Zephaniah 3

¹Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted! to the oppressing city! ²She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Jehovah; she drew not near to her God. ³Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow. ⁴Her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. ⁵Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; every morning doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. ⁶I have cut off nations; their battlements are desolate; I have made their streets waste, so that none passeth by; their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant. ⁷I said, Only fear thou me; receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her: but they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

⁸Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, 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 upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

⁹For then will I turn to the peoples of a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent. ¹⁰From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. ¹¹In that day shalt thou not be put to shame for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of thee thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt no more be haughty in my holy mountain. ¹²But I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of Jehovah. ¹³The 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 make them afraid.

¹⁴Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. ¹⁵Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. ¹⁶In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. ¹⁷Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing. ¹⁸I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were of thee; to whom the burden upon her was a reproach. ¹⁹Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away; and I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth. ²⁰At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah.