\NormalFont\ShortTitle{ZEPHANIAH}

{\MTB This book contains the account of Zephaniah foretelling about God punishing the Israeli people and then restoring them. We call this book

\par }{\MT Zephaniah



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{I am}} Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, whose father was
{\ADD{King}} Hezekiah. Yahweh gave this message to me during the time when
{\ADD{King}} Amon’s son Josiah was the King of Judah.


\par }{\SH The future destruction
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}Yahweh says,

\par }{\QB “I will ◄sweep away/destroy► everything [HYP] that is on the earth.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}I will sweep away people and animals.

\par }{\QB I will sweep away birds and fish.

\par }{\Q I will get rid of wicked people;

\par }{\QB there will be no more
{\ADD{wicked}} [HYP] people on the earth.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\SH Yahweh will punish Judah
\par }
{\Q \VS{4}“{\ADD{These are some of the things that I will do}}:

\par }{\QB I will punish the people who live in Jerusalem and
{\ADD{other places in}} Judah.

\par }{\QB I will destroy everything that has been used in the worship of Baal.

\par }{\Q I will cause
{\ADD{people}} to no longer remember the names of the pagan priests

\par }{\QB or the
{\ADD{other}} priests
{\ADD{who have turned away from me}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}{\ADD{I will get rid of}} those who go up on the roofs
{\ADD{of their houses}} and worship the sun and moon and stars,

\par }{\QB those who claim that they worship me but
{\ADD{also}} worship
{\ADD{their god}} Molech.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}I will get rid of all those who previously worshiped me but no longer do,

\par }{\QB those who no
{\ADD{longer}} seek my
{\ADD{help or ask me to tell them what they should do.”}}


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{7}Be silent in front of Yahweh the Lord,

\par }{\QB because it will soon be the time/day when Yahweh
{\ADD{will judge and punish people}}.

\par }{\Q Yahweh has prepared to get rid of
{\ADD{the people of Judah}};

\par }{\QB they will be like [MET] animals that are slaughtered for sacrifices,

\par }{\QB and he has chosen
{\ADD{their enemies}} to be the ones who will get rid of them.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}Yahweh says, “On that day when I will get rid of
{\ADD{the people of Judah}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{I will punish}} their officials and the king’s sons,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{I will punish}} all those who worship foreign gods [MTY].


\par }{\Q \VS{9}I will punish those who
{\ADD{show that they revere their god Dagan}} by avoiding stepping on the threshold
{\ADD{of his temple}},

\par }{\QB and those who do violent things and tell lies in the temples of their gods.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}Yahweh
{\ADD{also}} says,

\par }{\QB “On that day, people will cry
{\ADD{out}} at the Fish Gate
{\ADD{of Jerusalem}}.

\par }{\Q People will wail in the newer part of the city,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{people will hear}} a loud crash
{\ADD{of buildings collapsing}} in the hills.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}{\ADD{So, all you}} people who live in the market area
{\ADD{of Jerusalem}} should wail,

\par }{\QB because all those who sell goods and weigh out silver will be slaughtered.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}{\ADD{It will be as though}} I will light lanterns to search in
{\ADD{dark places in}} Jerusalem

\par }{\QB for those who have become very satisfied with their behavior and complacent
{\ADD{about their sins}}.

\par }{\Q They think that
{\ADD{I}}, Yahweh, will do nothing to them,

\par }{\QB neither good things nor bad things.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}{\ADD{But I say that}} their valuable possessions will be plundered/stolen
{\ADD{by their enemies}},

\par }{\QB and their houses will be destroyed.

\par }{\Q They will build
{\ADD{new}} homes,

\par }{\QB but they will not live in them;

\par }{\Q they will plant vineyards,

\par }{\QB but they will never drink
{\ADD{any}} wine
{\ADD{made from grapes that grow there}}.”


\par }{\SH The day of punishment
\par }
{\Q \VS{14}It will soon be the day/time when Yahweh
{\ADD{will punish people}}.

\par }{\QB It will be here quickly.

\par }{\Q It will be a time
{\ADD{when people cry}} bitterly,

\par }{\QB a time when
{\ADD{even}} brave soldiers will cry loudly.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}It will be a time when
{\ADD{God shows that he is}} very angry,

\par }{\QB a time when
{\ADD{people experience much}} distress/suffering and trouble.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{It will be}} a time
{\ADD{when many things are}} ruined and destroyed [DOU].

