Isaiah 34:9-10 Edom’s streams will be turned to tar, and her soil to sulfur; her land will become a blazing pitch. / It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it. Nahum 1:1-3 This is the burden against Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite: / The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies. / The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. Isaiah 10:5-19 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath. / I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets. / But this is not his intention; this is not his plan. For it is in his heart to destroy and cut off many nations. … Isaiah 14:24-27 The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand. / I will break Assyria in My land; I will trample him on My mountain. His yoke will be taken off My people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.” / This is the plan devised for the whole earth, and this is the hand stretched out over all the nations. … Isaiah 37:36-38 Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. / One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place. Treasury of Scripture And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. he will. Psalm 83:8,9 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah… Isaiah 10:12,16 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks… Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. will make. Nahum 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. Nahum 2:10,11 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness… Nahum 3:7,15,18,19 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee? … Jump to Previous Asshur Assyria Desert Desolate Desolation Destroy Destruction Drought Dry Hand Leaving Nineveh Nin'eveh North Parched Stretch Stretched Stretcheth Unpeopled Utterly Waste WildernessJump to Next Asshur Assyria Desert Desolate Desolation Destroy Destruction Drought Dry Hand Leaving Nineveh Nin'eveh North Parched Stretch Stretched Stretcheth Unpeopled Utterly Waste WildernessZephaniah 2 1. An exhortation to repentance.4. The judgment of the Philistines, 8. of Moab and Ammon, 12. of Ethiopia, 13. and of Assyria. And He will stretch out His hand against the north This phrase indicates divine intervention and judgment. The "north" refers to the region where Assyria was located, a powerful empire known for its military might and cruelty. The stretching out of God's hand symbolizes His sovereign power to execute judgment. This imagery is consistent with other biblical passages where God's hand represents His authority and action (e.g., Exodus 7:5, Isaiah 14:26-27). and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. Persons / Places / Events 1. ZephaniahA prophet in the Old Testament, Zephaniah's ministry was during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. His prophecies focus on the coming judgment of God upon Judah and the surrounding nations. 2. Assyria A powerful empire in the ancient Near East, known for its military might and cruelty. Assyria was a dominant force during Zephaniah's time, having previously conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. 3. Nineveh The capital city of Assyria, known for its grandeur and wickedness. It was a significant city in the ancient world and a symbol of Assyrian power. 4. The North Refers to the direction from which Assyria would face God's judgment. In biblical terms, the north often symbolizes a place of threat or impending judgment. 5. God's Judgment The event where God exercises His divine justice against nations and peoples who have turned away from His ways. In this context, it is specifically against Assyria and Nineveh. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty Over NationsGod is in control of all nations and empires, regardless of their power or influence. His plans and purposes will ultimately prevail. The Certainty of Divine Judgment God's judgment is certain and will come to pass. This serves as a warning to all nations and individuals to turn from wickedness and seek righteousness. The Call to Repentance While judgment is certain, God's desire is for repentance. The account of Nineveh in Jonah reminds us that God is merciful and willing to forgive those who turn to Him. The Transience of Earthly Power Earthly empires and powers are temporary. Assyria, once a mighty empire, was brought to desolation. This reminds us not to place our trust in worldly power but in God. The Importance of Humility Pride and arrogance lead to downfall. Assyria's pride was a significant factor in its judgment. We are called to walk humbly with God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Zephaniah 2:13?2. How does Zephaniah 2:13 demonstrate God's sovereignty over nations like Assyria? 3. What lessons can we learn from God's judgment on Nineveh in Zephaniah 2:13? 4. How does Zephaniah 2:13 connect with Jonah's prophecy about Nineveh? 5. How can understanding Zephaniah 2:13 strengthen our trust in God's justice today? 6. What practical steps can we take to avoid pride like Nineveh's in Zephaniah 2:13? 7. What is the historical context of Zephaniah 2:13 regarding Nineveh's destruction? 8. How does Zephaniah 2:13 reflect God's judgment on nations? 9. What archaeological evidence supports the prophecy in Zephaniah 2:13? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Zephaniah 2? 11. Zephaniah 2:13–14 describes Nineveh’s total desolation; if it was indeed devastated, why does some historical evidence suggest a gradual decline rather than an abrupt, supernatural judgment? 12. What caused the destruction of Nineveh? 13. Are there any historical or archaeological records supporting the specific judgments and restorations mentioned in Zephaniah 3? 