Zephaniah 2:5
New International Version
Woe to you who live by the sea, you Kerethite people; the word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines. He says, “I will destroy you, and none will be left.”

New Living Translation
And what sorrow awaits you Philistines who live along the coast and in the land of Canaan, for this judgment is against you, too! The LORD will destroy you until not one of you is left.

English Standard Version
Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

Berean Standard Bible
Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.”

King James Bible
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

New King James Version
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.”

New American Standard Bible
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines; And I will eliminate you So that there will be no inhabitant.

NASB 1995
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; And I will destroy you So that there will be no inhabitant.

NASB 1977
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; And I will destroy you, So that there will be no inhabitant.

Legacy Standard Bible
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; And I will make you perish So that there will be no inhabitant.

Amplified Bible
Woe (judgment is coming) to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites [in Philistia]! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; I will destroy you So that no inhabitant will be left.

Christian Standard Bible
Woe, inhabitants of the seacoast, nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy you until there is no one left.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Woe, inhabitants of the seacoast, nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy you until there is no one left.

American Standard Version
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

Contemporary English Version
To you people of Philistia who live along the coast, the LORD has this to say: "I am now your enemy, and I'll wipe you out!"

English Revised Version
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How horrible it will be for those who live on the seacoast, for the nation from Crete. The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines: "I will destroy you so that no one will be living there."

Good News Translation
You Philistines are doomed, you people who live along the coast. The LORD has passed sentence on you. He will destroy you, and not one of you will be left.

International Standard Version
Woe to those who live along the coast, the people of Philistia! This message from the LORD is being spoken against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: 'I'll destroy you until no one lives there!'

Majority Standard Bible
Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: ?I will destroy you, and no one will be left.?

NET Bible
Those who live by the sea, the people who came from Crete, are as good as dead. The LORD has decreed your downfall, Canaan, land of the Philistines: "I will destroy everyone who lives there!"

New Heart English Bible
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites. The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coasts, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

World English Bible
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until there is no inhabitant.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold! O inhabitants of the seacoast, "" Nation of the Cherethites, "" A word of YHWH [is] against you, "" Canaan, land of the Philistines, "" “And I have destroyed you without an inhabitant.”

Young's Literal Translation
Ho! O inhabitants of the sea-coast, Nation of the Cherethites, A word of Jehovah is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines, And I have destroyed thee without an inhabitant.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wo! to the inhabitants of the region of the sea, the nation of the Cherethites: the word of Jehovah is upon you, O Canaan, the land of the rovers, and I destroyed thee from none inhabiting.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to you that inhabit the sea coast, O nation of reprobates: the word of the Lord upon you, O Chanaan, the land of the Philistines, and I will destroy thee, so that there shall not be an inhabitant.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Woe to you who inhabit the coast of the sea, you people of perdition. The word of the Lord is over you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines, and I will disperse you, so that not one inhabitant will be left.

New American Bible
Ah! You who dwell by the seacoast, the nation of Cherethites, the word of the LORD is against you! O Canaan, land of the Philistines, I will leave you to perish without an inhabitant!

New Revised Standard Version
Ah, inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast and the people of Crete! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will even destroy you, that there shall be no inhabitant.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Woe to dwellers in the coast of the sea and to the people of Crete! The word of LORD JEHOVAH is for you Canaan, and the land of the Philistines, and I shall destroy you from the habitation
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Woe to them that dwell on the border of the sea, neighbours of the Cretans! the word of the Lord is against you, O Chanaan, land of the Philistines, and I will destroy you out of your dwelling-place.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on the Philistines
4For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted. 5Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.” 6So the seacoast will become a land of pastures, with wells for shepherds and folds for sheep.…

Cross References
Ezekiel 25:16
therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast.

Jeremiah 47:4
For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.

Isaiah 23:1-18
This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. / Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea. / On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. ...

Amos 1:6-8
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom. / So I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza, to consume its citadels. / I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD.

Jeremiah 25:20
all the mixed tribes; all the kings of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;

Joel 3:4-8
Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads. / For you took My silver and gold and carried off My finest treasures to your temples. / You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland. ...

Isaiah 11:14
They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east. They will lay their hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.

Ezekiel 26:15-21
This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: ‘Will not the coastlands quake at the sound of your downfall, when the wounded groan at the slaughter in your midst? / All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled over you. / Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men—she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples! ...

Obadiah 1:20
And the exiles of this host of the Israelites will possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev.

Isaiah 14:29-31
Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg. / Then the firstborn of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety, but I will kill your root by famine, and your remnant will be slain. / Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

Matthew 11:21-24
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. / And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ...

Luke 10:13-15
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. / But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. / And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!

Mark 7:24-30
Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice. / Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet. / Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. ...

Acts 8:26-40
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” / So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, / and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. ...

Matthew 15:21-28
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. / And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.” / But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy you, that there shall be no inhabitant.

Cherethites.

Jeremiah 47:7
How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.

Ezekiel 25:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.

Cherethims.

Amos 3:1
Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

Amos 5:1
Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.

Zechariah 1:6
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

O Canaan.

Joshua 13:3
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

Judges 3:3
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

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Canaan Cherethites Cher'ethites Coast Coasts Destroy Destroyed Destruction Ho Inhabitant Inhabitants Live Nation Philistines Sea Seacoast Sea-Coast Sorrow Woe Word
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Zephaniah 2
1. An exhortation to repentance.
4. The judgment of the Philistines,
8. of Moab and Ammon,
12. of Ethiopia,
13. and of Assyria.














Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast
The term "woe" is a prophetic declaration of impending judgment and distress. In Hebrew, the word "הוֹי" (hoy) is often used to express lamentation or a warning of doom. The "inhabitants of the seacoast" refers to the people living along the Mediterranean coast, specifically the Philistines. This area was known for its strategic trade routes and maritime activities, making it a significant region in ancient times. The seacoast was a place of both economic prosperity and spiritual corruption, often leading to idolatry and moral decay.

O nation of the Cherethites!
The "Cherethites" are believed to be a group associated with the Philistines, possibly of Cretan origin. The Hebrew term "כְּרֵתִים" (Kerethim) suggests a connection to Crete, indicating a migration or cultural influence from the Aegean region. Historically, the Cherethites were known as mercenaries and warriors, often serving in the armies of Israel's enemies. Their mention here underscores the diverse and formidable nature of the Philistine confederation.

The word of the LORD is against you
This phrase emphasizes the divine authority and certainty of the prophecy. "The word of the LORD" (דְּבַר־יְהוָה, devar-YHWH) signifies a direct message from God, carrying the weight of His sovereign will. In the biblical context, when God's word is "against" a people, it indicates an irreversible decree of judgment due to persistent sin and rebellion. This serves as a sobering reminder of God's holiness and justice.

O Canaan, land of the Philistines
"Canaan" refers to the broader region inhabited by various peoples, including the Philistines. The term "Canaan" (כְּנַעַן, Kena'an) is often used to describe the land promised to the Israelites, yet occupied by pagan nations. The "land of the Philistines" highlights the specific area within Canaan known for its hostility towards Israel. Historically, the Philistines were a constant threat, often engaging in warfare and idolatrous practices that opposed the worship of Yahweh.

I will destroy you, and no one will be left
This declaration of total destruction is a powerful statement of divine judgment. The Hebrew verb "destroy" (שָׁמַד, shamad) conveys a sense of complete annihilation, leaving no survivors. This reflects the severity of God's response to persistent sin and rebellion. The phrase "no one will be left" underscores the totality of the judgment, serving as a warning to all nations that defy God's commands. It is a call to repentance and a reminder of the ultimate sovereignty of God over all the earth.

Verse 5. - Woe. The denunciation extends to all Philistia. The inhabitants of the sea coast. Both the. Greek and Latin Versions retain the notion of the Hebrew word chebel: "Ye who inhabit the measured allotment of the sea." "Philistia," says Sir C. Warren, "consists of an undulating plain from fifty to a hundred feet above the level of the sea, reaching thirty-two miles from Ekron to Gaza, with a breadth of from nine to sixteen miles. To the east of this the hills commence, not the hill country, but a series of low spurs and undulating ground, culminating in hogs' backs, running nearly north and south, and rising in places to twelve hundred feet above the ocean" ('Survey Memoirs: Jerusalem,' p. 436). The nation of the Cherethites. So in Ezekiel 25:16. Zephaniah calls the Philistines by this name for the sake of a play on the word, Cherethites meaning "Cutters off," and they were devoted to being "cut off" (karath). Part of David's bodyguard was composed of the same people (1 Samuel 30:14). The name seems to have belonged to a portion of the Philistines who inhabited the southern part of the district. "One of the principal villages of Philistia is now called Keretiya, so that the term may apply to the inhabitants of this town - an ancient Cherith not mentioned in the Bible" (Courier's 'Handbook to the Bible,' p. 237). They have been supposed to have emigrated from Crete, but there are no reliable grounds for this theory, though the LXX. in the present passage has, Πάροικοι Κρητῶν, "sojourners of the Cretans;' and the Syriac gives a similar rendering. St. Jerome renders, "gens perditorum," "nation of destroyers." The word of the Lord is against you. The sentence is pronounced in the words following. O Canaan. O Philistia, which shall be as Canaan, and in like manner exterminated. Canaan means "Lowland," a name which originally was applied to the Phoenician and Philistine tracts on the seacoast. I will even destroy thee. The like threat is uttered by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 47:4, 5) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:15-17).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Woe
ה֗וֹי (hō·w)
Interjection
Strong's 1945: Ah! alas! ha!

to the inhabitants
יֹֽשְׁבֵ֛י (yō·šə·ḇê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

of
חֶ֥בֶל (ḥe·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2256: A rope, a measuring line, a district, inheritance, a noose, a company, a throe, ruin

the seacoast,
הַיָּ֖ם (hay·yām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

O nation
גּ֣וֹי (gō·w)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

of the Cherethites!
כְּרֵתִ֑ים (kə·rê·ṯîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3774: Cherethites -- the foreign bodyguard of King David

The word
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is against you,
עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם (‘ă·lê·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

O Canaan,
כְּנַ֙עַן֙ (kə·na·‘an)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3667: Canaan -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their land West of the Jordan

land
אֶ֣רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of the Philistines:
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (pə·liš·tîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

‘I will destroy you,
וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֖יךְ (wə·ha·’ă·ḇaḏ·tîḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

and no one will be
מֵאֵ֥ין (mê·’ên)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

left.’
יוֹשֵֽׁב׃ (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry


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OT Prophets: Zephaniah 2:5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea (Zeph. Zep Zp)
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