\par }{\QB It will be a time when it is very gloomy and dark [DOU],

\par }{\QB when the clouds are very black.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}It will be a time when
{\ADD{soldiers}} will blow trumpets
{\ADD{to call other soldiers}} to battle.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{Your enemies}} will tear down the walls around your cities

\par }{\QB and the high towers
{\ADD{at the corners of those walls}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}Because you sinned against Yahweh,

\par }{\QB he will cause you to experience great distress;

\par }{\QB you will walk
{\ADD{around groping}} like [SIM] blind people do.

\par }{\Q Your blood will flow
{\ADD{from your bodies}} like [SIM] water,

\par }{\QB and your corpses will lie on the ground and rot [SIM].


\par }{\Q \VS{18}At the time that
{\ADD{Yahweh shows that he}} is very angry
{\ADD{with you}},

\par }{\QB you will not be able to save yourselves

\par }{\QB by
{\ADD{giving}} silver or gold
{\ADD{to your enemies}}.

\par }{\Q Because Yahweh ◄is very jealous/does not want people to worship any other god►,

\par }{\QB he will send a fire to burn up the entire world,

\par }{\Q and he will suddenly get rid of all the
{\ADD{wicked}} people who live on the earth.




\par }\Chap{2}{\SH A call to repentance
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}You people
{\ADD{of Judah}} who ought to be ashamed,

\par }{\QB gather together [DOU].


\par }{\Q \VS{2}Yahweh is extremely angry with you,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{so gather together now}},

\par }{\Q before it is time for him to punish [MTY] you

\par }{\QB and blow you away like [SIM]
{\ADD{the wind blows away}} chaff.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}All you people in Judah who are humble,

\par }{\QB worship Yahweh, and obey what he has commanded.

\par }{\Q Try to do what is right

\par }{\QB and to be humble.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{If you do that}}, perhaps Yahweh will protect/spare you

\par }{\QB on the day when he punishes [MTY] people.


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Philistia
\par }
{\Q \VS{4}{\ADD{When Yahweh punishes Philistia}},

\par }{\QB Gaza and Ashkelon
{\ADD{cities}} will be deserted/abandoned.

\par }{\Q Ashdod
{\ADD{city}} will be attacked and the people expelled at noon
{\ADD{when people are resting}};

\par }{\QB the
{\ADD{people of Ekron city}} will
{\ADD{also}} be driven out.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}And terrible things will happen to you people of Philistia who live near the sea,

\par }{\QB because Yahweh has decided [MTY] that he will punish [MTY] you,
{\ADD{also}}.

\par }{\Q He will get rid of all of you;

\par }{\QB not one person will ◄survive/remain alive►.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}The land
{\ADD{of Philistia}} near the sea will become a pasture,

\par }{\QB a place for shepherds and their sheep pens.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}The people of Judah who ◄survive/are still alive► will possess that land.

\par }{\QB At night they will sleep in the
{\ADD{deserted}} houses in Ashkelon.

\par }{\Q Yahweh will take care of them;

\par }{\QB he will enable them to prosper again.


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Moab and Ammon
\par }
{\PP \VS{8}The Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom
{\ADD{we}} Israeli people
{\ADD{belong}}, says
{\ADD{this}}:

\par }{\Q “I have heard the people of Moab and Ammon

\par }{\Q when they insulted [DOU] my people,

\par }{\QB and when they said that they would conquer my people’s country.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}So now,
{\ADD{as surely}} as I live,
{\ADD{I will destroy}} Moab and Ammon

\par }{\QB like [SIM]
{\ADD{I destroyed}} Gomorrah
{\ADD{city}}.

\par }{\Q Their land will be a place were there are nettles and salt pits;

\par }{\QB it will be ruined forever.

\par }{\Q My Israeli people who survive will take away all their valuable possessions

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{also}} occupy their land.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{10}The people of Moab and Ammon will get what they deserve for being proud,

\par }{\QB because they made fun of the people who belong to the Commander of the armies of angels.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}Yahweh will cause them to be terrified

\par }{\QB {\ADD{when}} he destroys all the gods of their countries.