14. What do owls symbolize in the Bible? What Does Zephaniah 2:13 Mean And He will stretch out His hand• The scene opens with God Himself taking action. Throughout Scripture a “stretched-out hand” signals unstoppable power (Exodus 7:5; Isaiah 14:26-27). • The phrase assures Judah that judgment is neither random nor delegated; the Lord personally initiates it, exactly as He once did against Egypt and other oppressors (Deuteronomy 7:19). • When God moves His hand, no opposing force can close it (Job 12:14). against the north • The threat to Judah consistently rose from the northern corridor (Jeremiah 1:14-15). By naming that direction, God pinpoints the source of violence and assures His people that He already has it under control. • Zechariah 2:6 echoes this northward focus, urging exiles to flee because the Lord is dismantling northern powers. • The detail reminds believers that God’s awareness is precise: He knows where danger lurks and meets it head-on. and destroy Assyria • Assyria was the world’s superpower of Zephaniah’s day—brutal, proud, seemingly invincible (Nahum 3:1-4). Yet God promises nothing less than its destruction. • Isaiah 10:12 foretold the same downfall; Nahum devoted an entire oracle to it. History records Assyria’s collapse in 612 BC when Babylon and the Medes overran Nineveh. • The fulfillment underscores a timeless truth: nations rise and fall at the Lord’s bidding (Daniel 2:21). No empire, however formidable, can withstand His decree. He will make Nineveh a desolation • Nineveh, Assyria’s glittering capital, once boasted walls 100 feet high and 60 miles in circumference, yet God declares it will become “desolation.” • Nahum 3:7 echoes, “Who will mourn for her? Where can I find anyone to comfort you?” Within a generation the city lay in ruins so complete that later travelers doubted it ever existed. • Psalm 9:6 captures the principle: “You have uprooted the nations; You have erased their name forever and ever.” as dry as a desert • The final picture is one of lifeless barrenness. Isaiah 13:19-22 uses similar language of Babylon, showing how a proud metropolis can become an uninhabited waste. • Psalm 107:33-34 reminds us that God “turns rivers into desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground.” Dryness means the land will not merely be uninhabited—it will be uninhabitable. • For God’s people, the image doubles as comfort: their once-terrifying foe will wither away, unable to threaten again. summary Zephaniah 2:13 paints a vivid, literal picture of God’s sovereign judgment. He personally targets the northern menace, topples Assyria, levels its proud capital, and leaves it a barren desert. Fulfilled in history, the prophecy proves that the Lord’s hand is decisive, His word unbreakable, and His care for His people unfailing. Verse 13. - The north, represented by Assyria, as yet unconquered, and still apparently flourishing. Though this country lay to the northeast of Palestine, its armies attacked from the north, and it is generally represented as a northern power. Its destruction was foretold (Isaiah 10:12; Ezekiel 31:11, etc.; Nahum 1:14, etc.). In this verse the Hebrew verbs are not in the simple future, but in the imperative or optative mood, "Let him stretch out his hand," etc., as though the prophet were praying that the enemies of his people might be overthrown. Nineveh. St. Jerome gives speciosam, rendering the proper name according to his notion of its Hebrew etymology. Its proper meaning, in Accadian, would be "Fish house,". i.e. house consecrated to the god of fish. (For a description of Nineveh, see note on Jonah 1:2. For the destruction of Nineveh, see the Introduction to Nahum, § I.) Dry like a wilderness. The country shall become an and desert. Assyria was greatly indebted for its remarkable fertility to a very successful system of artificial irrigation, and when this was not maintained, great tracts soon relapsed into a wilderness (Layard, 'Nineveh,' 2:68). "Cultivation," says Professor Rawlinson, "is now the exception instead of the rule. 'Instead of the luxuriant fields, the groves and gardens of former times, nothing now meets the eye but an arid waste' (Chesny). Large tracts are covered by unwholesome marshes, producing nothing but enormous reeds; others lie waste and bare, parched up by the fierce heat of the sun, and utterly destitute of water; in some places sand drifts accumulate, and threaten to make the whole region a mere portion of the desert" ('Anc. Men.,' 1:41).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And He will stretch outוְיֵ֤ט (wə·yêṭ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend His hand יָדוֹ֙ (yā·ḏōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3027: A hand against עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the north צָפ֔וֹן (ṣā·p̄ō·wn) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter and destroy וִֽיאַבֵּ֖ד (wî·’ab·bêḏ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish Assyria; אַשּׁ֑וּר (’aš·šūr) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 804: Ashshur He will make וְיָשֵׂ֤ם (wə·yā·śêm) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set Nineveh נִֽינְוֵה֙ (nî·nə·wêh) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 5210: Nineveh -- capital of Assyr a desolation, לִשְׁמָמָ֔ה (liš·mā·māh) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 8077: Devastation, astonishment as dry צִיָּ֖ה (ṣî·yāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 6723: Aridity, a desert as a desert. כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (kam·miḏ·bār) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech Links Zephaniah 2:13 NIVZephaniah 2:13 NLT Zephaniah 2:13 ESV Zephaniah 2:13 NASB Zephaniah 2:13 KJV Zephaniah 2:13 BibleApps.com Zephaniah 2:13 Biblia Paralela Zephaniah 2:13 Chinese Bible Zephaniah 2:13 French Bible Zephaniah 2:13 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Zephaniah 2:13 He will stretch out his hand against (Zeph. 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