1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:

2 "I will completely sweep away

everything from the face of the earth,"

declares the LORD.

3 "I will sweep away man and beast;

I will sweep away the birds of the air,

and the fish of the sea,

and the idols with their wicked worshipers.*1:3 Or and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble

I will cut off mankind

from the face of the earth,"

declares the LORD.

4 "I will stretch out My hand against Judah

and against all who dwell in Jerusalem.

I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal,

the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests —

5 those who bow on the rooftops

to worship the host of heaven,

those who bow down and swear by the LORD

but also swear by Milcom,*1:5 Or by their king; Milcom is a variant of Molech; see Leviticus 18:21 and 1 Kings 11:7.

6 and those who turn back

from following the LORD,

neither seeking the LORD

nor inquiring of Him."

7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD,

for the Day of the LORD is near.

Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice;

He has consecrated His guests.

8 "On the Day of the LORD’s sacrifice

I will punish the princes,

the sons of the king,

and all who are dressed in foreign apparel.

9 On that day I will punish

all who leap over the threshold,*1:9 See 1 Samuel 5:5.

who fill the house of their master*1:9 Or the temple of their gods

with violence and deceit.

10 On that day," declares the LORD,

"a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,

a wail from the Second District,*1:10 Or the Second Quarter, a newer section of Jerusalem; Hebrew the Mishneh

and a loud crashing from the hills.

11 Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow,*1:11 Or the market district or the Mortar

for all your merchants*1:11 Or all the people of Canaan will be silenced;

all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

12 And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps

and punish the men settled in complacency,*1:12 Or thickening on the dregs

who say to themselves,

‘The LORD will do nothing,

either good or bad.’

13 Their wealth will be plundered

and their houses laid waste.

They will build houses but not inhabit them,

and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

14 The great Day of the LORD is near —

near and coming quickly.

Listen, the Day of the LORD!

Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.

15 That day will be

a day of wrath,

a day of trouble and distress,

a day of destruction and desolation,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and blackness,

16 a day of horn blast and battle cry

against the fortified cities,

and against the high corner towers.

17 I will bring such distress on mankind

that they will walk like the blind,

because they have sinned against the LORD.

Their blood will be poured out like dust

and their flesh like dung.

18 Neither their silver nor their gold

will be able to deliver them

on the Day of the LORD’s wrath.

The whole earth will be consumed

by the fire of His jealousy."

For indeed, He will make a sudden end

of all who dwell on the earth.*1:18 Or of all the people living in the land