Zephaniah 3
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.
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