Zep 3 | HCSB | STEP | Woe to the city that is rebellious and defiled , the oppressive city!

Zephaniah 3

Woe to Oppressive Jerusalem

1 Woe to the city that is rebellious ^{▼▼Or filthy
,} ^b and defiled, ^c
the oppressive city!
2 She has not obeyed; ^d
she has not accepted discipline. ^e
She has not trusted ^f in ^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh;
she has not drawn near to her God.
3 The ^{▼▼Lit Her} princes within her are roaring lions; ⁱ
her judges are wolves of the night, ^j
which leave nothing for ^{▼▼Or that had nothing to gnaw in} the morning.
4 Her prophets are reckless ^l –
treacherous men.
Her priests profane the sanctuary;
they do violence to instruction. ^m
5 The righteous Lord is in her; ⁿ
He does no wrong. ^o
He applies His justice morning by morning;
He does not fail at dawn,
yet the one who does wrong knows no shame. ^p

6 I have cut off nations;
their corner towers ^q are destroyed.
I have laid waste their streets,
with no one to pass through.
Their cities lie devastated,
without a person, without an inhabitant. ^r
7 I thought: You will certainly ^{▼▼fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.}fear Me
and accept correction.
Then her dwelling place ^{▼▼LXX, Syr read her eyes}
would not be cut off
based on all that I had allocated to her.
However, they became more corrupt
in all their actions.
8 Therefore, wait for Me ^u –
this is the Lord’s declaration –

until the day I rise up for plunder. ^{▼▼LXX, Syr read for a witness; Vg reads up forever}
For My decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
in order to pour out My indignation ^w on them,
all My burning anger;
for the whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of My jealousy. ^x

Final Restoration Promised

9 For I will then restore
pure ^y speech to the peoples
so that all of them may call
on the name of Yahweh
and serve Him with a single purpose. ^{▼▼Lit with one shoulder}
10 From beyond the rivers of ^{▼▼Cush/ Cushite: The lands of the Nile in southern Egypt, including Nubia and Northern Sudan; the people who lived in that region}Cush ^ab
My supplicants, My dispersed people,
will bring an offering to Me.
11 On that day you ^{▼▼= Israel} will not be put to shame ^ad
because of everything you have done
in rebelling ^ae against Me.
For then I will remove
your proud, ^af arrogant people from among you,
and you will never again be haughty
on My holy mountain. ^ag
12 I will leave
a meek and humble people ^ah among you,
and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.
13 The remnant ^ai of Israel will no longer
do wrong or tell lies;
a deceitful tongue will not be found
in their mouths.
But they will pasture and lie down,
with nothing to make them afraid. ^aj

14 Sing for joy, Daughter ^{▼▼Zion: Originally a term for the fortified section of Jerusalem and then, by extension, used for the temple and the city of Jerusalem both in the present time and in the future}Zion;
shout loudly, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has removed your punishment;
He has turned back your enemy.
The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you;
you need no longer fear harm.
16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, do not let your hands grow weak. ^al
17 Yahweh your God is among you,
a warrior ^am who saves.
He will rejoice over you ^an with gladness.
He will bring you quietness ^{▼▼LXX, Syr read He will renew you} with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.” ^ap

18 I will gather those who have been driven ^aq
from the appointed festivals;
they will be a tribute from you ^{▼▼= Jerusalem}
and a reproach on her. ^{▼▼Hb obscure}
19 Yes, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you.
I will save the lame ^at and gather the scattered; ^au
I will make those who were disgraced
throughout the earth
receive praise and fame.
20 At that time I will bring you ^{▼▼= people of Israel} back,
yes, at the time I will gather you.
I will give you fame and praise
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes ^aw before your eyes.
Yahweh has spoken.