Zephaniah 3 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
Zephaniah 3 (WEBP)
[1] Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
[2] She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in Yahweh. She didn’t draw near to her God.
[3] Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
[4] Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
[5] Yahweh, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.
[6] I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.
[7] I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
[8] “Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
[9] For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on Yahweh’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
[10] From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
[11] In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.
[12] But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name.
[13] The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”
[14] Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
[15] Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
[16] In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”
[17] Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
[18] I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
[19] Behold,§ at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth.
[20] At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says Yahweh.
Zephaniah 3:19 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
Zephaniah 3 (KJVS)
[1] Woe H1945 to her that is filthy H4754 (8802) and polluted H1351 (8737), to the oppressing H3238 (8802) city H5892!
[2] She obeyed H8085 (8804) not the voice H6963; she received H3947 (8804) not correction H4148; she trusted H982 (8804) not in the LORD H3068; she drew not near H7126 (8804) to her God H430.
[3] Her princes H8269 within H7130 her [are] roaring H7580 (8802) lions H738; her judges H8199 (8802) [are] evening H6153 wolves H2061; they gnaw not the bones H1633 (8804) till the morrow H1242.
[4] Her prophets H5030 [are] light H6348 (8802) [and] treacherous H900 persons H582: her priests H3548 have polluted H2490 (8765) the sanctuary H6944, they have done violence H2554 (8804) to the law H8451.
[5] The just H6662 LORD H3068 [is] in the midst H7130 thereof; he will not do H6213 (8799) iniquity H5766: every H1242 morning H1242 doth he bring H5414 (8799) his judgment H4941 to light H216, he faileth H5737 (8738) not; but the unjust H5767 knoweth H3045 (8802) no shame H1322.
[6] I have cut off H3772 (8689) the nations H1471: their towers H6438 are desolate H8074 (8738); I made their streets H2351 waste H2717 (8689), that none passeth by H5674 (8802): their cities H5892 are destroyed H6658 (8738), so that there is no man H376, that there is none inhabitant H3427 (8802).
[7] I said H559 (8804), Surely thou wilt fear H3372 (8799) me, thou wilt receive H3947 (8799) instruction H4148; so their dwelling H4583 should not be cut off H3772 (8735), howsoever H834 H3605 I punished H6485 (8804) them: but H403 they rose early H7925 (8689), [and] corrupted H7843 (8689) all their doings H5949.
[8] Therefore wait H2442 (8761) ye upon me, saith H5002 (8803) the LORD H3068, until the day H3117 that I rise up H6965 (8800) to the prey H5706: for my determination H4941 [is] to gather H622 (8800) the nations H1471, that I may assemble H6908 (8800) the kingdoms H4467, to pour H8210 (8800) upon them mine indignation H2195, [even] all my fierce H2740 anger H639: for all the earth H776 shall be devoured H398 (8735) with the fire H784 of my jealousy H7068.
[9] For then will I turn H2015 (8799) to the people H5971 a pure H1305 (8803) language H8193, that they may all call H7121 (8800) upon the name H8034 of the LORD H3068, to serve H5647 (8800) him with one H259 consent H7926.
[10] From beyond H5676 the rivers H5104 of Ethiopia H3568 my suppliants H6282, [even] the daughter H1323 of my dispersed H6327 (8803), shall bring H2986 (8686) mine offering H4503.
[11] In that day H3117 shalt thou not be ashamed H954 (8799) for all thy doings H5949, wherein thou hast transgressed H6586 (8804) against me: for then I will take away H5493 (8686) out of the midst H7130 of thee them that rejoice H5947 in thy pride H1346, and thou shalt no more H3254 (8686) be haughty H1361 (8800) because of my holy H6944 mountain H2022.
[12] I will also leave H7604 (8689) in the midst H7130 of thee an afflicted H6041 and poor H1800 people H5971, and they shall trust H2620 (8804) in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068.
[13] The remnant H7611 of Israel H3478 shall not do H6213 (8799) iniquity H5766, nor speak H1696 (8762) lies H3577; neither shall a deceitful H8649 tongue H3956 be found H4672 (8735) in their mouth H6310: for they shall feed H7462 (8799) and lie down H7257 (8804), and none shall make [them] afraid H2729 (8688).
[14] Sing H7442 (8798), O daughter H1323 of Zion H6726; shout H7321 (8685), O Israel H3478; be glad H8055 (8798) and rejoice H5937 (8798) with all the heart H3820, O daughter H1323 of Jerusalem H3389.
[15] The LORD H3068 hath taken away H5493 (8689) thy judgments H4941, he hath cast out H6437 (8765) thine enemy H341 (8802): the king H4428 of Israel H3478, [even] the LORD H3068, [is] in the midst H7130 of thee: thou shalt not see H7200 (8799) evil H7451 any more.
[16] In that day H3117 it shall be said H559 (8735) to Jerusalem H3389, Fear H3372 (8799) thou not: [and to] Zion H6726, Let not thine hands H3027 be slack H7503 (8799).
[17] The LORD H3068 thy God H430 in the midst H7130 of thee [is] mighty H1368; he will save H3467 (8686), he will rejoice H7797 (8799) over thee with joy H8057; he will rest H2790 (8686) in his love H160, he will joy H1523 (8799) over thee with singing H7440.
[18] I will gather H622 (8804) [them that are] sorrowful H3013 (8737) for the solemn assembly H4150, [who] are of thee, [to whom] the reproach H2781 of it [was] a burden H4864.
[19] Behold, at that time H6256 I will undo H6213 (8802) all that afflict H6031 (8764) thee: and I will save H3467 (8689) her that halteth H6760 (8802), and gather H6908 (8762) her that was driven out H5080 (8737); and I will get H7760 (8804) them praise H8416 and fame H8034 in every land H776 where they have been put to shame H1322.
[20] At that time H6256 will I bring H935 (8686) you [again], even in the time H6256 that I gather H6908 (8763) you: for I will make H5414 (8799) you a name H8034 and a praise H8416 among all people H5971 of the earth H776, when I turn back H7725 (8800) your captivity H7622 before your eyes H5869, saith H559 (8804) the LORD H3068.
Young’s Literal Translation
Zephaniah 3 (YLT)
[1] Woe to the rebellious and polluted, The oppressing city!
[2] She hath not hearkened to the voice, She hath not accepted instruction, In Jehovah she hath not trusted, Unto her God she hath not drawn near.
[3] Her heads in her midst are roaring lions, Her judges are evening wolves, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.
[4] Her prophets unstable-men of treachery, Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have violated the law.
[5] Jehovah is righteous in her midst, He doth not do perverseness, Morning by morning His judgment he giveth to the light, It hath not been lacking, And the perverse doth not know shame.
[6] I have cut off nations, Desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, Destroyed have been their cities, Without man, without inhabitant.
[7] I have said: Only, ye do fear Me, Ye do accept instruction, And her habitation is not cut off, All that I have appointed for her, But they have risen early, They have corrupted all their doings.
[8] Therefore, wait for Me-an affirmation of Jehovah, For the day of My rising for prey, For My judgment is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them Mine indignation, All the heat of Mine anger, For by the fire of My jealousy consumed is all the earth.
[9] For then do I turn unto peoples a pure lip, To call all of them by the name of Jehovah, To serve Him with one shoulder.
[10] From beyond the rivers of Cush, my supplicants, The daughter of My scattered ones, Do bring My present.
[11] In that day thou art not ashamed because of any of thine actions, Wherewith thou hast transgressed against Me, For then do I turn aside from thy midst The exulting ones of thine excellency, And thou dost add no more to be haughty, In My holy mountain.
[12] And I have left in thy midst a people humble and poor, And they have trusted in the name of Jehovah.
[13] The remnant of Israel do no perversity, nor speak lies, Nor found in their mouth is a deceitful tongue, For they have delight, and have lain down, And there is none troubling.
[14] Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, Rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
[15] Jehovah hath turned aside thy judgments, He hath faced thine enemy, The king of Israel, Jehovah, is in thy midst, Thou seest evil no more.
[16] In that day it is said to Jerusalem, ‘Fear not, O Zion, let not thy hands be feeble.
[17] Jehovah thy God is in thy midst, A mighty one doth save, He rejoiceth over thee with joy, He doth work in His love, He joyeth over thee with singing.’
[18] Mine afflicted from the appointed place I have gathered, from thee they have been, Bearing for her sake reproach.
[19] Lo, I am dealing with all afflicting thee at that time, And I have saved the halting one, And the driven out ones I do gather, And have set them for a praise and for a name, In all the land of their shame.
[20] At that time I bring you in, Even at the time of My assembling you, For I give you for a name, and for a praise, Among all peoples of the land, In My turning back to your captivity before your eyes, said Jehovah!