The Prophet Zephaniah

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- Chapter 1 -

(Matthew 13:36–43)

The word of the Lord, which came vnto Zephaniah ye sonne of Cushi, the sonne of Gedaliah, the sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Hizkiah, in the dayes of Iosiah, the sonne of Amon King of Iudah.

I will surely destroy all things from off the land, saith the Lord.

I will destroy man and beast: I wil destroy the foules of the heauen, and the fishes of the sea, and ruines shalbe to the wicked, and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.

I will also stretch out mine hand vpon Iudah, and vpon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem, and I wil cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with ye Priestes,

And them that worship the hoste of heauen vpon the house tops, and them that worship and sweare by the Lord, and sweare by Malcham,

And them that are turned backe from the Lord, and those that haue not sought the Lord, nor inquired for him.

The Day of the LORD

(Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Peter 3:8–13)

Be stil at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, and hath sanctified his ghests.

And it shalbe in the day of the Lords sacrifice, that I will visite the princes and the Kings children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparell.

In the same day also will I visite all those that dance vpon the threshold so proudly, which fill their masters houses by crueltie and deceite.

And in that day, saith the Lord, there shall be a noise, and cry from the fishgate, and an howling from the second gate, and a great destruction from the hilles.

Howle ye inhabitants of the lowe place: for the companie of the marchants is destroyed: all they that beare siluer, are cut off.

And at that time will I searche Ierusalem with lightes, and visite the men that are frosen in their dregges, and say in their heartes, The Lord will neither doe good nor doe euill.

Therefore their goods shall be spoyled, and their houses waste: they shall also build houses, but not inhabite them, and they shall plant vineyards, but not drinke the wine thereof.

The great day of the Lord is neere: it is neere, and hasteth greatly, euen the voyce of the day of the Lord: the strong man shall cry there bitterly.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heauinesse, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscuritie and darkenesse, a day of cloudes and blackenesse,

A day of the trumpet and alarme against the strong cities, and against the hie towres.

And I will bring distresse vpon men, that they shall walke like blind men, because they haue sinned against the Lord, and their blood shall be powred out as dust, and their flesh as the dongue.

Neither their siluer nor their golde shalbe able to deliuer them in ye day of the Lords wrath, but the whole lande shalbe deuoured by the fire of his ielousie: for hee shall make euen a speedie riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

(Matthew 13:36–43)

The LORD’s(a) word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.

I will utterly sweep away everything from the surface of the earth, says the LORD.

I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says the LORD.

I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place—the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests,

those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcam,

those who have turned back from following the LORD, and those who haven’t sought the LORD nor inquired after him.

The Day of the LORD

(Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Peter 3:8–13)

Be silent at the presence of the Lord

(b)

GOD, for the day of the LORD is at hand. For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests.

It will happen in the day of the LORD’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing.

In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.

In that day, says the LORD, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.

Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off.

It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.”

Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine.

The great day of the LORD is near. It is near and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of the LORD. The mighty man cries there bitterly.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements.

I will bring such distress on men that they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:7 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”