Zephaniah 2

1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, you shameless nation,

2before the decree takes effect and the day blows away like chaff, before the burning anger of Yahweh comes upon you, before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes upon you.

3Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who carry out his justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of Yahweh’s anger.

4For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left desolate. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron uprooted.

5Woe to you who live by the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

6The seacoast will become pastures, with shelters for shepherds and pens for flocks.

7The coast will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; there they will graze their flocks. In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down in the evening, for Yahweh their God will care for them and restore their fortunes.

8I have heard the taunts of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory.

9Therefore, as I live, declares Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, Moab will become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a place overrun by weeds, a pit of salt, and a wasteland forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will possess them.

10This is what they will get for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of Yahweh of Armies.

11Yahweh will be terrifying to them, for he will waste away all the gods of the earth. Then all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to him, each in its own place.

12You too, Cushites—they will be slain by my sword.

13He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria. He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.

14Flocks will lie down in her midst, every kind of wild animal. Both the desert owl and the screech owl will roost on her columns. Their calls will echo through the windows; rubble will lie on the thresholds, for the cedar paneling will be stripped bare.

15This is the carefree city that lived securely, that said to herself, “I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild animals! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and wave his hand.