Lamsa OT - Zephaniah

"1 ¶ THE word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Helakiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. 2 I will utterly remove all things from off the face of the earth, says the LORD. 3 I will remove man and beast; I will remove the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea; I will bring a stumbling block against the wicked; and I will destroy man from the face of the earth, says the LORD. 4 I will also stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will destroy the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the priests in charge, along with the priests; 5 And all of those who worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and all who worship and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcom; 6 And those who are turned back from the LORD; and those who have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him."

"7 ¶ Stand in awe at the presence of the LORD God; for the day of the LORD is at hand; yea, the LORD has prepared sacrifices, he has invited his guests. 8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice that I will punish the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed in strange apparel. 9 In that day I will punish all those who do violence and those who plunder, who fill their storerooms with things acquired by means of extortion and deceit. 10 And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate and a wailing from the second gate and a great crashing from the hills. 11 Wail, O inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are confounded; all those who bear silver are cut off. 12 And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with a lamp and punish the men who despise their watchmen, who say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. 13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty and their houses a desolation; they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof."

"14 ¶ The great day of the LORD is near, it is very near, and hastens fast; even the voice of the day of the Lord; yea, it is bitter, harsh, and severe. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of confusion and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and shouting against the fenced cities and against the high towers. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD; and their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be consumed in the fire of his indignation; for he shall make a speedy destruction against all the inhabitants of the earth."

"2:1 ¶ GATHER yourselves, bind yourselves together, O people without discipline; 2 Before you become like the chaff which is driven away, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger reaches you. 3 Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, execute justice; seek righteousness and meekness; perhaps you may find refuge in the day of the LORD’S anger."

"4 ¶ For Gaza shall be deserted and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall carry captive Ashdod’s people at the noon day, and Ekron shall be uprooted. 5 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. 6 And the seacoast shall become pastures for sheep, and Crete a pasture for flocks of sheep. 7 And the seacoast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening; for the LORD their God shall visit them and bring back their captivity."

"8 ¶ I have heard the reproach of Moab and the blasphemies of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border. 9 Therefore as I live, says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall become as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, for their plantations have been destroyed and their counsellors lost, and they have become a desolation for ever; the remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my people shall possess them. 10 This disaster shall they have for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts, against Israel; 11 For the LORD has declared to them that he shall destroy all the kings of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the seas."

"12 ¶ You Ethiopians also, you shall be slain by the sword. 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy the Assyrian, and will make Nineveh a desolation and dry like a wilderness. 14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all kinds of beasts of the nations; both pelicans and the owls shall lodge in her houses; and wild beasts shall roar in the midst of her, and the sword shall be in her gates; for her foundations are laid bare. 15 This is the mighty city that dwelt in security, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none like me; how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! Everyone that passes by her shall be amazed and hiss, and shake his hand, saying,"

"3:1 ¶ OH, the famous city, the saved city; the city of Jonah! 2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not discipline; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. 3 Her princes within her are roaring like lions; her judges are like evening wolves; they wait not for the morning. 4 Her prophets are wanton and treacherous persons; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. 5 But the just LORD is in her midst; he will not do iniquity; every morning he brings his justice to light, he is never late; but the wicked knows no shame. 6 I have destroyed the nations and removed the misery; I have made their streets waste, so that no one walks in them; their cities are desolate, without a man and without the inhabitants. 7 I said, Surely they will worship me, they will accept discipline from me; and she will not fail to see of all that I have decreed concerning her; but they hastened and corrupted all their doings."

"8 ¶ Therefore wait for me, says the LORD, until the day when I rise up to give testimony; for my judgment is at hand, to gather the nations and to bring the kingdoms near, to pour out my indignation upon them, even all my fierce anger; for in the fire of my zeal shall all the earth be devoured. 9 For then I will restore to the people a pure speech, that they may call upon the name of the LORD to serve him with one consent. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia they shall bring me sacrifices. 11 In that day you shall not be ashamed for all your doings wherein you have transgressed against me; for then I will remove from the midst of you the might of your pride, and you shall no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. 12 I will also leave in the midst of you an afflicted and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall harm them."

"14 ¶ Sing, O daughter of Zion; sound a trumpet, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 The LORD has taken away your judgments, he has cast out your enemies; the King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of you; you shall not see evil any more. 16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not; and to Zion, Let not your hands be weak. 17 The LORD your God in the midst of you is a mighty Saviour; he will make you to rejoice with gladness; he will renew you with his love, he will make you joyful with a praise as in the day of a feast. 18 I will remove from you those who spoke reproach against you. 19 Behold, at that time I will humble all that are in the midst of you; and I will save her that has been subjugated, and gather her that was cast far off; and I will make them for fame and for praise in every land where they had been put to shame. 20 At that time I will bring you again, and at that very time I will gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the people of the earth, when I bring back your captivity in the presence of your enemies, says the LORD."