\par }{\Q Then
{\ADD{even the people who live on}} islands throughout the world will worship Yahweh,

\par }{\QB each in their own countries.


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Ethiopia
\par }
{\Q \VS{12}{\ADD{Yahweh says that}} he will also slaughter the people of Ethiopia.


\par }{\SH Yahweh will punish Assyria
\par }
{\Q \VS{13}Yahweh will punish [IDM] and destroy Assyria,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{that land}} northeast of us.

\par }{\Q He will cause
{\ADD{its capital}} Nineveh to become ruined and deserted,

\par }{\QB a place that will be as dry as the desert.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}{\ADD{Flocks of sheep and}} herds
{\ADD{of cattle}} and many kinds of wild animals will lie down there.

\par }{\QB Owls and crows will sit on the columns/pillars
{\ADD{of the destroyed buildings}},

\par }{\Q and they will ◄hoot/cry out► through the windows.

\par }{\Q There will be rubble in the doorways,

\par }{\QB and the
{\ADD{valuable}} cedar boards will be taken
{\ADD{from the ruined houses}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}{\ADD{The people of}} Nineveh were
{\ADD{previously}} happy and proud,

\par }{\QB thinking that they were very safe.

\par }{\Q They were
{\ADD{always}} saying,

\par }{\Q “Our city is the greatest city;

\par }{\QB there is no city as great as ours!”

\par }{\Q But now it will become a ruins,

\par }{\QB a place where wild animals make their dens.

\par }{\Q And everyone who passes by there will hiss
{\ADD{and scorn/ridicule that city}},

\par }{\QB and shake their fists
{\ADD{to show that they detest that city very much}}.




\par }\Chap{3}{\SH Yahweh will some day restore Jerusalem, whose people have rebelled against him
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}Terrible things will
{\ADD{also}} happen
{\ADD{to Jerusalem}},

\par }{\QB that city whose people have rebelled
{\ADD{against Yahweh}}

\par }{\Q and who have become unacceptable to him
{\ADD{because of the sins that they have committed}}.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{They act violently toward others}} and they ◄oppress/treat cruelly►
{\ADD{other people}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{2}{\ADD{The people there}} do not pay attention to people who tell them
{\ADD{the wrong things that they are doing}}

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{try to}} ◄correct them/cause them to quit doing those things►.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{The people in Jerusalem}} do not trust in Yahweh

\par }{\QB or draw near to ask help from their God.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}Their leaders are
{\ADD{like}} [MET] roaring lions;

\par }{\QB they are
{\ADD{like}} [MET] wolves that
{\ADD{attack other animals}} during the evening,

\par }{\Q {\ADD{and eat everything that they kill}},

\par }{\QB with the result that the next morning there is nothing left
{\ADD{of those animals to eat}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}The prophets in Jerusalem are proud,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{and they give messages that are}} not to be trusted.

\par }{\Q Their priests cause the temple to be unholy

\par }{\QB by doing things that are opposed to the laws
{\ADD{of Moses}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}But Yahweh is
{\ADD{also}} in the city;

\par }{\QB and he never does what is wrong.

\par }{\Q He treats people justly/fairly;

\par }{\QB he does that every day,

\par }{\QB but wicked people are never ashamed
{\ADD{about their doing what is wrong}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{6}{\ADD{Yahweh says this}}:

\par }{\Q “I have destroyed
{\ADD{many}} nations;

\par }{\QB I have destroyed their strong/high city walls and towers.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Now}} I have caused the streets in those cities to be completely deserted [DOU];

\par }{\QB the cities are ruined.

\par }{\Q There are no people
{\ADD{still alive}} in the cities;

\par }{\QB they are all dead [LIT].


\par }{\Q \VS{7}{\ADD{So}} I thought
{\ADD{to myself}},

\par }{\QB ‘{\ADD{Because of what I have done to those other nations}},

\par }{\QB surely the people
{\ADD{of Jerusalem}} will revere me
{\ADD{now}},

\par }{\QB and they will accept ◄my correcting them/my telling them to quit doing what is wrong►.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{If they do that, I}} will not destroy their houses;

\par }{\QB I will not punish them like I said that I would do.’

