Zephaniah 1

1The word of Yahweh that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.

2I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares Yahweh.

3I will sweep away people and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks along with the wicked. I will cut off humankind from the face of the earth, declares Yahweh.

4I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, and the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,

5those who bow down on the rooftops to the host of heaven, and those who bow down and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Milcom,

6and those who have turned back from following Yahweh, who have not sought Yahweh or inquired of him.

7Be silent before Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is near. Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated his guests.

8On the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who dress in foreign clothing.

9On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.

10On that day, declares Yahweh, a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills.

11Wail, you who live in the Mortar, for all the merchants are destroyed; all who weigh out silver are cut off.

12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, like wine left on its dregs, who say in their hearts, “Yahweh will do nothing, either good or bad.”

13Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink their wine.

14The great day of Yahweh is near, near and coming very quickly. Listen! The day of Yahweh is bitter; there the warrior cries out aloud.

15That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16a day of the ram’s horn and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers.

17I will bring distress on the people, and they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against Yahweh. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of Yahweh’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a complete, a terrifying end of all who live on the earth.