\par }{\Q But
{\ADD{in spite of knowing how I punished those other nations}},

\par }{\QB they were still eager to get up early each morning

\par }{\QB and continue to do evil things.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}Therefore I, Yahweh, say,

\par }{\QB ‘Wait for the day in which I will testify
{\ADD{in court about your evil things}}.’

\par }{\Q I have decided to gather the people of the kingdoms
{\ADD{of the earth}} [DOU]

\par }{\QB and cause them to know that I am very angry with them.

\par }{\Q All
{\ADD{over}} the earth I will punish and destroy people;

\par }{\QB my being angry with them because I ◄am jealous/want people to worship no other god► is
{\ADD{like}} [MET] a ◄raging/very hot► fire.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{9}When that happens, I will cause
{\ADD{all}} people [MTY] to be changed

\par }{\QB and enable them to speak
{\ADD{only}} what is ◄pure/pleasing to me►,

\par }{\QB in order that everyone can worship me [MTY]

\par }{\QB and unitedly/together serve me [MTY].


\par }{\Q \VS{10}{\ADD{Then}} my people who
{\ADD{were forced to go to other countries}}, those who live along the upper part of the
{\ADD{Nile}} River in Ethiopia

\par }{\QB will come to me and bring offerings to me.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}At that time, you
{\ADD{people in Jerusalem}} will no
{\ADD{longer}} be ashamed
{\ADD{about what has happened to you}},

\par }{\QB because you no longer will be rebelling against me.

\par }{\Q I will get rid of all the people among you who are very proud [DOU].

\par }{\QB No one on
{\ADD{Zion}}, my holy hill, will
{\ADD{strut around}} proudly.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble;

\par }{\QB they will be people who trust in me [MTY].


\par }{\Q \VS{13}Those people who are still alive
{\ADD{there}} in Israel will not do
{\ADD{things that are}} wrong;

\par }{\QB they will not tell lies or deceive [MTY] people.

\par }{\Q They will eat and sleep
{\ADD{safely}},

\par }{\QB {\ADD{because}} no one will cause them to be afraid.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{14}You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and
{\ADD{other places in}} Israel,

\par }{\QB sing and shout loudly!

\par }{\Q Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,


\par }{\Q \VS{15}{\ADD{because}} Yahweh will stop punishing [MTY] you,

\par }{\QB and he will send away from you
{\ADD{the armies of}} your enemies!

\par }{\Q And Yahweh
{\ADD{himself}}, the king of
{\ADD{us}} Israeli people, will live among us,

\par }{\QB and never again will we be afraid that
{\ADD{others will}} harm us.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}At that time,
{\ADD{other people}} will say to us people of Jerusalem,

\par }{\QB “{\ADD{You people of}} [APO] Jerusalem, do not be afraid;

\par }{\QB do not become afraid or discouraged,


\par }{\Q \VS{17}{\ADD{because}} Yahweh your God is
{\ADD{living}} among you.

\par }{\QB He is mighty, and he will rescue/save you.

\par }{\Q He will be very happy with you;

\par }{\QB because he loves you, he will cause you to not be afraid;

\par }{\QB he will sing loudly to rejoice over you.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{18}{\ADD{Yahweh says,}} “You people were sad and ashamed

\par }{\QB because
{\ADD{you were unable to attend}} your religious festivals;

\par }{\QB but I will cause you to no longer be disgraced.


\par }{\Q \VS{19}Truly, I will
{\ADD{severely}} punish all those who ◄oppressed you/caused you to suffer►.

\par }{\Q I will rescue those who are helpless

\par }{\QB and those who were forced to go to other countries.

\par }{\Q I will enable them to be praised and honored in every country to which they were ◄exiled/forced to go►,

\par }{\QB places where they were disgraced.


\par }{\Q \VS{20}At that time, I will gather you together

\par }{\QB and bring you
{\ADD{back}} home
{\ADD{to Israel}}.

\par }{\Q I will cause you to ◄have a good reputation/be honored► and be
{\ADD{greatly}} praised

\par }{\QB among all the nations of the earth.

\par }{\Q You [MTY] will see me causing you to prosper again.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{That will surely happen because I,}} Yahweh, have said it.”


\par }